F-1 Doctors – Mentoring For International Students Applying to US Medical Schools
F-1 Doctors offers mentoring to medical students who are applying to US medical schools. Their goal is to make the process as seamless as possible for international students. They offer admissions advice and help students with their personal statements.
They also provide training for doctors who work in motorsport. These medical professionals include physiotherapists, nutritionists, and osteopaths. Physiotherapists focus on muscle-related conditions and injuries.
Founded by Azan Virji
The F1 Doctors team helps international healthcare applicants navigate the complexities of the application process and get accepted to medical school. Its mentors have successfully gone through the same process and can provide invaluable advice on how to improve one’s odds of getting accepted into a medical program.
Mentees reported having multiple challenges during the 2020-2021 application cycle, with limited extracurricular activities, finding mentors to help with the application cycle, and finding programs that accept international students being the most common (Fig 4A). They also shared that they were able to find the support they needed through F1Doctors mentorship.
Virji and his colleagues started the platform to help ease the stress of applying to medical school. They wanted to help other international students overcome obstacles like navigating the financial aid process and cultural differences that might hinder their success in the US. The platform has also helped mentees write strong personal statements, which are critical for admission to medical school.
Providing mentorship
F1 doctors are medical professionals who work alongside psychotherapists and athletic trainers to prevent, diagnose, and manage musculoskeletal problems. They also assist motorsport teams to ensure the safety of drivers and spectators. Choosing the right career path is important for F1 doctors. There are many options to choose from, including orthopaedics, neurology, and emergency medicine.
The mentorship program is part of the Whitetulip Health Foundation (WHF) and is open to international students who have completed a medical degree in their country of origin, but are currently residing outside the United States. The WHF’s goal is to help them find their way into the US medical system and contribute.
Prospective mentees can look through a directory of mentors and reach out to those who have similar interests and experiences. Some, like Columbia University student Ziad Saade, are interested in learning about their admissions prospects and what to expect from US medical schools. Other mentees want to get feedback on their admissions essays.
Providing admissions advice
F-1 Doctors is a student-led organization that provides admissions advice for international students who want to study medicine in the US. Its team of volunteer mentors includes over 60 medical school students from 30 countries and has helped more than 50 students. The website offers a variety of resources for students, including guides on the admissions process and financial aid.
Junior doctors in the UK undergo two years of postgraduate training after medical school, known as the Foundation Programme or FY1/F2 (Foundation Interim Year 1 and 2). The training is competency based, with clear learning objectives in each stage. There is also a rotational element with different healthcare settings, including general practice and hospitals.
After FY2, doctors can enter GP or specialty training, although this is not compulsory. Some choose to work in short-term non-training jobs and use this time to explore specialties and decide on their future career path. Other doctors choose to apply directly to a specialty programme, which is known as SAS or CT.
Providing financial aid advice
For international students, paying for medical school is a challenge. Unlike domestic students, they don’t have access to government loans and many schools have limited endowments that can’t fully cover tuition costs. This is why it’s important to have admissions advice from mentors who have walked the same path.
F-1 Doctors offers mentorship for students applying to medical school or residency programmes in the US. Potential mentees can browse through the directory of mentors and reach out to those who have similar backgrounds and interests. Many mentees are looking for words of encouragement, while others want more structured advice on how to improve their applications.
Virji and his fellow co-founders created F-1 doctors to help ease the path for pre-meds. The organisation aims to expand its service offerings to include financial aid advice. It already has a spreadsheet with information on different loan options and is in talks to partner with companies that can host webinars for students on financing their education.