...the only FMG externship organization in USA run by a dedicated physician.
FMG Affordable is an innovative company providing externship (hands-on patient exam) training with a proven success record
and US clinical experience at various Baltimore, MD area hospitals to prepare FMG's for US hospital
residency. Our students have a very high residency placement record of proven success with the help of our program. Please look at FAQ to see why you
should choose FMG Affordable.
Photo:Dr.Mehta on the left.
Total Training Package
Besides proving an excellent externship training and LOR's,
We provide a total training package that includes:
-CS Exam Training
-Basic understanding of USMLE exams and ERAS application programs.
-Revise and improve your CV and personal statement.
-Assistance with accent reduction and interview techniques.
-Complete guidance and help with the Scramble process.
-And any other special guidance requirements of the student.
Announcement #1
Star Student Scholarship
From time to time we get some students that stand out head and shoulders above an average student.
This is based on their medical knowledge (as per USMLE scores) and performance in the training as per the Mentor's confidential evaluation. It is also based on the attitude and cooperation with the management and also consideration of other students in the dorm.
Students are eligible for this scholarship upon completion of standard 6 weeks' session of two assignments. Scholarship amount will range from $300 to $600. It will be awarded to the selected students along with a certificate upon completion of the training.
Announcement #2
In the past 2 years, residency programs have been noticing a very unusual rise in CS exam failures. A CS exam failure coupled with a lack of hands-on clinical experience will often keep an applicant from obtaining interviews and matching into a U.S. Residency program.
Do not let an attempt on the CS exam to be the end of your dreams! The CS exam is a practical exam and preparing for the CS exam requires a different approach. Although you may be technically knowledgeable, nothing can possibly replace hands-on clinical experience in helping to acclimatize an IMG to the U.S. clinical system.
At FMGAffordable, we provide no-cost CS training to our students. Everyone we have trained has passed CS on first attempt. 100% results.
Pl. call Mr. Mehta at 443-285-9563 to get more details.
Announcement #3
This is the time for ECFMG application process. Pl. write to Dr. Mehta at fmgaffordable@gmail.com' to receive the 'To do' list for urgent action now.
New 2010 TESTIMONIALS
Real Testimonials written by actual students. Please feel free to contact them for any questions you may have.
I write this testimonial to express my gratitude to Mr. Mehta and fmgaffordable. I started off as a skeptic but decided to take the chance and I am glad I did. I was very careful with every step of my interactions with fmgaffordable but Mr. Mehta proved me wrong every step of the way. Mr. Mehta made me very comfortable and he was very accommodating. I requested that he finds me postings in the Baltimore area because I had my six-year-old son with me on this trip (from Canada) and therefore preferred to stay with family. He did his best and found me an experience I would forever cherish.
I worked with Dr Kamakshi Neelkantan, a reputable pediatrician with over 20 years experience who is loved by her patients and their families, a compassionate physician who knows all her patients by their names. As a very old IMG (>10years since graduation from Med. school), I felt a little nervous getting my feet wet again. I was very rusty and needed some guidance to pick things back up again. I could not have asked for a more conducive environment to do so. Dr Neelkantan and her staff made me feel welcomed and I took the opportunity to learn from everyone possible, the office manager, the record staff, the nurse.... these are people with many years of experience. I didn't want to limit myself. I took every opportunity available to learn how simple side lab tests are done which reinforced topics I had read from the textbooks. Dr Neelkantan allowed me to see her patients, take history, examine them and she reviewed when I was done. She drew my attention to some details I had missed in a very nice way. I particularly enjoyed her challenging me to study harder when she says, "When you are done with that patient I want you to make a spot diagnosis next room". Anytime I heard this, I get a little nervous not knowing what was next door but I calm myself down thinking it is just another opportunity to learn. Great review books were also available for quick on the spot review that helped me reinforce signs/ symptoms in the patients and management of the cases. After my second week with Dr Neelkantan, I knew I needed to stay longer and she didn't hesitate to allow me another week. Interestingly, I saw my first "Mono" and "hand foot and mouth" disease in the 4th and last week. It was a great experience for me, one that goes beyond just learning medicine.
As I move to my next posting, it is my hope that the next one would be as fulfilling and that this whole experience enables me to get a good residency in pediatrics. Thank you Mr. Mehta. I really do appreciate your help and patience with me.
Joke Olalekan
joke.ihv@gmail.com
443-226-9594
Canada
July 2010
My experience with the FMG Affordable Externship Program had been truly wonderful. Being one of those foreign graduates who seek to pursue their medical career in the U.S.A, I was desperate to get clinical hands-on-experience, and it was becoming impossible for me to get any. I had talked to couple of foreign medical students and grads who then directed me to FMG affordable. I signed up for their six weeks program.
My first rotation was with Dr. Patel, a family physician. During my rotation with him, I saw a variety of patients ranging from 2 yr olds to 70+ yrs of age. His practice had recently been transitioned to electronic medical records (EMR) which was an experience in itself. I had the opportunity to see patients, talk to them and do their physical examination. Dr. Patel was also very kind enough to let me use his laptop to write notes in the patients chart just to get to know how the EMR works. The routine was seeing the patients before Dr. Patel, taking their histories and doing the PE. Once I was done with a brief history and physical, Dr. Patel would see the patients and talk to them. At the end of the day, we would sit down and discuss any interesting cases and answer any questions that I had. One of the important things I learnt from this rotation was the significance of documentation and counseling in regards to practicing preventive medicine. In the last week of my rotation, Dr. Patel evaluated my clinical skills by letting me discuss the labs with the patients and do the counseling. He has been a good and kind teacher. Also his very friendly nature and all the jokes that he made now and then made me feel at ease.
My second assignment in Internal Medicine with Dr. Charu Mehta was also a wonderful experience. I must admit that she is the sweetest lady I have ever met in my life. My rotation with her was as equally educational as Dr. Patel's. I saw patients with common illnesses, Diabetes, Obesity and Hypertension being the most common ones. I never had a very clear picture of how to go about the treatment of such common illnesses and what drugs to use. Dr. Mehta taught me how to prescribe medicines, more importantly so to know the pathogenesis of the disease and the action of the drug in order to better treat the patient. However busy she used to be she always found time to sit down with me and discuss various topics of interest and would give me reading assignments for next day. I found her to be very friendly with her patients and always applaud them for their good work in terms of their health. I also had the opportunity to go to the University Specialty Hospital in Baltimore which was a good clinical experience. I got to see various procedures in relation to care of long-term trauma patients. Dr. Mehta has truly been a good mentor, not only in education but also in every aspect. She is a very caring personality, always asking me if I had my lunch or not. I felt very comfortable asking her questions and discussing with her educational information.
Overall, FMG affordable is an excellent program for IMGs seeking clinical experience in the U.S. I can say for myself that this experience has not only given me what I needed but it has also boost my professional confidence which I lacked.
Dr. Grace Bhatti
Germantown, MD
July 2010
I have benefited enormously from the fmgaffordable externship experience gained May-June 2010. Their unique way of training has provided me with a wealth of experience.
Dr. Alkesh Patel, MD, Board Certified in Family Medicine
He made a first and lasting impression on me as a thorough professional. He is wonderful with patients. With strong clinical acumen and excellent interpersonal skills, he's a delight to extern under. He sees people in all age groups. His electronic medical record keeping is very efficient, and his focus and love for the job are contagious. His burgeoning Family Health Center, and all the wonderful people I met there and worked with created a healthy and strong impression on me. I can vouch for a fact that there are skills and standards of Best Practice to be inculcated from Dr. Patel that are extremely useful for any practicing doctor. I express gratitude for the confidence he placed in me by allowing me to touch and examine his patients.
Dr. Charu Patel, MD, Board Certified in Internal Medicine
Her clientele includes a diverse population of patients, of all ages bar pediatrics. While some are new patients, others have been with her for decades, and she knows their health issues and multi- system intricacies like the back of her hand. I rotated with her in her private Practice and Hospital while discussing every aspect of patient management on a continuum. She arranged for me to have a review of ventilator management, surgical wound care, and dialysis. We obtained and discussed EKGs in her office and made appropriate referral for further cardiac evaluation.
She is one gem of a person. She is at once endearing, and goes out and out to make a resident's time with her maximum-productive for his/her education and career.
