Doctors Work to Relicense

Helping internationally trained doctors succeed in Minnesota

April 15, 2025 | Did you know there is not a simple, direct path to relicensing as a doctor in the U.S. if you’re an internationally trained physician? Even if a physician has decades of experience and passes all three steps of the U.S. medical license exams (USMLE), they still must start over with a residency.

The International Institute of Minnesota helps ease this process for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) by offering guidance and financial support to IMGs to overcome barriers like exam fees, credential evaluations and applying for Minnesota residencies.

We’re thrilled to report that 11 internationally trained physicians in our program have already been matched for residencies so far this year, our most successful IMG year yet. Last year, we matched eight IMGs with residencies and two in 2023, for a total of 21 clients working toward becoming fully licensed physicians in Minnesota.

“It has always been my dream to serve as a primary care physician in Minnesota and assist underserved populations,” Dr. Azar Maluki, an Institute IMG and BRIIDGE client, said during a recent testimony before House and Senate committees in the Minnesota Legislature.

Dr. Maluki worked as a clinical dermatologist and researcher in Iraq for nearly 15 years before moving to Minnesota in 2015. At first, Dr. Maluki stayed in the medical field by working as a medical interpreter and as a research fellow at the University of Minnesota Medical School. The process and expense of obtaining his medical license seemed daunting, yet he passed his USMLEs on his first try.

He and his wife spent thousands of dollars on exams, clinical rotations, residency preparation agencies and cycles of residency applications. That was before finding support from the Institute and the University of Minnesota’s BRIIDGE Program.

“It is a privilege to work with talented clients like Dr. Maluki,” said Nicholas Bubak, Ph.D., the Institute’s International Medical Graduate Coordinator. “By helping skilled doctors relicense in Minnesota, we can significantly improve healthcare access for thousands of Minnesotans, particularly in areas where healthcare is most needed.”