Quote:
Originally Posted by MX health
Hi,
I'm trying to get information regarding the following question and I apologize if this has been covered before.
If Im doing a master's in public health, already ECFMG certified, under an F1 visa, can I use my OPT for internship? If so, do I have to take step 3 before internship to get H1-B in the future?
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For the OPT question, theroretically no. The practical training on the OPT/F1 is supposed to be directly related to the F visa studies. Hence, if you wanted to do an "MPH internship" at the CDC, you could use an OPT visa. But you can't use an OPT visa to do a medical internship after an MPH.
That being said, I have seen this done before. It depends on the MPH school (which would need to sponsor the visa), the program, and the USCIS.
As for the H1b question, if you went to a foreign medical school you will need to take Step 3 prior to an H1b visa. Foreign nationals attending US schools may be able to get an H1b without Step 3. Regardless, it's best to have Step 3 done before applying, so it's not an issue.