Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you join Wealthy Affiliate through my link, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend it because I use it to run my own websites.
If you are an international medical graduate (IMG), you already know the road to practicing medicine in the USA is long. Exams, applications, waiting for the Match, and often years of uncertainty.
I know that road very well. Here is my story, and one thing I wish someone had told me earlier.
My Journey as an IMG
I graduated from medical school in 1982 and worked as a dermatologist in Egypt for 20 years. In 2003, I moved to the United States.
I passed the USMLE with high scores. But I applied only for dermatology, one of the most competitive specialties, and I did not match. I didn’t want any other specialty, so I didn’t apply again.
For the next 22 years I worked as a CNA and med aide. Good, honest work. But I kept thinking: all this medical knowledge, and I am not using it.
Turning Medical Knowledge Into an Online Business
While waiting for the Match, I tutored medical students, and I loved it. Teaching is my passion. So I asked myself: why not teach online, to doctors and students all over the world?
That question led me to build:
- Medical education websites with USMLE practice questions
- A series of USMLE prep eBooks on Amazon
- Facebook pages and groups for medical students and doctors
- A YouTube channel with quick medical quizzes
The tool I used to build and host my websites, and to learn how to bring visitors to them, is Wealthy Affiliate.
Why Doctors Make Great Website Owners
You might think you need to be a “tech person” to run a website. You don’t. What you need is knowledge people are searching for, and as a doctor, you have plenty.
- You are a trusted expert. Google rewards health content written by people with real medical experience.
- Students need you. Millions of medical students prepare for USMLE, NEET PG, FMGE, PLAB and other exams every year.
- It fits around your schedule. You can write while studying for Step exams, during research years, or while working another job.
- It can earn in several ways. Ads (like Google AdSense), selling eBooks or PDFs, and recommending products you trust.
What Wealthy Affiliate Gives You
Wealthy Affiliate is an online platform that helps beginners build a website and turn it into a business. Here is what I found useful:
- Website building and hosting in one place, so you don’t need to deal with technical setup.
- Step-by-step training on choosing a topic, writing content, and getting traffic from Google.
- AI writing and research tools to help you plan and draft content faster.
- A large community where you can ask questions and get help from other members.
Start Building Your Website with Wealthy Affiliate →
Be Realistic: This Is Not “Get Rich Quick”
I want to be honest with you, doctor to doctor. A website is like a residency: it takes time and consistent work. Most sites need months of regular posting before Google sends real traffic.
But the work you do today keeps working for you. A good article can bring visitors for years. And every post you write also sharpens your own medical knowledge, which helps with your exams too.
Ideas for IMG Websites
Not sure what to write about? Here are topics IMGs know better than anyone:
- USMLE, PLAB or MCCQE study tips and practice questions
- Your specialty explained for patients (in English or your native language)
- The IMG journey: ECFMG certification, clinical experience, visas, the Match
- Medical English and communication skills for foreign doctors
- Life as a doctor in your home country vs. the USA
My Advice to Fellow IMGs
Keep chasing your goal of practicing in the USA. But don’t put your whole life on hold while you wait. Your medical knowledge has value today, and the internet lets you share it with people around the world.
If I could start again, I would have started building online much earlier.
If you’d like to try, you can create your Wealthy Affiliate account here and look around. And if you join, send me a message. I’m happy to help a fellow doctor get started.
— Dr. Ray Makar
Dermatologist, IMG, and medical educator