International medical graduate featured in Upwardly Global’s latest report fights exclusionary practices in pursuit of providing critical care
Ayo is one of the thousands of Illinoisians who are international medical graduates (IMGs); she is ready and eager to become a doctor in the U.S., but hasn’t completed the process due to exclusionary practices in the medical field.
Having grown up in a rural community in Nigeria plagued by high infant-mortality rates, Ayo always aspired to provide critical care to mothers and families. In pursuit of her dream, Ayo attended medical school in the Caribbean and completed six months of clinical rotations in Chicago, where she met her husband.
Roadblocks international medical graduates face in the U.S.
Ayo moved to Chicago in 2017 and immediately began the process to become a licensed physician by certifying her foreign credentials and completing two of the three required medical licensing exams. Through Upwardly Global’s free job coaching program, she secured a position as a medical assistant, earning $15 per hour, while simultaneously applying for clinical residency programs — an essential step towards obtaining licensure in the U.S.
Despite sending dozens of residency applications in 2017, Ayo was devastated to receive zero interview invitations. International medical school graduates secure residency slots at a rate of only 60% compared to 93% for U.S. graduates. Since then, she has applied for slots each year while building her resume through volunteer work.
“If the matching process wasn’t this stringent, that would really help,” says Ayo, reflecting on the hard work put into those applications year after year.
Volunteering with other IMGs
In 2020, Ayo obtained a unique Missouri license as an Assistant Physician, joining over 20 IMG Assistant Physicians who volunteer their expertise in health clinics across the state. Many even travel from neighboring states to gain the necessary experience for a competitive residency candidacy.
“It’s amazing what we do. … It’s a volunteer thing, but there is so much joy,” says Ayo. “It reminds us of what we came to this world to do.”
With the added experience, Ayo finally received invitations to interview for residency slots, yet she remains unmatched. Despite being a close contender, an institution cited her “older” graduation year of 2015 as a reason for not securing a position.
“I don’t think it is fair — I might be an old grad, but trust me, I know how to run the floor. I’ve been seeing patients independently for two years,” Ayo says. “I don’t know why it’s so difficult for them to give us a chance. I don’t know where the phobia comes from.”
Another chance at relicensure in Illinois
Ayo currently volunteers at St. Anthony Hospital in Chicago while working with her Upwardly Global job coach. After the recent legislative changes in Illinois, she’ll be able to apply for a limited license to practice under a supervising physician in 2025, which will give her a pathway to full physician licensure without having to match for residency.
After more than a decade of school, work, and endless volunteering, Ayo may finally earn the recognition her talents and perseverance deserve.
“This is the U.S. — there is always a way,” says Ayo. “You must have hope.”
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