She ensured I did not lose time over grocery and other mundane needs by taking me along to the best (read economical) places to shop, and the best markets to eat! She was generous to offer me a ride with her to the Clinic & Hospital, and back.
The dorm is attached to the Mehta residence, where I found convenience and space. Dorm has 5 bedrooms, and two baths. One of the baths has a washing machine and dryer. The kitchen-cum-dining has all the essentials, like 2 refrigerators, microwave, toaster, burner, oven, dishwasher and television. There are comfortable recliners, and a Pool and Ping-pong tables. Outside the front door is a nice garden with Dr.Mehta's lilies in full bloom. There are walking trails to the Mall and the lakefront; the latter has free summer festivities every evening of summer.
Navin Menon
Bangalore, India
navin.menon8@gmail.com
June 2010
Hello Mr. and Dr. Mehta,
Hope you both well and enjoying the summer.
I have attached a short testimonial to this email. Sorry I couldn't
send it sooner, I've been quite busy.
I am happy to inform you that I passed my CS exam.
Thank you for everything.
Regards, Mildred
*We are happy that Mildred passed her CS with the help of our training. Our record of 100% CS success continues unbroken.
I am a foreign medical graduate from Uganda and I recently did externships in Internal Medicine and Family Medicine for a total of six weeks through the FMG Affordable program in Columbia, Maryland. I found the program very useful in terms of gaining US clinical experience and obtaining letters of recommendation. During that time I was also able to study for the Clinical Skills exam with study partners.
The externs see patients from Monday to Friday. They take patient history, exam patients and discuss differentials and patient management options with the physicians.
The doctors I rotated with have many years of experience and are very willing to teach. The externs see both out and in-patients and therefore get a chance to learn the management of a wide variety of medical conditions. I also attended a few informative drug presentation dinners of some of the new drugs used for management of common conditions.
The dorm has wireless internet, a kitchen and living room. It is located about two minutes away from the bus stop making it easy to get to and from the clinics.
This program is affordable and I would recommend it to FMGs who are looking to get US clinical experience, letters of recommendation or help with preparation for the Clinical Skills exam.
Mildred Kaagaza
mkaagaza@yahoo.com
June 2010
It is with great pleasure that I write this testimonial about my experience with Fmg Affordable. I was interested in obtaining USCE and was lucky to have been guided by Dr. Mehta and Mr. Mehta. Their generosity and hospitality was very helpful all throughout my 6 weeks stay.
My first rotation was with Dr. Garg, a renowned Internist with his own practice in two locations within Maryland. Dr. Garg is very compassionate and knowledgable when it comes to his patients and working with him during my 3 week session was a wonderful experience. I was able to triage patients and present them to Dr. Garg and further participate in discussions on treatment aspects and go on rounds within the hospitals.
My second rotation was with Dr. Mehta, a very well established and very enthusiastic Internist within Columbia, MD. Dr. Mehta has an excellent relationship with her patients and I would look up to her as my mentor in this aspect. I had ample time to discuss patients and different topics within Medicine throughout my 3 weeks session. I also had the opportunity to go on rounds within the hospital and learn a great deal on how the hospitals operate. Dr. Mehta is one of a kind and working with her was an experience I truly will never forget!!
All in all, I enjoyed my experience with FMG affordable. The dorm's proximity to various attractions is quite convenient. Mr. Mehta and Dr. Mehta both, are always willing to help in any way they can. Their generosity and compassion towards their students is more than one can imagine! I've learned a lot throughout my experience and truly hope this will help towards my goal towards obtaining residency!
Kiran Sandhu
WI, USA (originally from Canada)
ksandhu10@gmail.com
May 2010
It started when I was looking for an externship program that I can join and gain some usce that can boost my CV and give me a chance to join a residency position, and let me tell u that I was lucky to find fmgaffordable when I was searching desperately over the internet.
I never imagined that this kind of service would be that perfect. Everything was quite simple; payment contact with Mr. Mehta and transport to the place.
Mr.Mehta is a very reliable person and keen to over help and cares about the student a lot more like a family member. He is capable of solving any problem you face on any level.
Accommodation was really not fancy but really comfortable and everything is available, and the area is quite and lovely with a bus stop like 2 blocks away.
My first assignment was with Dr. Garg in his family practice, he is a great doctor and a role model whom u can trust and he was really helpful to me, he gave me the chance to get exposed to his busy practice at his 2 offices with almost 10 to 15 patients a day starting from taking vitals to taking history and sometimes I get a chance to do physical examination too. Also, I had a chance to get familiar with the filling system and read lab reports and conduct the results to the patients freely, by the end of each week he would evaluate me by a set of board like questions that made me focus on common yet challenging scenarios that u can face in the office setting and also in hospital setting.
Patients loved Dr. Garg and they were nice and cooperative, as soon as I identified my role and asked them gently to ask them questions about there health issues
I also had a chance to accompany Dr. Garg in his hospital rounds at St AGNES hospital, so that really fulfilled my desire to get exposed to the hospital setting too.
I believe that this hands-on patient experience I had will be valuable during my path to get a residency in the near future.
My second assignment with Dr.Solaiman was an experience that worth
mentioning,as a person he was so supportive and helpful, he definitely
knew what i need on that level,during these 3 weeks i spent with him i
had a broad exposure to all common issues associated in the care of
patients with gastrointestinal problems,i spent the 1st week in
orientation with the system and the practice and i had a good chance
to see patients with him in his office, after that he allowed me to
see patients on my own,taking their histories and develop an idea
about their differential and also adopt a treatment plan, Dr Solaiman
knew that i was taking the CS exam after wards so he was keen to time
my patient encounter which helped me alot in making a concise yet full
history taking skills in 5-7 mins which to tell the truth helped me
a lot in taking the exam coz simply it made me more confident and
efficient in controlling the conversation in a nice way to get the
relevant history of the present illness i'm seeking for,after meeting
the patient me and him discuss whats the next appropriate step in
managing this patient and he gives me a feed back on my developed
theory.
I also had a chance to observe common endoscopic procedures, getting
familiar with indications risks complications of the procedures which
u have to mention in advance to the patient.
i had the pleasure to take a round with Dr. Solaiman in Harbor hospital
center in Baltimore and he oriented me with the hospital paper work
that's filled up by the residents.
Certainly i feel a difference after completing this rotation,special
thanx for Mr.Mehta and Dr.Mehta who made this real and amazingly they
still contact me and promised me to follow up my application process
and offered support and guidance for the whole thing.
Ahmed Barakat
Egypt.
May 2010
dr_ahmed_barakat@hotmail.com
Dear Dr. and Mr. Metha,
I just received my CS report this morning, I passed. Thanks for all the help. I'm preparing for my CK, plan to take the exam in July, will keep you posted.
With all my best wishes.
Sincerely,
yanqiu
*Dr.Yanqui Zhao,
So happy for you.
Good luck.
Do contact us in late August for a list of fmg friendly hospitals.
Mr.Mehta
It’s my great pleasure to write down what I have experienced in FMGaffordable externship program.
My first assignment was with Dr. Charu Mehta, a doctor of internal medicine for more than 35 years. She is an excellent mentor, taught me how to interact with patients, how to take the history and how to perform physical exam. After I would present a case to her, she would give me feedback. I could easily tell the progress I made every day. She also provided me every opportunity to learn, took me to the hospital and nursing home, arranged for me to observe coma evaluation, visit nuclear medicine facility and attend seminars. She also gave me the most updated medical information to refresh my knowledge including the common medicines used in the clinic. She spent her valuable time helping me with step 2 CS exam, such as discussing cases with me and Mr.Mehta helped by acting as my standardized patient. She is not only a successful doctor, loved and respected by her patients, but also a person full of love and enthusiasm. She encouraged me to exercise every day, we enjoyed visiting the most beautiful harbor in Baltimore. She shared her self-made delicious foods with the students, made me feel at home. I will never forget this wonderful experience; will never forget the professional growth and development that I have achieved with her.
My second assignment was with Dr. Alkesh D. Patel, a family doctor. He is an ideal model of family practice, he can remember all his 2000 patients’ names, when I asked him how he could manage to do that, he said ‘because they’re family!’ From his daily practice I have learned how to love patients, how to educate them in order to keep them healthy. The longer I spend in his clinic, the more I realize how important the primary care is for our society. He likes to take care of everyone in the office, and everybody feels happy, working with him as a team, rolling the ball, never drops.
