after emailing ALL 120 some-odd US ophtho residencies, only 1/4 to 1/3 stated that they would provide an H1B visa to someone in my position... J1's are apparently are freely given. What my question is concerns a bias when it comes to getting an interview with a program... If a program would sponser both J and H1 visas, would they tend to favor inviting the student (assuming all else was equal) with the simpler J1 request than the H1 request? I really want to gun for ophtho and feel like I have a good shot, but if i'm only going to apply to the 30-or-so residencies that accept H1 visas, I better make sure they'll give me a fair shake... if i have to, i'd rather apply to all of them and worry about the J1-associated crap when I'm done residency... and for those of you who are canadian, would the 2 years I would be required to sacrifice in canada be allowed to count if i did a fellowship in toronto?

brendan.

.... If a program would sponser both J and H1 visas, would they tend to favor inviting the student (assuming all else was equal) with the simpler J1 request than the H1 request? ..
brendan.

Brendan,
What makes the H1 more complicated for the program? I've just started looking for a retina fellowship for 2005 & am having similar problems to you with regards to visas. Some programs will accept J1 visas, but others like Bascom Palmer say they do not even consider foreign fellows on J1 visas. (I think that must be for financial reasons - maybe fellows on J1 visas can't bill or something?)

Brendan,

could you name perhaps a few of the programs willing to sponsor h1bs? I'm in a similiar position as a canadian citizen at a US medical school. I've emailed some,but nowhere near all the programs. So far, I've found BPEI, JHU, Iowa, the UC schools so far, (+/- Stanford depending on circumstance) are willing for US medical grads. thanks.

As for J1, I don't think it's really an option for applying in ophthalmology in the US as a Canadian citizen. I have a strong suspicion that a provincial ministry of health letter from Canada is going to be very difficult to obtain, and the length of training between Canada (5 years) and the US (1+3 years) will make it doubly difficult because the Ministry of Health needs a letter from the Royal Canadian College of Surgeons saying that the training will be equivalent.

I'm considering applying to Carms as well as the US.