IMG Program (BRIIDGE)
Key Contacts
Education Manager: Emily Langerak
Email: lange274@umn.edu
Phone: 612-626-6103
CIH Site Director: Mike Westerhaus, MD
Email: west0591@umn.edu
Phone (cell): 617-869-2908
UMM-FV and Ridges Site Director: Hope Pogemiller, MD
Email: poge0008@umn.edu
HP Brooklyn Center Site Director: Salah Maalim, MD
Email: maal0006@umn.edu
Phone (cell): 612-607-2458
CUHCC Site Director: Aarti Bhatt
Email: bhatt081@umn.edu
Phone: (cell) 920-905-0570
The BRIIDGE program - Bridge to Residency for Immigrant International Doctor Graduates through clinical Experience - is a 9-month program that aims to help international medical graduates develop the skills necessary to become successful residents in the United States medical system.
To be eligible to participate in the BRIIDGE program, potential applicants must meet the following requirements:
- MD degree or international equivalent
- ECFMG Certification
- Passing score on USMLE Steps 1 & 2 within 3 attempts
- Born outside the United States
- Now resides permanently in the United States as a citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident
- Has resided in Minnesota for at least 2 years by time of application
- Did not enter the United States on a J1 or similar nonimmigrant visa following acceptance into a United States medical residency or fellowship program.
To learn more and begin the application process, visit the Minnesota Department of Health website.
Current participants can find the program manual here.
Current participants, faculty, and staff (2019)
L to R: Yusuf Mohamed (participant), Julie Pierce (staff), Sana Khan (participant), Hope Pogemiller (faculty), Saron Yohannes (participant), Mike Westerhaus (faculty), Sehar Minhas (participant), Anteneh Zewde (faculty), Svetlana Adusheva (participant)
Past participants (2018)
L to R: top: Emily Langerak, Jaya Durvasula, MD, Hope Pogemiller, MD, Mike Westerhaus, MD, Bukhari Burale, MD, Chris Miller
bottom: Ahmad Al-Anii, MD, Mahmoud Alatbee, MD, Salahudin Maalim, MD, Pat Walker, MD
L to R: Steve Richmond, MD (resident), Bukhari Burale, MD (BRIIDGE trainee), Mandip KC, MD (Internal Medicine Attending)
Ahmad Al-Anii, MD (BRIIDGE trainee)
BRIIDGE graduate, Bukhari Burale
2018 BRIIDGE graduates, L to R: Mahmood Alatbee, MD, Ahmad Al-Anii, MD, Bukhari Burale, MD, Jaya Durvasula, MD
2018 BRIIDGE graduates and support team
2018 BRIIDGE graduates and support team