My third assignment was with Dr. Mahmood Solaiman, a gastroenterologist. He is one of the most efficient doctors I have ever met. He knows exactly what I need at my level. He introduced me the basic paperwork for patient admission and evaluation in both hospital and clinic settings, explained the interesting findings when he operates endoscopes. He asked me to meet with the patients first, then discuss with him, and then he will interview the patients again. After observing his interview, I can figure out if I have missed any important information. This training has significantly improved my clinical skills and thinking ability. His partner Dr. Mukul Khandelwal, a hilarious person, taught me how to operate endoscope, an unforgettable experience.
I have received lots of help from Mr. Mehta, such as grocery shopping and transportation, and he’s readily available for any up-coming problems, without him the program won’t be the same. I really appreciate it. Both are very honest, decent and dedicated people. I’m so glad I have chosen FMGaffordable. Feel free to email me.
Dr. Yanqiu ZHAO
Yanqiuzhao2009@gmail.com
Texas, USA (Originally from China),
April 2010
I did a rotation with Dr. Garg in internal medicine in his office. I can say that I was having a wonderful experience working under him. I was allowed to examine the patients and also do simple procedures like ECG, etc. Also the spectrum of patients that come to his office is helping me get more exposure to the practice in an office setting. Being with Dr. Garg, I was also learning how important it is to be ethical in one's practice.
I am very thankful to Dr. Mehta for providing me with an opportunity to be with such wonderful doctor. I am sure that this experience will definitely help me in my CS exam and my residency career. It provides a good opportunity to learn and enhance the skill in both office and hospital settings to get a good recommendation letter. I strongly recommend FMG AFFORDABLE for any fmg's aspiring for the US residency programs.
Great regards,
Dr. Zhalkovska
Email: wefromdniepr@yahoo.com
Dniepropetrovsk National Medical Academy, Ukraine
Baltimore, USA
March, 2010
Hi, I’m Dr. Anandi Shenoy and I’m here to share my experiences and journey with FMGAffordable. Externship is a lifesaver for us IMG aspirants…no debating that. So when I started searching for one, I came upon FMGAffordable. That my colleagues had chosen the same place made it easier for me to put my implicit trust in this program. That trust didn’t go unrewarded instead was doubly rewarded!
The Mehta’s are very caring, compassionate and helping. Mr. Mehta made everything from sponsorship letter to travel here so simple and easy. He would check every day to make sure everything is comfortable for my stay. It cannot get safer and more comfortable than that. They even took me for shopping essentials with them. Mr. Mehta’s first statement to me was “You are like a daughter to us, a part of our family, so act like one”. And no it did not end at that. He took special care, efforts and attention for my training as a CS exam warrior!! He would spend at least 2 hours every day with me playing the part of a SP to perfection. My dorm-mates were also very nice to me and selflessly contributed to my preparation for the CS. As the weather was bad when I arrived, Mr. Mehta would offer me transportation to the doctor’s office. He was kind enough to give me a free one week extension to compensate for the days I had lost due to bad weather.
I began my first session with Dr. Alkesh Patel for family medicine. I learned from him about dealing and communicating with the patients. It was a joy to work with him and his staff, to see them patiently and tirelessly work with patients. No wonder his patients like him immensely! I would see various patients with him and bombard him with thousands of questions. He would always patiently explain everything to me without ever losing his cool! Observing him interact with his patients built a strong foundation for the method I was going to adopt for CS and thereafter. He also provided varied information regarding family medicine and its scope in practice. I was not enriched just in my medical knowledge but also became richer by gaining invaluable friendship and trust at his office.
My next session was with Dr. Mehta. She is such an active and lively person with a great sense of humor! She is forever caring and considerate to everyone around her, going out of her way to help people. She is a very astute clinician. She would encourage me to interview the patients. She trained me to examine patients in her office as a part of my exam preparation. She would time me and show me methods for quick completion of physical examinations. Her patients admire and respect her so much that there were no problems with their consent to let me examine them! I saw a wide variety of patients with her ranging from psychiatric to varied medical conditions. She would take me to hospitals and conferences with her. Once when we went to the hospital, she had arranged for me to take a mini tour in the ventilator unit where I gathered lot of knowledge regarding ventilators and the different types of tracheotomy tubes.
I sure made life time friends both at Mehta’s and Dr. Patel’s office in addition to getting quality externship experience. It really is amazing how they have taken efforts and care to make a difference for so many students and to give them that edge which is required to get ahead in life.
Dr. Anandi Shenoy
anandishenoy@hotmail.com
Nagpur, India
March 2010
It is with pleasure that I write this testimonial about my training with FMG Affordable. Both Dr. Mehta and Mr. Mehta are very professional and helpful in setting up my externship program, and Mr. Mehta guided me through the process at each step of my training. I wanted to have experience in Internal Medicine, Family Practice, and Psychiatry. FMG Affordable has relationships with doctors in all of these specialties and had no trouble setting up a program for me with a great schedule so that I was able to have experience in all of these specialties in just 9 weeks.
Mr. Mehta personally met with me and each physician I trained with, and we always got off on the right foot. He was made me feel comfortable about my training, because he assured me he was always available to address any concerns I had. Whenever I had a question, Mr. Mehta was readily available to answer them both through email and on his cell phone, and he was very helpful in providing me advice and doing editing work for my ERAS personal statement. When I met with Dr. Mehta, she was very interested in my background, and how the program was working for me, and she also assured me that she was available to answer any professional questions I had.
I worked with Dr. Pradeep Garg in Internal Medicine with the FMG Affordable program. Dr. Garg was a great role model as a primary-care doctor. He clearly had the respect of all his patients, and they liked him very much. He would take time to answer every call into his office. The clinical experience I gained working with him was outstanding. I examined and took the history of each patient he saw during my externship with him. I then observed him work with the patients and gained valuable insight into current US treatments for various illnesses. I also accompanied Dr. Garg on his rounds at the hospital. I believe the clinical experience I gained will be very valuable in my applications to residency programs. Overall I was very satisfied with the experience I gained working with Dr. Garg.
I worked with Dr. Patel in my Family Practice externship, and he was equally professional and another great role model. Dr. Patel’s office is thoroughly modern and uses the latest technology that makes a Doctor’s work easier and more efficient. He uses the program that types what the doctor dictates, and it was very interesting to see how this technology works. Dr. Patel is very good at educating his patients on good health practices, and I learned alot about how to encounter patients while working with him. I participated in a small, in-office surgical procedure with him, as well as taking pap smears. I saw the complete spectrum of populations to include infants, adolescents, adults and the elderly. We discussed the pharmacotherapy and side effects of many medications. Dr. Patel is very professional and he is very kind and caring with his patients. He is a very good role model of a Family Practice Doctor.
For my last three weeks of externship training I worked with Dr. Joshi, who is a psychiatrist with a large private group psychiatric practice. He is also a professor at a university in Baltimore. His practice includes psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, psychologists and social workers. I workind in this practice as a physician seeing a wide array of patients. I evaluated new patients, handled emergencies which necessitated triaging patients to hospital, partial hospital programs and substance abuse programs. I saw patients independently and presented to the staff for appropriate diagnosis and treatment management. I also assisted with a number of patients who required parental injections of different psychotropic medications. I also observed Dr. Joshi as a principal investigator conducting a research study. Dr. Joshi is a very professional and knowledgable psychiatrist with a practice of more than 30 years.
Overall I was very pleased with the training I received in my externships with FMG Affordable. I think that the cost of this program is well worth it because of the quality of the training. Because of Mr. Mehta’s professionalism, I never had any concern that I would not receive the training that I paid for, and my experience is that FMG Affordable delivered fully on everything they promised me that I would get. I highly recommend FMG Affordable for the quality of the program, the professionalism of everyone associated with the program and the ability of the program to provide a diversity of experience personally tailored to my needs.
Dr. Svetlana Moore
Originally from Maldova
terry@terrencemoore.us
(719) 660-6888
February 2010
2009 TESTIMONIALS
I am a foreign medical graduate from Ecuador. I had the opportunity to be a part of the program for 6 weeks, and I enjoyed very much my time there.
My assignment for the first three weeks (which I chose by myself) was with Dr. Mahmood Solaiman, a well known gastroenterologist who works both in Columbia and Baltimore.
My job consisted in taking the initial clinical history and physical examination of new patients at his private practice as well as observing upper and lower endoscopies, while in the Baltimore hospitals we visited his ICU patients. This gave me a great exposure to all kinds of GI-related problems as well as how the American Medical system is managed. I followed him even to Pasadena (well, he took me there) to see more patients. He is a nice person to talk with and ask for advice as well.
The next assignment was in the Shock-Trauma Center of the University of Maryland, and I should say that this is the best rotation any of us can ask for.
I rotated both with Dr. Sharon Henry and Dr. William Chiu, two doctors with different personalities yet outstanding in regards to Trauma Care and both eager and committed to teaching. Just taking a look at their resumes gave me an idea of who I was going to work with. During my time there I was able to scrub in trauma surgeries, did some night shifts with the Trauma and Surgical Intensive Care Unit team, and I had to prepare a final presentation for the Soft Tissue team, which was a good way to put away all my fears of speaking in public (in a language that is not my own Spanish!).
The University of Maryland is a very large medical center, where a great amount of experience and insight can be gained. Honestly, as a foreign medical graduate I thought that I was going to do much less than what I did. To my surprise, I could actually help in many surgeries (which was what I wanted the most) and I was given a badge with access to the whole University of Maryland. This rotation is definitely worth it. Thanks to the great job (I think) I did there I received a very well-written letter of recommendation.
Speaking about other subjects, the house is quiet, and the bus stop is two blocks away. The transportation system in Columbia is not perfect, but for students the price is low (16 dollars a month). There is a billiards pool and a ping-pong table in the house, as well as a skating rink and a tennis court nearby. I also jogged quite frequently, and I should say that the surroundings are the perfect place to do it. Wireless Internet is superb, laundry is available in the house, grocery store is close and there is plenty of storage room.
In the dorm I had the opportunity to meet new people from many different countries, and in that way know other cultures better, while sharing all kinds of experiences. All of us were in different stages of our USMLE paths, and had different views of the system. Speaking to other people doing the same thing is quite valuable to unify concepts and do the right things at the right time regarding the application process.
As a conclusion I would like to add that both Mr. and Dr. Mehta are great persons. They are always willing to help you in any way, and they make you feel comfortable as part of a big family. For instance, as she was invited to a dinner sponsored by a pharmaceutical company, Dr. Mehta took me there, and I enjoyed a great (free) meal while listening about the new drugs available for the treatment of hypertension. Other day we were taken to a music concert by the lake in Columbia, which was very nice. Also very nice was the visit to Baltimore's Inner Harbour with the Mehtas. Even more, me and a couple of friends from the dorm visited Washington DC one weekend.
I strongly and very sincerely recommend this program to any foreign medical graduate looking for a hands-on clerkship. Don’t miss the opportunity to greatly improve your application and increase your chance of securing a residency while have an amazing time in Maryland!
Thank you.
Dr. L.D.
Ecuador
write me at leodob@hotmail.com
October 10, 2009
I am glad to be writing a testimonial for FMG Affordable. I spent 3 weeks with Dr. Solaiman, a gastroenterologist, and an additional 4 weeks with Dr. Mehta, an experienced internist. While I was at Chartwell Medical Center, I observed multiple EGDs and colonoscopies. On a day to day basis, I would either take histories from patients in the clinic and present to Dr. Solaiman, or I would go to Harbor Hospital to see consults with the consultant. During my time spent in Maryland, I learnt about the American health care system and the HIPPA regulations. Regularly taking histories together with promptly doing physical examination, broadened my knowledge about internal medicine. People are nice and welcoming in Columbia, and the forest trails provide a unique view. Dr. Mehta kindly offered transportation by car to and from her office, and brings her fellow externs with her to multiple conferences and to do hospital rounds, particularly at University Specialty Hospital. I do believe that the LORs one receives from the rotations and the clinical experience one goes through are important assets that will be useful while applying for residency in the US.
Jessen Nutdaidy
Mauritius
October 8, 2009
Dear Friends
I am pretty sure that you are in the same position as I was. I had a hard time to decide whether to go for USMLE step 3 or U.S.C.E. We know that step 3 is just a sequence of USMLE stuff but what totally new thing is U.S.C.E, especially for doctors who have not taken Step 2 CS yet. Another most important thing in this machine era is that it’s very hard to trust people and we spend lot of time in searching a most reliable company who can give us most out of what we put in, like becoming more than an extern from externship program. Hence, I went through these all and I finally found one. I do understand it’s hard to believe me, but may be after going through this testimonial, you may start believing and this trust will hike up to 100% once you undergo through this program. Folks, this is NOT an advertisement, rather I am talking very serious about building our future.
I was assigned as an extern with Dr.C.Mehta, a very senior physician, having an experience of more than 30 years. Under her supervision and after taking the consent from patients I used to elicit history and do physical examination. She taught me how to write the notes in order of SOAP (Subjective Objective Assessment & Plan). Then slowly I learnt how to write prescriptions. Just like abdominal examination is not complete unless you do DRE (Digital Rectal Examination), she made a point that I thank every patient after performing physical exam. Her shooting medical questions use to electrify my neurons to study more & more about particular topic and thus mastering it. Many times we think that we know the subject but when it comes to practical expect our brain tends to undergo miosis, very hard to apply theoretical knowledge but after undergoing this assignment I felt more confident. I also got the opportunity to observer her patients at University Specialty Hospital, Maryland. It’s a hospital for chronically ill patients. I learnt about the highest level of contact precaution, observed hospitalists managing patients on ventilators and on dialysis machines; and the most important, how to mingle with the hospital staff. The confidentiality and ethics were also new vistas of learning. I am thankful to Dr.Mehta and the staff of University Specialty Hospital enabling me to widen my knowledge about hospital settings in U.S.A. I also attended various conferences on topics like H1N1, COPD and Smoking Cessation. This helped me to update my medical knowledge.
On personal and social side, I heartily thank Mr. Mehta for providing me as well as other students a very good hospitality. There was no element of dishonesty right from the transaction of fees to Letter of Recommendation. I highly recommend fmgaffordable and please feel free to contact me if you have any doubt; it’s always better to hear from horse’s mouth than reading various posts and preventing yourself to become potential residency candidate.
Good luck.
Rakesh Tomer
Email: drtomerrakesh@yahoo.co.in
October 7, 2009
It is now widely known that US clinical externships add value to residency applications amongst all the competition.
I spent three weeks in an internal medicine attachment with Dr.Mehta. Dr. Mehta is an internist with a well established private practice in an office setting and also attends at a University of Maryland affiliated Hospital. I was able to get histories, perform physical exams and discuss investigations and management plans with her after seeing each patient.
I also attended a talk about botox treatment for facial wrinkles during my stay.
The dorm provides comfortable accommodation. I found the other externs very cooperative and helpful especially since everyone was going through the same rigors of the application process, it being Sept.
I found the Mehtas informal, flexible and helpful. They make themselves available for any assistance that you need during your stay, personally or professionally. I took my step 3 exam at the Prometric center very close to the dorm and that was very convenient.
I know no one can guarantee me a residency position but I can say that this externship made my transition into the US way of life a lot easier."
Regards,
Meghana D.
meghanad04@aol.co.uk
Sept. 2009; India and U.K.
It has been a pleasure to spend 6 weeks in FMG Affordable. After a detailed search on the internet to look for a U.S.C Experience offering program, I found a few ones and I trusted
and applied for FMG affordable program.
Upon arrival, I found FMG Affordable a warm and friendly environment. My first assignment was with Dr. Atiqu Rahman, an infection specialist.
During three weeks of my first assignment, I had an opportunity to work up some patients at Dr. Rahman's office and Harbor Hospital.
My second assignment was one of my best clinical experience ever had in my career. It was in Shock Trauma Center at University of Maryland Hospital,
which is one of the most modern hospital with excellent facility and best quality of patient care in the U.S. My training included attending in OR and observing surgical and anesthsiological
procedure as well as daily round and discussion on I.C.V patients.
