The United States' physician shortage is projected to worsen by the AAMC (American Medical Colleges). As a result, the United States is filling approximately 50% of open physician training positions nationwide with international medical graduates (IMGs). IMGs are facing challenges navigating the US health care system, and these challenges begin long before residency application.

To smooth this transition, IMGs routinely seek observership opportunities in the US. In the past few years, the Division of Hospital Medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center developed a curriculum to meet the specific needs of IMGs. The Hospital Medicine Observership Program will accept observers through a competitive process and provide the opportunity for clinical observation in a six-week accelerated rotation. By the end of the rotation, the observers will obtain critical knowledge of the US healthcare system and acquire practical medical knowledge and communication skills. The observership program aims to help observers become even more competitive for residency applications.

Objectives

At the conclusion of this program, the observer will have:

1. Observed the delivery of health care in a hospital-based clinical setting.
2. Observed how a physician interacts with patients, noting how to take a history, perform an examination and diagnosis, recommend a treatment, code status, write prescriptions and enter information in the patient’s electronic health record, etc.
3. Observed professional communication and interaction between the physician and members of the health care delivery team.
4. Observed how physicians’ access and optimize the use of electronic medical records for patient care.
5. Built skills of self-directed learning and will demonstrate high quality teaching practices through the delivery of chalk-talks.
6. Observed and be able to role model professional behaviors in clinical settings.
7. Observed and will understand the concept of AAMC Entrustable Professional Activities for entering residency. 

Highlights

• Six week rotation

• 1 to 1 mentorship: Mentors will meet with observers periodically throughout the 6 weeks of observership. This program focuses on mentees’ professional wellness and career success.

• Clinical rotations: Observers have the opportunity to rotate through a variety of services and obtain critical experiences in patient care, communication skills, oral presentation, critical thinking, and more.

• Night hospital medicine: A unique experience to explore the hospital medicine at night. To observe from admitting, cross-covering, and responses to critical conditions.

• Triage: Working closely with the ED team, promotes understanding of this critical role in the transition of care from the outpatient to the inpatient settings.

• Hospital medicine team: Appreciating the complexity of the US healthcare system by observing and working closely with allied health partners.

• Conference: Participation in grand rounds, noon conferences, and morning reports with residents, medical students, and hospital medicine faculties.

• Online modules/Asynchronous learning: Recorded topics specifically tailored for International Medical Graduates, provided a fast-track learning experience for observers to adapt to the US healthcare system in a timely fashion.

• Certificate upon completion.

Curriculum, Assignments and Evaluation

Observer Feedback

“This program has been an amazing experience, offering invaluable learning opportunities and supportive mentorship. I hope you find it as enriching as I did and wish all of us great success in the future.” - Shirley

“Make use of every opportunity you get. This is the best program to observe in for your career for internal medicine.” - Rekha

“Remember this is the first step that will push you into your amazing future career in internal medicine!! Enjoy this amazing journey!” - Amani

Fee Structure

There is a non-refundable application fee of $150.

Observerships occurring October through April have a program fee of $9,000. Observerships in May through September have a program fee of $10,000.

All fees can be paid by check from a United States bank. Please use certified mail for your check. Please do not sign the back of the check. We only accept checks from US banks at this time. 

Checks can be sent to:

Attn: Observership Program /Gina Kauffman 
Division of Hospital Medicine (CIMS)  
5200 Eastern Avenue │MFL East Tower, Suite 260  
Baltimore, MD 21224  
 
Check title: Johns Hopkins University   
Check Memo: BMC Observership Program IO80064323  
 
Note: Please include your name in the memo if the check is not under your name. 

Apply Now

Please note: all observer positions are first come first serve. If you have all your supporting documents, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

If you cannot click a certain time slot, it means all positions during that time are filled. 

If you have all your supporting documents except ECFMG certification, please reach out to Dr. Amy Yu. We may waive ECFMG certification under special circumstances.

Contact Us

If you have questions about the program, please contact Amy Yu.