Hi there,
Here's my two cents worth on the whole visa issue. I'm a Canadian med student who is about to make the leap into the US system for residency, so I've been doing a lot of research about the different visa options (J1 vs. H1-B). The H1-B is not an option for newly graduated students, since only those who have taken the Step 3 (usually written at the end of the first year of residency) can qualify for that particular visa. Besides, from my experience, not many programs will offer that option -- even the ones who are interested in you -- because there is a lot of paperwork and manpower involved. As an F-1 student, you could technically use the extension period of one year to finish your internship year, write the Step 3, and qualify for an H1 visa then but you would need to find a residency program that would be willing to do that for you. My guess is that you would probably have a lot of difficulty getting the J-1 visa. The reason for this is that you would need a statement of need from the provincial government and Health Canada. As a foreign grad (in the eyes of the Canadian government), you will need a letter from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (they probably will not recognize the DO degree) and a letter from a hospital stating that they will employ you when you return for your two year home residence requirement (there are very few hospitals/practices that recognize the DO degree, as has already been mentioned in other posts). Check the Health Canada web site for the requirements re: statement of need. Here is the website ( <a href="http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/healthcare/health_resources.htm" target="_blank">Health Canada</a>) As a Canadian medical school grad, you would have no problem getting this letter, but it is a completely different ball game for grads who were not trained in Canada.
Of course, one way to get a green card is to marry an American while you're in osteopathic school, but that would be quite a drastic measure.
Think carefully before you make your final commitment to the DO school. As a Canadian on a J-1 visa, it may not be that easy to stay in the States afterwards. During my interview season, I met several Canadians who finished their residencies in the States on a J-1 visa, were forced to return home for the service requirement, and then returned to the States afterwards. The reality is that as good as these people were (some of the PDs said they were at or near the top of their year), the hospitals just didn't want to go through the process of getting them a waiver or sponsoring an H1 visa. The J-1 waiver is not easily obtained (unless you work in an underserviced area) and the fact that you are Canadian will not help you out in this case. The last thing you need is to finish a US residency, be forced to return home, and not be able to practice because the DO license is not recognized. If you really have your heart set on being in the States long term, the best thing is to complete a MD degree (either in a Canadian or American school). I've found that many of the American schools love Canadian grads and jumping from one system to the other after medical school will not be a problem at all (besides, if you finish med school in Canada, you'll come out with much less debt!) Good luck -- I don't envy the decisions you will have to make. :wink: