Any insight on J1 visa waiver?

[Giovanotto]

I've been scouring the internet for an update to the whole obtaining a J1 visa waiver by working in undeserved areas situation. Have not been able to find an answer online regarding how easy of a task this would be. I'm going into [deleted the specialty] and would love to know what my chances of ending up in such a job is were I to obtain a J1 visa. Thank you.

I've tried looking at vacareers.va.gov and that wasn't very useful.

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[NotAProgDirector]

It's definitely "a thing". As I'm sure you know, there are only 50 waivers per state -- so much harder to get in Cali than Kansas. Can be done via the VA but hard to find any description of this, but I've helped arrange it at our local VA. Every single one of my J visa residents has been able to get a waiver spot over my 15+ year career. But your choices of where to work, or what type of job, may be limited. J Waivers also must be 100% clinical, so you can't work part time.

EDIT: My error, typing too fast. There are 30 waivers per state.

 

[BicepsTriceps]

Read up on:

Conrad 30
Delta Regional Authority
Appalachian Regional Commission

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

It's definitely "a thing". As I'm sure you know, there are only 50 waivers per state -- so much harder to get in Cali than Kansas. Can be done via the VA but hard to find any description of this, but I've helped arrange it at our local VA. Every single one of my J visa residents has been able to get a waiver spot over my 15+ year career. But your choices of where to work, or what type of job, may be limited. J Waivers also must be 100% clinical, so you can't work part time.

EDIT: My error, typing too fast. There are 30 waivers per state.

With H1 visas so difficult to obtain and only 30 J waivers per state, that means that about 2,000 board eligible FMGs leave the country every year after they trained on the taxpayers' dollar. Is that right or am I missing something?

 

[GoSpursGo]

With H1 visas so difficult to obtain and only 30 J waivers per state, that means that about 2,000 board eligible FMGs leave the country every year after they trained on the taxpayers' dollar. Is that right or am I missing something?

That doesn't seem especially relevant to the OP's question of the nuts-and-bolts of how to approach the process. I really don't think we need to stir up that hornet's nest, but if you must I suggest Topics in Healthcare .

 

[marcozecca]

there are much more waivers other than the 30 available via Conrad. For neurology though it could be an issue because neurology spots are mostly in big city centers and there it is hard to obtain a waiver. Waivers are definitely easier to get in primary care in underserved areas.

 

[Raryn]

With H1 visas so difficult to obtain and only 30 J waivers per state, that means that about 2,000 board eligible FMGs leave the country every year after they trained on the taxpayers' dollar. Is that right or am I missing something?

There are other paths to gets a J1 waiver. Options include (but probably aren't limited to):

1) Conrad-30 - 30 per state

2) Working directly for the federal government - VA jobs are exempt from any cap, as are various positions for the Department of Health and Human Services

3) Appalachian Regional Commission jobs - requires a primary care job but covers something like a quarter of the country

4) "Exceptional Hardship" waivers - sometimes granted if the J1 waiver person has an American spouse or American born children that would suffer hardship if the physician has to return to their home country.

Then there's the other visas that people train on - including H1 visas. All told, these various options likely cover the vast majority of FMGs who train in the states, because they more or less all stick around.

You asked this same question a few weeks ago and got a response there. What I can also point out is more data I've since seen that 24.5% of all physicians actively practicing are IMGs and approximately 21.4% of residents are IMGs - so it's absolutely proportional, which would be impossible unless the vast majority of IMGs stay in the US to practice - damn near 100%.

Edit: Fixed a broken link

 

[yellowbluegreen]

It's definitely "a thing". As I'm sure you know, there are only 50 waivers per state -- so much harder to get in Cali than Kansas. Can be done via the VA but hard to find any description of this, but I've helped arrange it at our local VA. Every single one of my J visa residents has been able to get a waiver spot over my 15+ year career. But your choices of where to work, or what type of job, may be limited. J Waivers also must be 100% clinical, so you can't work part time.

EDIT: My error, typing too fast. There are 30 waivers per state.

Sorry to piggy back of this post but I had a similar question. I am currently making my rank list for internal medicine with the hopes of wanting to do a fellowship in rheumatology or cardiology. I have this dilemma and I am not sure what is the best approach.

Option A: Go to an "okay" iM program with H1B or a solid University program with a J-1 with VA hospitals. How hard is it to get a wiaver in a VA hospital as a specialist as compared to a hospitalist.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Giovanotto]

Sorry to piggy back of this post but I had a similar question. I am currently making my rank list for internal medicine with the hopes of wanting to do a fellowship in rheumatology or cardiology. I have this dilemma and I am not sure what is the best approach.

Option A: Go to an "okay" iM program with H1B or a solid University program with a J-1 with VA hospitals. How hard is it to get a wiaver in a VA hospital as a specialist as compared to a hospitalist.

Thank you in advance!

Where did you go for medical school? Any debt?

 

[yellowbluegreen]

Where did you go for medical school? Any debt?

I went to a osteopathic school in USA and yes debt

 

[marcozecca]

mmhh what are the chances of getting a fellowship on a J1?
That depends on the single fellowships. Some type of fellowship do not sponsor much H1 across the whole country, others do.
Ask around for the fellowships you are interested in.