I had applied for residency program before and I had some interview after. Unfortunately, I did not match and I believe the main reason was just not having
U.S.C.E, but this 6 weeks training increased my confident so that I have a great hope to see my name in the match this year.
H.B.
seyed64@hotmail.com
September 11, 2009
In this day and age of competitive residency programs, IMGs like myself, are in dire need of US Clinical Experience to help drastically improve our chances in matching
into a residency program. Most IMGs are too “foreign” for the likings of most program directors although none would blatantly admit it. Great USMLE Step 1, 2 CK scores
and ECFMG Certification on its own will not guarantee you a residency position.
As an IMG I found myself in a precarious situation. More and more programs have resorted to including hands on US Clinical experience as a part of their application
requirements yet none of these aforementioned programs will provide said experience.
I had to go the extra mile and find an externship program. After extensive research on the web I found fmgaffordable.com to be my best option.
In terms of training, I got exactly what I came for. My first rotation was in Internal Medicine with Dr. Garg at his private office. I saw an enormous amount of patients.
I would take full patient histories and perform thorough physical examinations. I would then watch Dr. Garg do a more focused patient encounter. At his office I met people
from all walks of life and this has helped me tremendously in my preparation for my Step 2 CS examination. My time spent in his office helped hone my skills in H&P write ups
as well bedside manner. We would often go to either St. Agnes Hospital or Baltimore Washington Medical Center where Dr. Garg would round his patients. It was an absolute delight
doing an externship under his tutelage.
My second rotation was an absolute dream come true. Becoming a surgeon has been a lifelong dream and rotating at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center not only delivered but surpassed
my expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed every single moment from the daily rounds to the OR to the various consults. Dr. Sharon Henry was gracious and welcoming. Seeing her and the
rest of her General Surgery service in action was awe- inspiring. By far one of the most enjoyable rotations ever! An experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.
My experiences training-wise have been stellar to say the least. Despite some minor transport issues early on, which Mr. Mehta went out of his way to resolve, all things worked out
beautifully and I would have to say that coming to Columbia, MD was a great idea and one I would definitely do again.
I believe the best part of the whole externship program, other than the valuable US Clinical Experience, are the people I met at the dorm. I’d like to take this opportunity to give
a shout out to my boys! If you are reading this you guys know who you are! Best of luck!
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions I’ll be more than happy to answer any of your questions and tell you more about my experience at fmgaffordable.
Dr. M H Swessi
Tripoli, Libya
dr_swessi @yahoo.com
September 2009
It brings me great pleasure to be writing this testimonial on behalf of FMGAFFORDABLE externship program. I embarked my journey to residency program a few years ago.
This confusing world of board exams, ecfmg certification and eras application is an unforgiving one. Competition has become cutthroat and often times hands on US clinical
experience may very well be what tips the scales in an IMG’s favor.
My time spent at FMGAFFORDABLE was time well spent. I breakout in night sweats when I think about the fact that I almost didn’t come here. Fortunately I did and spent some
of the greatest six weeks of my life here not only did I gain the much sought after USCE but I also made two lifelong friends and also gained an appreciation for the great
state of Maryland.
I hope to apply to family medicine program this year. I did two rotations one in IM and one In FM.IN both my rotation I had unprecedented access to patients and unlike most
programs that guarantee hands-on clinical experience this program actually delivers. I feel that after this program I have substantially strengthened my application and have
effectively put my self ahead of most other IMGs.
US clinical experience, new found friends and an insiders look into US medical system are just a few of many things I got from FMGAFFORDABLE. What more can you ask for?
I strongly and enthusiastically recommend this program for IMGs looking to gain a competitive edge. I cannot stress enough how helpful this program was to me. I only hope
this testimonial will serve justice to this program. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours.
Dr. A.R. KHARAL
LAHORE, PAKISTAN.
doctor_raza@hotmail.com
September 2009
We signed up with Dr.Mehta at fmgaffordable and she arranged for Dr. Taruna Sharma and myself to go to Adams Cawley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Working
in University of Maryland Hospital at the shock and trauma center, under Dr. Sharon Henry was a lifetime experience. We saw so many rare surgical cases and
techniques which we never saw before and the staff was so nice that we did not even realize that we are in a foreign country. We got a chance to take history
of patients and write flow sheets and made a presentation to Dr.Henry on Diabetic foot ulcers.
Staying in the dorm was also wonderful. It is located at such a beautiful and calm place that you enjoy every minute staying there and moreover the warm behavior
of Mr. and Dr. Mehta made it more enjoyable and worth living. It's like a home away from home with every facility and friendly behavior of other colleagues.
Taruna practiced CS cases daily with other students.
If you guys have any doubts regarding this training feel free to contact me. My e mail is cheemasingh@hotmail.com
Dr.Cheema Singh and Dr.Taruna Sharma
Punjab, India
July 12, 2009
Hello Everyone,
I had the opportunity to complete three rotations organized by fmgaffordable, two of which were in general internal medicine and the third in gastroenterology.
I will start with the latter as that was my first rotation. Though initially antsy about what it entailed, my fears were put to rest the minute I met the office
staff at Gastroenterology Associates, a group practice at Elkridge, MD. Dr. Solaiman is not only a gifted GI specialist, but also one of the nicest people I have
known. Even though a subspecialty rotation was not one I had originally considered, I was glad I did this one. His history taking is quick and thorough, after which
clinical exam simply becomes a formality in most outpatient cases. I was allowed to conduct patient interviews during this rotation. I learned a lot about pre/ post
procedural counseling, listening to Dr. S’s patient interactions. You will have ample opportunity to watch upper and lower GI endoscopies, for which his skills are
unparalleled. Most of you will also watch procedures with Dr. Khandelwal, another brilliant gastroenterologist, who is also a good conversationalist and fun to talk
to. Dr. S takes you on rounds at Harbor hospital on two days of the week, which constitutes the hospital part of the experience. There is a lot to learn if you keep
your eyes peeled and ears open. If internal medicine is your thing and you are willing to rotate in a subspecialty, three weeks is sufficient time to learn the practice
guidelines and acquire a fair amount of clinical knowledge working with Dr. S in gastroenterology. The recommendation letter had superlatives in it; however, I wished
it had discussed more personal attributes. But, there really is nothing I can complain about this rotation. Dr. Solaiman’s fan club is far extending and you would do
this rotation if only to meet this wonderful person.
Dr. Harry Li was my mentor for the second rotation and this was one I thoroughly enjoyed. Dr. Li is such a joy to be around; he brightened up every day that I spent there.
He is one person who can get along with anybody. I can’t resist talking about him first, before the rotation itself, because he has a ‘fantastic’ sense of humor which he
uses and abuses during patient interactions. Every patient that walked out of those exam rooms left with a grin going ear to ear. Don’t let this hilarity fool you though;
you are dealing with a very astute clinician, who has absolutely no airs about his abilities. Dr. Li gave me full privileges and an enviable degree of freedom at his clinic
for the duration I spent there. Beginning day one, I was allowed to play with EMR at this office, conduct a full patient interview and examination independently and discuss
my impressions with him, very much in front of the patient. He allowed me to take on even new patients and was generous with the time I needed to get a detailed history,
no holds barred. Typically he sees between 15 and 20 patients in a day and a few days of the week he also took me to assisted living facilities, where once again, I was
given complete freedom. Dr. Li discussed in length about the legal and economic climate for practice in the US and all of these conversations were extremely animated.
These were the best three weeks I spent in MD, not simply because of the clinical exposure I got, but also because he made me laugh, all day, every day. He has an exceptional
ability to put patients at ease and to get them talking so much so, most of his patients have stayed with him for years. I loved this rotation so much, I didn’t want to leave.
If it weren’t for the fact that Dr. Li was leaving for his home country shortly after, I would have stayed on for an extended period of time. He was reassuring, kind, interesting
and took me out to lunch twice a week. He wrote an excellent letter of recommendation, taking the time to actually sketch my personality and clinical skills thereby endorsing
me as strong prospective resident to the program director.
