About Us
WeAreDocs was created by IMGs for IMGs to expand access to medical practice for International Medical Graduates, while helping healthcare systems meet urgent staffing needs.
Our mission is simple: connect capable doctors with communities that need them.
We believe globally trained physicians are an underutilized resource. Because this work is led by people who have walked the IMG path themselves, we understand the real barriers IMGs face. Thoughtful pairing, policy awareness, and employer partnership can unlock meaningful change, ensuring IMGs are acknowledged, treated, and paid like physicians in the U.S.
Our core values:
- Medical expertise doesn’t stop at borders
- Experience and competence deserve viable pathways
- Healthcare systems are stronger when they reflect the communities they serve
- The right match improves outcomes for everyone involved
Sam Hsieh, MD FACS FACHE
Co-Founder | Chief Medical Officer
WeAreDocs
First and foremost, I am an International Medical Graduate.
I am also a general surgeon serving rural Washington State and a Chief Medical Officer leading care delivery in underserved America. But before any title, I am an IMG who lived the journey.
In 2010, I applied to 120 residency programs. My board scores were strong. My letters of recommendation were excellent. I had trained diligently and believed I was prepared. I received 10 interviews.
It became clear to me that this was not about competence. It was about a system wide filter.
I was fortunate. I matched into a residency program in Texas and continued my mission as a physician. But that experience changed me. Because I began asking a different question:
What about those who were filtered out?
The time, dedication, financial sacrifice, and additional training that IMGs commit in order to practice in the United States is monumental. Many of us have already practiced abroad. Many have cared for complex patients in limited resource environments. We are resilient because we have had to be. We are disciplined because our path demands it. We carry grit not as a slogan, but as lived experience.
As a rural hospital CMO, I now see firsthand the physician workforce crisis. I see positions remain open for months, sometimes years. I see communities struggling for access. And I see internationally trained physicians working as scribes, assistants, and technicians while fully capable of caring for patients.
IMGs understand IMGs.
We understand the perseverance.
We understand the sacrifice.
We understand the isolation.
And we understand the potential.
WeAreDocs was built not as a staffing company, but as a bridge. A bridge between highly trained international physicians and the communities that desperately need them.
I am proud to be an IMG leading healthcare in rural America.
We are not backups.
We are not second options.
We are doctors.
Elizabeth Hsu, MD
VP of Medical Affairs
WeAreDocs
I am a triple board certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and an International Medical Graduate who understands firsthand the challenges IMGs face when pursuing a medical career in the United States. I graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and went through the difficult residency application process that so many international physicians know all too well. Obtaining U.S. clinical experience, securing letters of recommendation from American hospitals, and finding electives or rotations can be incredibly challenging without established connections.
Like many IMGs, I applied to more than 80 residency programs just to receive a handful of interviews. I still remember walking into my first interview and hearing that many U.S. graduates were already on their tenth. That moment made it clear how different the playing field can be for international physicians. Because I have lived this journey myself, I deeply understand what IMGs go through. It is also why I strongly believe in the mission of closing the gap between highly qualified international physicians and the growing physician shortage in the United States, helping ensure that talented doctors have the opportunity to care for the communities that need them most.
Mohamed Khalif, MD
WeAreDocs
Dr. Mohamed Khalif is a physician, policy leader, and entrepreneur dedicated to expanding healthcare access and modernizing physician licensing in the United States. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the International Medical Graduates Academy (TIMGA), a national organization focused on integrating internationally trained physicians into the U.S. healthcare system to address the growing physician shortage.
Over the past decade, Dr. Khalif has led one of the most significant physician workforce reform efforts in the country. His work has helped catalyze alternative licensing pathways for internationally trained physicians across more than 20 U.S. states and resulted in the passage of six pieces of legislation in Washington State, including the nation’s first physician license pathway designed specifically for internationally trained doctors.
Dr. Khalif works closely with state legislators, regulatory agencies, and healthcare leaders across the country to design policies that expand the physician workforce while maintaining high standards of care. His policy work has helped shape national conversations around physician shortages, workforce innovation, and the role internationally trained doctors can play in improving healthcare access.
In recognition of his leadership, Governor Jay Inslee appointed Dr. Khalif to the Washington State International Medical Graduate Workgroup, where he collaborated with the Department of Health, the Washington Medical Commission, medical schools, insurers, and healthcare systems to develop statewide physician workforce recommendations.Dr. Khalif’s work has been featured in TIME, Al Jazeera, FTC Watch, Longreads, and Seattle Weekly, highlighting the impact of internationally trained physicians in addressing healthcare shortages and improving care in underserved communities.
Through his advocacy, Dr. Khalif has mobilized hundreds of internationally trained physicians, built coalitions across the healthcare sector, and helped open new pathways for highly qualified doctors to serve patients in the United States.
"I can’t believe it – after 7 years of hard work, determination, and constantly improving my CV, I finally matched!! 😄💥 It’s been a long journey, but I couldn’t have done it without the amazing support of the TIMGA group and our incredible leaders. "
-Dr. Abreer Omar, MD
Who we work with:
International Medical Graduates: residing in the U.S., fully trained, or with residency-equivalent experience, ready to practice and contribute meaningfully to care teams. We are the only company that has successfully placed over 100+ candidates, and we can help you too.
Healthcare organizations: hospitals, clinics, and health systems committed to ethical hiring and innovative workforce solutions. As early adopters, these organizations are already working with us to implement IMG-friendly pathways and expand access to care.
We are proud to be official partners with The International Medical Graduates Academy (TIMGA) and IMG Helping Hands