AKMG BLOGS

We are pleased to announce the top performers from the poster presentation held during the AKMG Canada Annual Convention in August 2026, featuring work from IMGs, medical students, and undergraduates. Undergraduate Category Undergraduate presentations were evaluated using a grading system rather than standard scoring. Heather Ajoy (Toronto Metropolitan University) impressed the judges with her innovative research presentation, earning an A+ grade. Medical Student Category Ayush Nair was the sole participant in this category and was evaluated separately against standard benchmarks. His presentation was excellent, placing in the A+ segment. International Medical Graduates (IMGs) Highest Score: Dr. Rani Yogidas Second Place: Dr. Rohith Scariah Congratulations to all the participants for sharing their research with us this year.

SALIM YUSUF: The golden age of cardiology. I recently had the privilege of reviewing an inspiring book on Dr. Salim Yusuf, a distinguished member of AKMG, and the remarkable era that helped shape modern cardiology—the Golden Age of Cardiology. I am reproducing my Google review in its entirety for the benefit of cardiologists, physician-scientists, and physicians interested in the origins and evolution of evidence-based medicine in cardiovascular care. Dr. Yusuf’s career and contributions offer a fascinating perspective on how rigorous clinical research, large-scale trials, epidemiology, and critical appraisal of evidence transformed the practice of cardiology. Climbing Mountains - The Journey to Beat the World's Biggest Killer is an extraordinary biography of Dr. Salim Yusuf, arguably one of the most accomplished and influential cardiovascular researchers of the 21st century. Authored by James Mathew and Dennis Xavier, the book traces Yusuf’s remarkable journey from humbl...

Some of the highlights of 47 th AKMG Convention at Hyatt, Jersey city, NJ from August 6- 8th, 2026. A quick summary . We started the convention a Cruise on Majesty along the Hudson River celebrating 250 years of US Independence. It was nice to see the statue of Liberty up close for a photo op. It was 2 and half days of fun, connecting, networking, excellent 11 CME hours , literary forum, Womens forum on wellness, yoga, bolly wood dance workshop, arts and crafts, myil mystic fashion show to name a few of the activities . We were honored to have AMA president Dr.Bobby Mukumaala as a keynote speaker and his talk on the role of IMG s in US health care was timely in light of physician shortages to be felt by 2030. Dr.Chetan Shah president of NJ board of medical examiners and ENT specialists talked about why private practice matters , and mayor of Trivandrum , Kerala Adv V V Rajesh gave his felicitations. This list and pictures are by no means complete. It was truly my honor a...

Swasthya at AKMG On the afternoon of Saturday, August 8, nearly 40 physicians and their families gathered in a quiet room at the American Association of Kerala Medical Graduates convention in Jersey City. For one hour, the invitation was simple: slow down, breathe, and listen to what the body may have been trying to say. We called the workshop Swasthya , a Sanskrit word often understood as being established in oneself. Its subtitle, A Journey Through Breath, Presence, and Reconnection, became both our intention and our guide. The session brought together Dr. Shaija Kutty, pediatric gastroenterologist at Johns Hopkins and Director of the GIFT Program; Dr. Bansari Gujar, a rheumatologist practicing integrative rheumatology in Maryland; and Dr. Neena Thomas-Eapen, Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Kentucky. We were joined by Dr. Priya Duggal, a naturopathic doctor and Compassionate Inquiry practitioner trained in the approach developed by Dr. Gabor Maté. ...

As we came to the conclusion of this wonderful 47th AKMG Convention, my heart is filled with gratitude. What we have experienced over these past few days did not happen because of one person. It happened because of an extraordinary AKMG family that came together with commitment, friendship, generosity, and teamwork. As Convention Chair, it is my privilege to recognize the many people who worked behind the scenes to make this convention possible. First, I would like to thank Dr. Iyer and the entire Souvenir Committee for their tremendous effort in putting together our beautiful convention souvenir. A special thank-you also to everyone who contributed articles, messages, advertisements, and memories to make it so meaningful. To Dr. Neena Kumar, Smitha Haridas, and the entire Entertainment Committee, along with Dr.Nasim Shajahan, Judith and Dr.Manju Nayar as Emcees,and Dr. Thompson Chemplavil leading Anthakshari,thank you for bringing energy, excitement, music, and celebration to ou...

I just finished Arundhati Roy’s "Mother Mary Comes To Me", and what a remarkable book it is! I have always admired her writing - loved both The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, but this may be her finest work, and it is not even fiction. Her real life seems more compelling and dramatic than anything she could have invented, although her fiction has clearly been shaped by many of these experiences. The book is a testament to the extraordinary power of human language. At a time when we are increasingly anxious about artificial intelligence taking over language and creative expression, it is refreshing to encounter writing of such emotional depth and originality. In my case, I listened to the audiobook on Audible, narrated by author herself, which made the experience even more intimate and powerful. The book contains countless unforgettable lines. Two have stayed with me. She describes her deeply complicated relationship with her mother, a woman s...