50. IMG Roadmap Series #65: Dr. Adrian Huang, Orthopedic Surgery

Though is well known that it can be especially challenging for an IMG to land a residency position in orthopedic surgery, Dr. Adrian Huang defied the odds which seemed to be stacked against him, and still manages to serve with a smile today. He joins us on this episode to tell us exactly how he did it!

After completing his undergraduate degree, Canadian-born Dr. Adrian decided to diversify his applications and improve his chances of getting into medical school by applying both in North America and overseas. He ended up attending medical school at the University College Dublin but completed his electives in the US and Canada. While at this university, he not only appreciated being able to attend such a prestigious school but also relished the opportunity to experience a different culture and scenery while studying. After completing the five year program, he almost immediately landed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Ottawa, and is now an attending orthopedic surgeon at the University of British Columbia.

His journey was far from traditional. In fact, he attributes his interest in orthopedic surgery to an instance where he had applied for a general surgery elective and instead was offered one in orthopedic surgery, since all of the general surgery spots were taken. From there, he tailored his electives to suit that goal, built networks, worked diligently and used his free time over the summer holidays to organize informal electives where he got hands-on experience and made himself known within the field.

Even as an attending surgeon, Dr. Adrian still maintains a thriving social media presence where he not only documents his journey and gives a unique perspective into the behind the scenes of being a doctor, but is also known for his positivity, and ability to inspire others.

Some important pieces of advice that he swears by are:

• Be savvy and creative in your approach to medical school and landing a residency. This is what will set you apart and yield results.
• Follow your heart, but back it up with earnest hard work and resilience.
• Nothing good comes without sacrifice, prioritizing and dedication.

Some key takeaways from Dr. Adrian include:

• Don't underestimate the power of a good mentor.
• Go the extra mile to be as competitive of a candidate as you can possibly be.
• Strike a balance in your life - you can be a good student and doctor but still live well.

You can learn more or contact Dr. Adrian via:

Instagram @scrubbedout
tiktok @scrubbedout
youtube @scrubbedout

And on his website www.scrubbedout.com

Listen to the full episode at the links below:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-img-roadmap-podcast/id1490731292

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/45NNJ7ewtqynqyssbwm1xz

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9mOGMzY2EwL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1490731292/the-img-roadmap-podcast

RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/the-img-roadmap-podcast-GE0MMg

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