47. IMG Roadmap Series #62: Dr. Sarpoma Sefa-Boakye, Family Physician

This week’s show features the dynamic Dr. Sarpoma Sefa-Boakye, a family medicine physician from the US, with Ghanian roots.

Dr. Sarpoma attended the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) in Havana,Cuba. Contrary to popular belief, it was always her dream to attend an international medical school, despite her being a US citizen. From a young age, she was passionate about international art and culture which contributed to her having been awarded a partial scholarship for her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).There, she studied pre-medicine along with international development studies, which served to broaden her world view by affording her the opportunity to travel to Ghana, the land of her heritage, where she had the pleasure of meeting Cuban trained doctors who served there. It was from that moment that she became interested in studying medicine in Cuba which later became a reality when she received a full scholarship to do so.

Dr. Sarpoma always knew she wanted to practice in the US after her education, and with that goal in mind, she persevered until she achieved a residency match in family medicine in the state of California. She faced several challenges including the fact that in her final two years, she became a mother, which coupled with the adjustments necessary to assimilate back into a completely different medical academic system, were obstacles that she overcame that shaped her personal journey.

Today, she is a board certified family physician who works both independently and with community clinics in her fields of interest, namely adolescent health care and women’s reproductive rights. Though challenging, she sees the fact that she studied in a foreign country in a foreign language as an asset, as it served as a tool to make her resilient, mature and compassionate when dealing with patients of all backgrounds.

This Episode focuses on:

1. Bridging the gap and adjusting study habits in order to connect what you’ve learnt at an international medical school to what is being tested in US based standardized medical exams.
2. Overcoming personal difficulties and the importance of discipline and time-management in maintaining one’s mental health while trying to land a US residency.
3. The importance of networking and intense strategy in order to make your perceived weaknesses actually become your strengths.
4. How to use your free time to maximize your supplementary clinical and non clinical experiences and using extracurriculars to enhance your CV.

Some key takeaways include:

• As an IMG, never compare yourself with US graduates. Though it may seem that they have a large advantage, it is all new to them as well.
• Always get to know as many people and as much information in your field. Knowledge and being engaged is key.
• Be realistic and pragmatic in your approach. Sometimes it’s best to stay local when examining your opportunities so that you can have your support system closeby to help you along the way.

You can reach out to Dr. Sarpoma via:

Instagram @dr.sarpoma

Youtube @Dr. Sarpoma MD

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