My third and last rotation was with Dr. Cherian, a very sharp clinician and gentleman. I loved this rotation because Dr. C discussed all the interesting cases in detail and kept
this rotation very lively and intellectually engaging. There were not 30 boring seconds in the entire length of this rotation. He is inquisitive, enthusiastic about learning,
humble and open minded. He keeps you on your toes with questions, encouraging you to research cases, subsequently discussing the findings. This rotation single handedly ranks as
the most productive learning experience I had in MD; I was reminded of why I love internal medicine so much and all the more convinced of my career choice. It didn’t take me very
long to notice how refined his dealings were, how comprehensive the HPE was and why his patients connected so well with him. Once again, I was given full privileges at his clinic,
history and examination included. Dr. C also took me to the nursing home, every Friday of the week. I felt so at home in his clinic and had a great time with some very colorful
members of his office staff. Dr. C’s family is very warm, friendly and invited us students to dinner at the conclusion of our rotation. I have great respect for Dr. Cherian,
his skills, sincerity and integrity as a physician. I left here feeling confident and privileged to have known him. If you are passionate about IM and want to have an honest
learning experience, this is the place to be. Dr. Cherian wrote a fabulous two page letter of recommendation, lavishing praise, highlighting individual attributes and making a
strong case for my candidacy to a residency program in US.
When I first applied through this externship agency, I had certain doubts. But after meeting the Mehtas, I was immediately put to ease. The Mehtas are like family and took very
good care of me during my stay at their dorm/ home. I had a room to myself and they were always willing to drive me to the grocery store/ airport/ other errands and on more than
one occasion to and from work. They are warm, caring, almost like surrogate parents, taking us out to dinner, sightseeing etc. They are very responsible and make sure you got home
safely at the end of the day; Mr. Mehta calls to check your whereabouts and picks you up if it’s late in the evening. Dr. Mehta often brings goodies down to the dorm in the late
evenings and joins us for conversations on most other days after her own responsibilities at work and home. They anticipate your needs and leave no stone unturned in ensuring you
have a comfortable stay at their home, put you in touch with the right people in the process of applying to a residency and render all relevant advice. They have kept in touch with
me even after the conclusion of my externships and I have nothing but gratitude for the kindness I have been shown. Pl. feel free to write to me for any questions about 'fmgaffordable'.
Dr. Venki
drvenki2010@yahoo.com
July 2009, Graduate from India
Dear friends,
I am Dr Sandeep Nagre, an IMG from India. When I was in India, I had compared externship programs and found that FMG affordable has genuine testimonials. My senior Dr. Parikshit Deshmukh did this program. He got Psychiatry residency at Case Western. He highly recommended it. I also contacted some testimonial students. They gave me very positive feedback; so my friend Vishal Paliwal and I joined this program and now I am very impressed at the training assignments I had. I am also impressed by how genuine, honest and caring both Mehta’s are.
Under this program I had completed my rotations with Dr Charu Mehta and Dr Harry Li. And truly speaking they are both very good mentors. I am really happy that I worked with them and learned a lot. Their way of managing their patients was really appreciable. . They allowed me to single handedly manage the patients under their guidance.
Dr Charu Mehta is well established internist. I had seen a variety of patients in her clinic as well as in hospital. She has privileges at Howard county general hospital and University specialty hospital. Dr. Li is a really impressive personality. He is well established internist with privileges at Howard county general hospital and four assisted living centers. Working with him is not only good clinical experience but its also like a personality development class and prepares you for residency interviews.
This program makes you ready for doing any residency program in USA. I learned how the health care system works in United States as well as a systemic way of approaching the different types of diseases.
This program is also helpful to those who are interested in extracurricular activities like I had done volunteer work in medical health fair conducted by BAPS and got a nice certificate from them. Dr Mehta encourages and provides opportunity for such noble activities.
The dorm does not feel like a dorm. It’s a home away from home because of the friends I made here and the support from Mehta family. We had bar-b-cue twice just on this Memorial day weekend. During my rotation I was preparing for my usmle cs exam and the daily training and guidance I got from my dorm friends was unparalleled and as a result, I did very well in CS and fully expect to pass.
So, I strongly recommend this excellent externship program for every student who wants to become part of health care system in USA or any part of world.
Dr. Sandeep Nagre
Nagpur, India, Dr.sandeepn@yahoo.com
May 28, 2009
Hi To The Person Reading This Testimonial Of Mine!!
I take great Pleasure in writing and sharing my experience to all of you out there with the hope that you get benefited in a similar way as I did. I too was bit apprehensive like you all thinking whether my expectations will be met or not therefore I take this opportunity hoping it will help you all make decision that is right for you.
I was looking for externship in OBGYN and being a surgical specialty I had great trouble finding one. I found FMGAffordable by Google search and I did see in their website that they offer OBGYN externship and I was very pleased to know that. I phoned to book a place and I was so impressed by the administration as it was all arranged in such a short period of time and so efficiently. I was given clear guidance through email and phone communication and all my queries were answered.
I was placed under Dr. Hundley MD FACOG and Dr. Lahom MD FACOG at WomanKind for my externship. Both physicians are highly qualified and well respected. Womankind is one of the busiest OBGYN office and I had exposure to numerous clinical presentations including minor office surgical procedures in just 3 weeks of duration. Both physicians are so friendly to approach and very professional. They gave me chance to communicate with the patients from day one. Initially I started with history taking and presentation to them and they would discuss with me what examination that I would do, what differential diagnoses I have come up with and discuss relevant investigations and management of each case. I started seeing patients independently and do the examination under their supervision and document the patient notes. I got exposure to working system of Howard County General Hospital. Both physicians without getting tired with their busy schedule were there to answer to all my questions about healthcare system and patient care. WomanKind office staffs are so friendly and they made my stay during externship so comfortable. Overall it was incredible experience and well above my expectations.
I liked the accommodation. I had very good time with people in the dorm. You get to meet other people and get so much information related to residency application process. I have interest in teaching and training and I and other people in the dorm practiced CS cases with people who were doing their exams.
Here I take an opportunity to thank Dr. Mehta and Mr. Mehta who are very supportive and easy to approach. They pick you up from airport, help to pick up the grocery and they were always there at the end of the phone whenever I needed any help. There help rendered to us was tremendous and that made my stay stress free.
I depends what you are looking for and for me it was externship and getting hands-on clinical experience and I achieved it via FMGAffordable and at the same time I had very good time.
If you have anymore questions please feel free to write to me at drjayavp@yahoo.com
Best Wishes
Jaya
drjayavp@yahoo.com
May 18, 2009
Dear Dr. Mehta,
I just completed my first session in your externship program and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed it. I was looking for an Internal Medicine rotation in which I got to see, examine, and
interview patients in the clinic as well as round on hospitalized patients. I worked with Dr. G who was very accomodating. He asked me what type of training and exposure to medicine I was
looking for and was very willing to work with me. He offered me many opportunities to have hands-on training with his patients and gave me much autonomy to work as an independent physician.
Other externship programs that I was considering could not offer such intense training. Many of the programs were overcrowded with medical students and, as such, could not allow very much
interaction with the patients. Also, those programs were not able to find opportunities for the clients (medical students and physicians) to work in hospital settings. Most of the time that
I was working with Dr. G we rounded on 5-7 patients in the hospitals before spending a full day in the clinic. Your program has offered this opportunity and is a true externship and not just an observership.
I look forward to continuing my externship training in your program and would highly recommend it to others, especially physicians, who are looking for a solid training experience in Internal Medicine.
Sincerely,
Robyn Wirsing, M.D.
rwirsin@hotmail.com
May 11, 2009
Hi, this is Dr. Vishal Paliwal from India. My first rotation was in Internal Medicine with Dr Mehta. I was trained in her office and also at University (of Maryland) Specialty Hospital. She is a highly
respected physician there as she had been in prime posts and very much a part of this hospital. I interacted with and examined patients at both locations. I did
see a variety of patients requiring chronic care and also on ventilator support. The challenging part is sensing and detecting complications earlier and treat a
patient at the earliest stage of the disease, and she successfully manages that due to her vast experience. Hospital staff was very warm and helpful to me. In the
office, I saw variety of patients and participated in their care by taking history, examining them, interpreting labs and planning treatment options under her guidance.
