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This episode is for the IMG who’s been told—explicitly or implicitly—that too much time has passed.
In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Damien-ange Sighaka, a Cameroonian IMG who graduated medical school in 2013 and didn’t start U.S. residency until 2023—a full 10 years later.
Often labeled an “old IMG,” Dr. Sighaka shares how he navigated:
A decade-long gap
Multiple medical school transfers across countries
ECFMG delays
USMLEs years after graduation
Working as a registered nurse while waiting
And still matching into Internal Medicine residency at the very hospital where he worked as a nurse
This episode challenges everything IMGs are told about age, gaps, timelines, and what’s “realistic.”
In this episode, we cover:
What it really means to be labeled an “old IMG”
How long gaps actually happen (and why they’re not always red flags)
How ECFMG verification delays can derail timelines
Why Dr. Sighaka chose nursing—and how it helped his application
How to stay clinically relevant while working another job
Strategic networking when you’re not a “traditional” applicant
How to approach observerships, research, and LORs with a long gap
Why mindset—not luck—was the turning point
What he would do differently if starting today
Key takeaways for IMGs with gaps:
You cannot change the past—but you can control what you do next
Being employed is not a failure—it can be a strategic advantage
Long gaps require clarity, structure, and visibility, not hiding
Mindset determines whether gaps become anchors or leverage
Guest Info
Dr. Damien-ange Sighaka
Cameroonian IMG
Medical school graduation: 2013
PGY-3 Internal Medicine resident
Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital (Muncie, Indiana)
Contact Dr. Sighaka:
sighange@yahoo.fr
Resources Mentioned
Free 2026 IMG Roadmap Planner
Plan your year month-by-month with clarity:
https://drninalum.com/calendar
IMG Roadmap Program Waitlist
https://drninalum.com/waitlist
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Interested in writing your own medical success story? We've got you covered. Here's how you can join the IMG Roadmap Community Today:
- for IMG-related questions: drlum@imgroadmap.com
- for course-related questions: admin@imgroadmap.com
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