On April 15, Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC) welcomed a new cohort of learners through the BRIIDGE to Residency program, a University of Minnesota initiative that helps internationally trained physicians gain clinical experience and mentorship as they prepare for residency training in the United States.
This year’s cohort includes physicians from Sudan, Pakistan, and India who bring years of clinical experience and global perspectives to patient care. Before arriving at CUHCC, learners worked in settings ranging from primary care clinics and antenatal care programs to emergency departments, displaced-persons camps, and academic research environments.
Despite their extensive medical experience, internationally trained physicians cannot practice independently in the United States without completing a U.S. residency program. BRIIDGE helps physicians overcome this barrier by providing clinical experience, mentorship, and exposure to the U.S. healthcare system while helping address growing workforce shortages.
At CUHCC, BRIIDGE members participate in multidisciplinary care teams where medical, dental, and mental health providers work together to address patients’ complex healthcare and social needs. As a community clinic serving a patient population composed largely of immigrants and refugees, CUHCC offers learners firsthand experience in culturally responsive, community-based care.
BRIIDGE participants said CUHCC’s integrated, patient-centered approach was a major draw to the program. Dr. Musab Abdelrahim, who previously cared for displaced populations in Sudan and later practiced medicine in Oman, said, “Practicing good medicine goes beyond diagnosing and prescribing. It means understanding the context of a patient’s life and helping them navigate the healthcare system.”
Dr. Gamila Brry shared that she hopes the program will help her continue building clinical skills while adapting to a new healthcare system and strengthening her experience with evidence-based, team-based care.
Dr. Maria Khan and Dr. Deepali Shrivastava also emphasized the value of learning within collaborative healthcare environments while preparing for residency training in the United States. Both bring experience from a range of clinical, volunteer, and research settings that continue to strengthen the care teams they work alongside.
CUHCC Supports Learners Across Many Healthcare Fields
BRIIDGE is an opportunity to leverage the skills and experience of highly trained physicians who already bring years of clinical expertise, multilingual abilities, and experience caring for diverse patient populations. At CUHCC, the program is part of a broader commitment to training the next generation of healthcare professionals to work to serve diverse patient populations with complex health and social needs. This year’s BRIIDGE participants are part of the 175+ medical residents, dental learners, behavioral health trainees, psychiatry learners, and public health students who train alongside CUHCC staff each year.
Growing Space for Care and Learning
Training future healthcare professionals will continue to grow with CUHCC’s new building, set to open in 2027. With nearly double the space, the expanded facility will allow CUHCC to welcome more learners across disciplines, expand training opportunities, and introduce new services such as imaging and physical therapy. Those additions will create opportunities for new kinds of learners and interprofessional education experiences that are not currently possible in the existing building.
As CUHCC celebrates 60 years of service, the organization continues investing not only in patient care, but also in the future healthcare workforce helping train providers who reflect, understand, and serve the communities around them.