From being totally naïve about USA medical system, I am now fairly acquainted with the working of the medical system here. I saw a wide range of cases with her in her
office and in University of Maryland Specialty Hospital. Her mannerism with the patients and the warm friendly nature has been pure joy to watch and the interaction with
the patients and the various procedures which were conducted with finesse have been great education for me. She became so friendly and familiar to me that, I used to ask her
many questions not only regarding studies but also general things that sometimes seems difficult to me. She would answer all my worries kindly and calmly, no matter how silly they might have been to her.
The Mehta’s have taken good care of me. Mr.Mehta personally came to pick me up at Dulles Airport and waited patiently for 2 hours for me to clear customs and immigration.
I have found them to be very honest, kind, cooperative and they have shown a lot of caring. They have provided CD’s to reduce my accent and speak better English. When my
laptop went down, they let me use their notebook computer.Since, I was new to US and was not well trained in cooking; Dr. Mehta provided me with a brand nnew sandwich maker from her own kitchen. The dorm is very comfortable
and safe. I have made good friends in the dorm and will always cherish my stay and training at FMG Affordable.
My second rotation is with Dr. Harry Li, who is also one of the respected physicians in Internal Medicine. Presently, I am also having good time with Dr. Li, since every physician
has its own way of dealing with the patients and I am getting more exposed to how everything works in US clinical settings. I really admire Dr. Li as a good Physician and as a good human being. He really impressed me by his
knowledge, his way of communicating and explaining things to the patients and his caring attitude towards the patients. His zeal towards his work and his way of dealing with the old people in various Assisted Living Houses is really adorable.
I learnt a lot from him about how to treat patients in USA. He allowed me to touch and examine his patients. I am really lucky to have worked with such a good and kind physician and I am really thankful to fmgaffordable for giving me an opportunity
to work with him.
Lastly, I will strongly recommend FMG AFFORDABLE, because this is the only place where you can have a good teacher, mentor, friend and guardian in the form of Mr. Mehta and Dr. Mehta, along with having
hands on clinical experience.
Along the way, I met some wonderful people at the dorm. We learned from each other, travelled and even cooked together. The cheer and camaraderie we shared as a bunch of students living at the dorm is something
you cannot put a price tag on. It was like revisiting our school days. We taught each other to play pool/ table tennis and had a lot of fun in the weekends.
The Mehta’s were gracious hosts always eager to look in on our needs without even being asked. They drove us to the grocery store and took us out for dinner and entertainment in the weekends. Dr. Mehta doted on us like we were her own children and made us feel
very much at home. Mr. Mehta drove us to work, to the airport, for shopping etc as needed, often waking up in the wee hours of the morning for us. The bus stop is a short walk from home. Bottom line, it is a
convenient place to stay during the externship and is highly recommended."
Vishal Paliwal
India, vishal_plwl@yahoo.co.in
May 19, 2009
hello everybody
i am writing this testimonial for fmg affordable after completing my 6 weeks externship.
i did my first rotation with dr.mahmood solaiman who is a GI specialist, under whom i took the histories and saw endoscopy and all kind of gi procedures. he also
took me to harbor hospital with him.i got a good LOR from him. it was really gud clinic experience for me.
after that i took my second rotation in univ. of maryland, shock and trauma center which was a awesome experiecnce for me. working in such a great setting, i felt
it as the best place a dr. can reach. i have seen there all kind of surgeries of critical care. i learned alot during this rotation and thank dr.mehta for such a placement.
before coming to US i was bit doubtful about these services, but not now.
i had a very good time here with dr.mehta and mr.mehta. they r very helpful.
i must say its worth all the expenditure and am satisfied.
if u have any doubt u can contact me thru e mail, i will try to respond early if time and situations allow me to....
gulshan uppal, India
gulshanuppal@gmail.com
March 20, 2009
Hey everybody,
It makes me quite pleased to write a testimonial for Dr Mehta's externship program. I came to know
about it through google search and I feel it is a very useful experience for the IMGs. I did my first
rotation in Internal Medicine with Dr Mehta and about to complete my second rotation in OB Gyn at
“Womankind”.
During the Internal Medicine rotation, I had an opportunity to take history and do examination and
obtain a hands-on clinical experience in Dr Mehta's office. I was fortunate enough to attend
seminars/conference on Chronic Kidney Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout,
Bisphosponates, some of them conducted by the faculty from Johns Hopkins University, Yale
University. I believe it would be great to talk about it in my CV. I also went on rounds with Dr Mehta to
University Specialist Hospital (University of Maryland) and got a fair picture of how things work in a
hospital setting in US. I was demonstrated the working of assist-control ventilator, dialysis machine,
VAC in wound care. I was exposed to Speech therapy, Therapeutic Recreation Residents' work which
goes hand in hand with the work of Internal Medicine doctors for the care of chronically ill patients. I
also accompanied Dr Mehta to Lorein Nursing home and attended rounds there. In the weekend, I
attended a health fair along with her as a volunteer and talked about nutrition and childhood obesity
and how to prevent it.
In the OB-GYN rotation, I had the opportunity to gain a hands-on experience working with Dr Hundley
and Dr Lahom. It was an immense pleasure to work with them and I was given the opportunity to take
history, do examination and write out my assessment and plan. So, it proved to be quite a fruitful
experience of understanding the working of an out-patient practice in ob-gyn in USA. The doctors and
the entire staff were very supportive and understanding. It was awesome working with Dr Lahom and
Dr Hundley who were very friendly and approachable. It was a very busy office and hence I had a good
exposure to interesting cases. I also had an opportunity to observe laser treatment for hair removal and
minor office procedures like biopsy, polypectomy and IUD insertion. It was an enjoyable experience
and hopefully would help me in my residency application!
I am currently staying at the dorm provided with this externship program. I am satisfied with my
accomodation. The dorm is situated in a tidy neighbourhood. The surroundings are peaceful to study in
your spare time.
I would like to take a moment here to speak about Dr Mehta. She has been immensely supportive and
has always encouraged me. In this tough time of residency search, all we are looking for is some
guidance and positive support and I'm grateful to her for giving me that. She is a very knowledgeable
doctor and there is much to learn from her.
Priyanka V, India
priya03in@gmail.com
March 25, 2009
It is my immense pleasure to write about the experiences that I had with FMGAffordable team. My first rotation was with Dr.Mehta in internal medicine
which helped me to have an insight into US medical setup and enhanced my clinical knowledge and communication skill. I also learned about patient counseling
and ethical issues that are vital parts in US medical practice. Apart from her office patients, I had the opportunity to visit patients at
University of Maryland Specialty hospital and also at Lorien nursing home.
With her, I had the opportunity to attend conferences conducted by the faculties of world famous schools like Johns Hopkins and Yale universities about
recent advances in medicine. The educational seminars were on Advances on Treatment of Osteoporosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes Mellitus, Gout and
Chronic Kidney Disease. I also had an opportunity to work as a volunteer at a local community health fair. All these activities have added value to my CV.
I am doing my second rotation with Dr. Solaiman, a GI practice. I see endoscopic procedures at his office and examine patients by taking histories and
present cases to him and discuss the treatment options. He is very supportive and helps me in every possible way. I believe both these rotations would help
me to get into a radiology residency, where the first year will be internal medicine.
The dorm is comfortable where I felt quite at home. Mr. Mehta is a kind and approachable person and was kind enough to give me a few rides as well. Mr.Mehta and Dr.Mehta are there to help you in any kind of situation.
For some unavoidable personal reasons, I missed two days of my training and needed an extension and they were generous enough to give me a whole week with no charge.
No doubt, an externship with FMGAffordable opens the doors for a bright future.
It was a nice experience to be associated with you. Working with you helped me develop my communication skills and provided me to have an insight into
US health care system. You were always there to support me and I really appreciate it. I hope to keep in touch with you.
Thank you for your excellent LOR and your kind support.
With best regards,
Shakila S., Dhaka, Bangladesh and Toronto, Canada
shakila31@yahoo.com
March 20, 2009
Hello Doctors,
This is my testimonial as of 2009-02-20. I am done with the program, finished one rotation in internal medicine and the next in OBGYN.
What does this program offer in terms of clinical experience? Well, I enjoyed the internal medicine rotation; it gave me an insight into
office practice, chronic care hospital, and nursing home care in the United States. My rotation was with Dr Mehta, and she has achieved
so much throughout her career here that if I had to list her achievements, there'd be less space. Besides, she's a wonderful person and
very experienced. She has a message for you, every time she speaks.
