Canadian, US Med Grad

[dystorsion]

Hi! If a Canadian citizen graduates from a US medical school, what are the different paths that he/she could take?
Will matching in the U.S. be a problem (due to citizenship issues)?
Will matching in Canada be possible?
I would appreciate any input, especially from those who have already been through the process.

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[PistolPete]

I haven't been through the process, but a Canadian US med grad should do fine. The US match should be no problem, but getting the H1-B visa for residency is usually more desirable, but tougher, to attain than the J-1 visa.

Matching in Canada should also be possible, but may be harder than matching in the US, because Canadian PD's like to "take their own" and there are about equal the number of residency slots as there are Canadian med grads. It's important to rotate in Canada if you want to match at a program there.

 

[dystorsion]

Thanks for the reply! By coming to the US for med school, I figured that I wouldn't be going back anyway. What is the process like for getting those visas? Will I be eligible for a green card when I'm in residency since I'm technically employed? ~thanks

 

[PistolPete]

You can get a green card after an H1B visa, as it is a "dual-intent" visa (both nonimmigrant and immigrant, I guess, which is weird). When you finish residency, a hospital/private practice group can sponsor you for a green card.

 

[dystorsion]

is it possible to get a green card before applying to medical school? For example, if someone does not get accepted the first time around, can he/she do something (i.e. go to grad school) to get a green card?

 

[PistolPete]

It's hard to get a green card. You can't get one just by going to grad school (you'd be a student on an F-1 visa, just like for med school). There are only 3 "normal" ways of getting a greed card: 1) marrying a US citizen, 2) employment based, 3) diversity lottery (Canadians are ineligible, this only applies to you if you are also a citizen of another eligible country, and even then, the odds are very small).

Good luck. The best way that I know of getting a green card is by doing a residency on an H1-B visa and the being sponsored by an employer.