“Old” IMG, New Match: How a 10-Year Gap Didn’t End Dr. Damien-ange Sighaka’s Dream (IMG Roadmap Series #127)
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Is It Ever Too Late for an IMG to Match?
Ten years.
That’s how long it took Dr. Damien-ange Sighaka to go from graduating medical school to starting U.S. residency.
For many IMGs, that number alone feels disqualifying.
Too old.
Too much of a gap.
Too risky to try.
But in this episode of the IMG Roadmap Podcast, Dr. Sighaka proves that the story IMGs tell themselves about time is often more limiting than time itself.
What does “old IMG” really mean?
The term gets thrown around casually—but rarely explained.
An “old IMG” is usually defined as someone with:
A long gap since graduation
Delays in USMLE completion
Prior careers or detours
Immigration or verification roadblocks
Dr. Sighaka checks every one of those boxes—and still matched.
A decade-long gap doesn’t come from one bad decision
Dr. Sighaka’s journey included:
Medical school across Mali, Senegal, and Romania
Political instability forcing transfers
ECFMG verification delays lasting years
Repeated pauses in the USMLE process
Immigration constraints
The need to survive financially
This wasn’t procrastination.
It was reality.
Why nursing wasn’t “giving up”
While waiting, Dr. Sighaka made a decision many IMGs fear: he became a registered nurse.
Not as a backup plan—but as a way to:
Stay clinically active
Work legally
Build relationships inside a U.S. hospital
Gain patient-centered experience
Position himself inside the system instead of outside it
That same hospital later became his residency program.
The strategy that mattered most wasn’t technical
Yes, he completed his USMLEs.
Yes, he networked intentionally.
Yes, he pursued observerships, research, and letters.
But the turning point wasn’t a checklist.
It was a resilient mindset.
Dr. Sighaka stopped asking, “Am I too late?”
And started asking, “What can I do next?”
That shift changed his actions—and his results.
If you’re an IMG with a long gap, this episode is for you
This conversation isn’t inspirational fluff.
It’s a real, detailed roadmap for IMGs who:
Graduated years ago
Feel embarrassed about their timeline
Are working non-physician jobs
Think residency may no longer be possible
Listen to the full episode here
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