Emergency Medicine as an IMG: The Truth About Matching, SLOEs, and Networking with Dr. Helena (IMG Roadmap Series #128)
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Can an IMG Really Match Into Emergency Medicine?
Emergency Medicine doesn’t have a reputation for being IMG-friendly.
So when IMGs say they’re interested in EM, the immediate response is often fear:
Is it realistic? Is it even worth trying?
In this episode of the IMG Roadmap Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Helena, an Emergency Medicine physician who went to medical school in Europe and successfully matched into EM in the United States.
Her journey proves one thing clearly:
Emergency Medicine is hard for IMGs—but it is not impossible.
What happens when you choose medical school outside the U.S.?
Dr. Helena grew up in the U.S. but chose to attend medical school in Budapest, Hungary, at Semmelweis University.
Why?
No MCAT
Lower tuition
No student debt
Strong clinical exposure
Global perspective
But she also learned the hard way that being an IMG changes the rules—especially when it comes to residency applications.
What does the EM residency application process really feel like?
Lonely.
Anxiety-provoking.
Relentless.
Studying for USMLEs while keeping up with European coursework.
Applying during COVID with limited U.S. clinical access.
Watching doors close because of IMG status.
And yet—she persisted.
Do USMLE scores decide everything?
Dr. Helena shares her real scores, her doubts, and what actually mattered more than numbers:
Improvement
Specialty-specific commitment
Strong evaluations
And relationships
Her story is a reminder that numbers open doors—but people walk you through them.
What is a SLOE—and why does it matter so much?
For Emergency Medicine applicants, the Standardized Letter of Evaluation (SLOE) can make or break an application.
We break down:
What a SLOE actually is
Why IMGs struggle to get them
The different types of SLOEs
How networking helped her secure one when formal routes failed
This is one of the most practical EM-focused conversations we’ve had on the podcast.
Why networking isn’t optional for IMGs
If your school doesn’t provide advisors, mentorship, or rotations—you must build your own system.
Dr. Helena shares exactly how she networked:
Conferences
Guest lectures
Cold emails
Social media
Follow-ups that actually worked
Her advice is simple:
Be politely, passionately persistent.
What happens after residency?
Dr. Helena didn’t follow the traditional W-2 path.
Instead, she chose locum tenens emergency medicine, working as a 1099 physician with control over:
Her schedule
Her income
Her time
Her lifestyle
This part of the episode is eye-opening for IMGs who have never been taught the business side of medicine.
If Emergency Medicine feels far away—this episode is for you
This conversation isn’t just about EM.
It’s about:
Owning your story
Creating opportunity where none exists
Making informed, strategic choices
And designing a career that serves your life—not consumes it
Listen to the full episode here!
Feel free to reach out to Dr. Helena @a.youngdoctors.journey on Instagram, or via email at hello@ayoungdoctorsjourney.com
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