One Kenyan IMG’s story of overcoming obstacle after obstacle to match into Internal Medicine
When Dr. Khadija Tayabali started preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination, she hadn’t planned on becoming a mother anytime soon. But, within months of commencing her studies, she discovered she was carrying her now 6-year-old daughter. Surprise!
A graduate of the University of Nairobi, Dr. Tayabali had already immigrated from Kenya to the United States with her husband, also a physician, having won a U.S. Diversity Visa. With no social support like the kind they would have had in Kenya, Dr. Tayabali and her husband had to team up to overcome one obstacle after the next until they both matched.
Dr. Tayabali’s wisdom for those applying to the match is as hard-won as it is priceless.
In this episode we cover:
1. [2:52] — Dr. Tayabali’s Indian roots and Kenyan lineage.
2. [3:54] — Why Dr. Tayabali dropped out of her pre-med program in the United States when she was 18 years old.
3. [4:45] — Her experience at the University of Nairobi
4. [11:48] — Why Dr. Tayanali decided to move the U.S. before completing her Step exams
5. [14:49] — Finding out she was pregnant
6. [19:58] — Dr. Tayabali’s tips for excelling in the USMLE Step 1 exam
7. [23:49] — Dr. Tayabali’s word on having grit and motivation
8. [33:22] —What happened when she failed to match the first time.
9. [35.48] — How she has changed since beginning residency training
10. [52:36] — Her favorite artiste
And so much more!
Resources mentioned during this episode:
Dr. Tayabali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativemedic/
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program
https://www.usa.gov/green-cards#item-34962
The IMG Residency Match Podcast is brought to you by the IMG Residency Match Application Accelerator, a personalized, premium program to help ambitious International Medical Graduates prepare a residency application that gives them the best possible odds of matching.
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Thank you for listening to this week’s episode. Do rate and subscribe. Don’t forget to share the podcast with at least one of your colleagues applying to the match; success is much sweeter when it’s shared.