I had an opportunity to examine patients, sometimes counsel them, and do procedures I was competent at and everything else I was capable of.
Not just that, but I met lots of other experienced doctors and it opens doors for me in future, met some doctors who provide rotations in other
specialties too and all of them were excellent human beings and all very helpful, supportive and experienced. So, in short, the clinical
experience was excellent and just enough as per the requirements.
My Ob experience was interesting, the doctors were wonderful and very experienced faculty involved with resident training in the past.
Basically I had office experience i.e. history-taking, examination; I also had an opportunity to see laser treatment. It was hard work,
there is a lot of pressure on OBGYN doctors to do more and more because of high malpractice insurance, sometimes it meant seeing 35-40
patients a day, which is good for trainees although sometimes patients refuse to let you into the room. Overall I enjoyed it and learnt a
lot too and I made some good friends too. I also was allowed a tour to the Howard county hospital which is John Hopkins affiliated to see how
hospital practice works though they do not cater to externship program training.
About the dorm, its comfortable living, obviously not five star, but you have everything you need, and if there's anything that does not meet
your expectation, you can always contact Mr. Mehta, who is very approachable. There is help available; you need to ask for it. I got help whenever
I was in need; sometimes more than my expectation, so feel free to approach. The best part of the accommodation is it provides you with safety,
security, especially if you are new in the country, you can rest assured you are in good hands.
Remember, money can't buy everything. You pay for a service and you get what you deserve; so work hard to earn a good recommendation. At least,
you have someone trying to help you! Nothing is free in America. Everyone is working very hard; so make the best of your stay and investment. For
those of you who join at peak times, you will make lots of friends; some for life and you can make your stay very enjoyable and memorable. It worked
for me; hope it will work for you too. Good luck all, and the program is good to learn how American health system works. You get what you need to get
into the system here; so don't think too much of what other people say on the web. If you need clinical experience, go for it. Most people, who were
here, got a residency!
Pooja A., Nepal & India
poojasnet@hotmail.com
February 2009
ANNOUNCEMENT #1: DR. CHARU MEHTA MADE A PRESENTATION AT A.A.P.I. ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2008, WHICH WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED. PLEASE REFER TO THEIR WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND READ THE LETTER BELOW FROM AAPI.
American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin
Medical Student, Resident and Fellows Section
Dear Dr. Mehta,
Thank you for participating in the first AAPI International Medical Graduate Seminar hosted
by the Medical Student, Resident and Fellows Section on Saturday, December 6th at the University of
Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
MSRF members enjoyed hearing about the various options they have in gaining US observrships and externships.
We have received great feedback from those in attendance about your contribution to helping IMG's seek clinical
experience in the United States.
Thank you again for your sponsorship and paticipation in this unique event. We hope AAPI and FMGaffordable
can continue to work together in helping IMG's.
Sincerely,
Anita Bangale, MD
President, AAPI
Medical Students, Residents, Fellows Section
SUCCESS STORIES: EMAILS FROM 2007 GRADUATES:
Dear Dr. and Mr. Mehta,
It is with great pleasure that I inform you of my match at Case Western Reserve University,
Cleveland, Ohio, for Psychiatry. Case is very renowned in the field of Psychiatry and its
residency program is among the top psychiatry programs in the nation.
Your externship program was greatly responsible for this success. With increasing competition
for residencies among international medical graduates, it is essential to have US clinical
experience. After getting 25 calls and 21 interviews, I concluded that it is one of the screening
criteria for many programs. Your program gives an advantage to international medical graduates to
enter into US health care system and makes the process relatively easier. Otherwise, without
contacts, entering into this system is very difficult. Clinical knowledge and social manners
learned during externship experience help in interviews. Ultimately your program is great help in
achieving the final goal of residency.
Thank you very much for everything.
Regards,
Dr. Parikshit Deshmukh
email: pd4u@rediffmail.com
Dear Dr. Mehta and Mr. Mehta,
Your FMG Affordable has performed a miracle for me. Thanks to the excellent externship
training, I got residency at Guthrie/Robert Parker Hospital, Sayre, Pennsylvania in Family
Medicine. Due to my Chinese accent, I was initially not very hopeful in interview performance,
but your focused training really helped me. You have set the path for my life. I can’t thank
you enough.
Dr. Yuanyuan Wen
email: wengroves2003@yahoo.com
Originally from China
Dear Dr. and Mr. Mehta,
I would like to share with you one of my happiness moments in my life. I have matched in one
of the New York internal medicine resident programs. I am very happy that I matched into one
of my top choices after completing my externship training with FMG Affordable. I also would
like to take this opportunity to thank both of you for providing the excellent externship
program for IMG’s. I definitely recommend FMG Affordable to all FMG’s who wish to get residency
match in US.
I wish FMG Affordable has greater successes, and all the best to my extern fellows!
June Hou, MD
hou@pharm.stonybrook.edu
April 10, 2008
China/USA
Dear Mr. Mehta and Dr. Mehta,
Hello! How are you? I am delighted to inform you my Match results. I matched at Baylor College
of Medicine, Houston, Texas in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Jersey Shore University
Medical Center, New Jersey in Preliminary Internal Medicine.
I am very grateful to both of you for all of your help and guidance. Had it not been for the
externship experience I had at FMG Affordable, I wouldn't have been what I am today! Thank you
Dr. Mehta for not only introducing Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to me, but also for
arranging an externship experience in the field and a letter of recommendation which helped me
tremendously. I will never forget the great US clinical experience I had through FMG Affordable,
that not only enhanced my resume but also helped me Match in the specialty and program of my
first choice!
Thank you once again,
Dr. Amruta Ashtekar
amru_ashtekar@yahoo.com
Dear Dr. and Mr. Mehta,
How are you both doing? Here I am fine and my family as well. I have been quite busy since
the arrival of our 2nd son on 19th Dec., 2007. I want to thank you Ma'am for being part of the
success story that I have through FMG Affordable. I have matched and will likely be in Oklohama,
in Family Medicine. Thank you once again and wish you many success story and blessings to FMG Affordable.
Thank you. Have a great day!!
Sincerely,
Dr. A. Sanyo Konyak
5321 Balsam Place # 301, Mason, OH
1-513-532-6638
email: drsanyo@yahoo.com
Comprehensive and affordable training managed by an actively practicing physician with a proven success record.
Our main goal is to provide clinical experience to help with CK and CS exams and letters of recommendation for students to significantly enhance
their chances for getting residency in US hospitals. Once you have done USMLE exams, the only thing further
you can do is our training to boost your resume so that you spend the rest of your life as a successful doctor
in USA instead of a paramedical person with a medical degree. We provide information and guidance for students
to pass USMLE exams, help with accent reduction, personal statements and also provide guidance for the ERAS application process.
FMG Affordable was founded by Dr. Mehta four years ago. She has been practicing Internal Medicine
and Geriatrics for 30 years. After M.B.B.S. from Mumbai, she did 4 years residency
there, came to USA and did another 4 years residency here, and thus has first-hand experience of
the challenges encountered by an IMG with limited funds wishing to settle and practice in USA.
She is a board-certified internist with wide-ranging connections at Baltimore area
hospitals. There are several teaching hospitals in this area, including University
of Maryland, Johns Hopkins, Maryland General, St. Agnes, etc. Therefore, it is an excellent area for medical education and practice.
Our training is superior to other companies in this field because it is very well-designed, goal-oriented
specifically for IMG's, and personally supervised by a dedicated physician. We are not commission agents.
So our prices are lower based on training cost per hour. The program is tailormade for img's who are trying to sqeeze in externship training in between USMLE exams and still get ready to apply for match by Sept.1.
You should do a classroom program like Kaplan, for Step 1 exam, and then come right to us for clinical experience and "Standardized Patient Training" to help pass CS exam.
However, we do take students who have passed atleast one USMLE exam (step I or step II cs or ck).
We are unique in being the only company in the ENTIRE WORLD offering a complete residential service along with
top-notch medical training personally supervised by Dr. Mehta. The program is designed to help
you succeed in your goals to practice in USA. Actually, the company was conceived with input from a few IMG’s
doing externship training with Dr.Mehta in 2006.