As Canadians, if we do not intend to return to Canada, can we apply for AOA certified residencies? Are there any osteopathic residency programs that currently sponsor visas to Canadian students? With the growing number of Canadian osteopathic medical students in the United states, I would hope that the AOA acknowledges the need to sponsor visas for Canadian students. If someone could share some insight on this topic, it would be greatly appreciated! There may even be potential to start a dialogue with the AOA, especially in light of recent changes in our own country with Canadian DO's being treated as IMG's when applying for Canadian residencies.
Canadians and AOA Residencies
- Thread starter jay1234
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There may be a few, but very unlikely that they would have the capacity to sponsor the H1-B visa you would need.
I do not think you would be able to receive a J1 visa for unrecognized training(as of now, may change for the merger), and even then on the very unlikely chance you do - you would need to return to Canada for 2 years, and sit around with mounting debt, since you couldn't work(pre-merger, unknown).
30-50 Canadian DO's a year is probably not enough to warrant extra work for them, when you are more than capable of going for ACGME residencies.
The merger may change things, but that is yet to be fully known.
I do not think you would be able to receive a J1 visa for unrecognized training(as of now, may change for the merger), and even then on the very unlikely chance you do - you would need to return to Canada for 2 years, and sit around with mounting debt, since you couldn't work(pre-merger, unknown).
30-50 Canadian DO's a year is probably not enough to warrant extra work for them, when you are more than capable of going for ACGME residencies.
The merger may change things, but that is yet to be fully known.
Thanks a lot for responding! I figured that we wouldn't be able to get a statement of need for AOA programs in order to secure the J1 visa, but I also thought that maybe since you can bypass going back to Canada for 2 years by working in an under-served area in the US for 3 years, that it might be possible. I really hope the merger changes things in regards to securing residencies. Sometimes being Canadian is so very difficult lol!
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Even if you could get the J1 for AOA(unlikely), the bypass would also be tricky since you would need an extension on your J1 and support again from the hospital hiring you..a lot of hoops!
Why not just stick with ACGME and then you're safe on all ends? Regardless of how you feel about coming back to Canada now, probably better to keep the option in case in the future you change your mind.
I'd prefer an ACGME residency, but there really are no stats on Canadian DO's matching to allopathic residencies in the United States (not that there are any osteopathic ones either). I wonder what the success rate is like? I agree with you in keeping my options open in regards to returning to Canada, however I just want to know that a backup plan of some sort exists. Do residency programs look at Canadian DO's/MD's studying in the United States as being US medical graduates or as IMG's, on the premise that in both circumstances they must still sponsor a visa?
