Dr. Nina Lum
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Podcast The IMG Roadmap®️ Podcast Episodes by Specialty
TestimonialsMeet Dr. NinaBlogCoursesWebinarServices Podcast Podcast The IMG Roadmap®️ Podcast Episodes by Specialty
Dr. Nina Lum
IMG Coach
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Featured
New Beginnings: I am an author.
May 27, 2018
New Beginnings: I am an author.
May 27, 2018
May 27, 2018
Resources That Helped Me Pay Off Medical School Loans.
January 28, 2018
Resources That Helped Me Pay Off Medical School Loans.
January 28, 2018
January 28, 2018
Milan, Italy
January 14, 2018
Milan, Italy
January 14, 2018
January 14, 2018
The First 20 Lessons From My Twenties.
January 7, 2018
The First 20 Lessons From My Twenties.
January 7, 2018

As I walk into the 3rd decade, here are a few lessons I have learned from the previous one.

January 7, 2018
December 27, 2017
A Cameroonian Takes A Dutch to D.C.
December 27, 2017
December 27, 2017
My Pearls On Goal Setting 101
December 25, 2017
My Pearls On Goal Setting 101
December 25, 2017

Read this if you want to achieve your goals for 2018

December 25, 2017
November 22, 2017
Think The Holidays Are Hard Because You Are Single? Read This!
November 22, 2017
November 22, 2017
« How Will You Like To Suffer? « 
October 31, 2017
« How Will You Like To Suffer? « 
October 31, 2017
October 31, 2017
October 29, 2017
A Few Old Lessons From My Mission Trips To Haiti.
October 29, 2017
October 29, 2017
October 22, 2017
Monday Motivation: The Miracle Called Coping.
October 22, 2017
October 22, 2017
Monday Motivation 10/16
October 15, 2017
Monday Motivation 10/16
October 15, 2017
October 15, 2017
What’s So Good About Being Single
September 16, 2017
What’s So Good About Being Single
September 16, 2017

Single people always complain about their relationship status or the lack there of. I'm one to always look for a silver lining; so here are some tips to get your single life popping.

September 16, 2017
Still Got Student Debt? Here Is How To Get Rid Of Yours Like I Did.
September 4, 2017
Still Got Student Debt? Here Is How To Get Rid Of Yours Like I Did.
September 4, 2017
September 4, 2017
A Few Of My Thoughts On Marriage.
September 1, 2017
A Few Of My Thoughts On Marriage.
September 1, 2017

People always ask me when I will be getting married but never seek to understand my thoughts on the matter. So I took it upon myself to share what I really think about getting hitched.

September 1, 2017
Child Support #2 
June 5, 2017
Child Support #2 
June 5, 2017

It is more blessed to give than it is to be given; so you gave and you became a blessing to the least of these.

June 5, 2017
Why I Cut Up My Credit Cards.
June 1, 2017
Why I Cut Up My Credit Cards.
June 1, 2017

Be financially responsible with plastic (credit cards). If you can't be (like I once was), then do not own one.

June 1, 2017
April 6, 2017
Child Support
April 6, 2017
April 6, 2017
February 24, 2017
Kentucky Lovin'
February 24, 2017
February 24, 2017
February 11, 2017
An Open Letter To The Confused Anglophone Cameroonian Youth
February 11, 2017
February 11, 2017
February 7, 2017
5 Survival Tips For Single People on Valentine's Day.
February 7, 2017

In a season of all the "feels", here is another memo on how to soar through.

February 7, 2017
5 Practical Ways To Achieve Your Goals for 2017.
January 8, 2017
5 Practical Ways To Achieve Your Goals for 2017.
January 8, 2017
January 8, 2017
January 2, 2017
29 Things I would've loved to tell my younger self.
January 2, 2017
January 2, 2017
To Blog or Not To Blog
June 16, 2016
To Blog or Not To Blog
June 16, 2016
June 16, 2016

© 2019 THE ENCOURAGING DOC | Website by Adeyemi

View fullsize "I have a 2-year gap. My application is ruined."

I hear this from IMGs all the time.

The truth? A gap on your CV is not what hurts your application. What hurts is leaving program directors wondering what happened during that time.

Whethe
View fullsize Failing Step 1 does not automatically end your residency dreams.

One of the biggest mistakes I see IMGs make is removing themselves from consideration before a program ever reviews their application.

Yes, some programs have attempt limits. But many
View fullsize Failed USMLE? Wondering if you should mention it in your residency application?

You’re not alone and your journey isn’t over.

Here’s the truth:

➡️ You’re not required to talk about your USMLE failure if you’d rather n
View fullsize
View fullsize From training across three countries to matching into Emergency Medicine, her journey is filled with valuable lessons on resilience, mindset, building a holistic application, and pursuing your goals despite the odds.

One of her biggest takeaways:

✨
View fullsize The new Step 1 format isn't about testing more knowledge.

It's about changing how that knowledge is delivered on exam day.

With shorter blocks, fewer questions per block, and more opportunities to take a mental reset, many IMGs may find the new str
View fullsize The USMLE Step 1 exam format changed last May 14, 2026.

And here’s what you need to know:

• The exam is still 8 hours long
• The content is not changing
• You are not being tested on more material
• The scoring remains pas
View fullsize IMG Match Results 2026

🔹 EMERGENCY MEDICINE🔹

Source: NRMP.ORG
Matches by Specialty and Applicant Type, 2026

🎧 Podcast Feature

Dreaming of Emergency Medicine but worried about matching as an IMG?

Meet Dr. Ololade Akinfemiwa, an EM resident who
View fullsize IMGs, want to know the fastest way to lose a program director’s interest?

A personal statement that reads like a highlight reel of how amazing you think you are, instead of a clear, compelling reflection of your journey.

Here are 3 things to
View fullsize Failed an attempt? Took a gap year? You can STILL be a strong applicant if you take the right steps.

✅ Gain hands-on clinical experience so programs can see your skills in action.

✅ Network with purpose

Every connection, every rotation, every skil
View fullsize 📢 Applying through ResidencyCAS for the 2026–2027 Match cycle?

Save these important dates now so you don't miss a critical deadline.

🗓️ Key ResidencyCAS Dates:
🔹 June 4, 2026 — Application cycle opens
🔹 August 24, 2026 — Begin
View fullsize The 2027 ERAS® Residency Application Season Is Almost Here!

If you're applying for residency this cycle, now is the time to get organized and stay ahead of key deadlines.

Important dates to remember:

🔹 June 4, 2026 – ERAS season opens
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