Citizenship required for residency?

[janV88]

I've been browsing the different residency's and their requirements and many of them say "Citizenship required: Yes". I noticed that there is no differentiation between non-citizen student visa and non-citizen permanent resident.

Does this really mean citizenship is required or can permanent residents (green card holders) also apply?

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[darazon]

I've been browsing the different residency's and their requirements and many of them say "Citizenship required: Yes". I noticed that there is no differentiation between non-citizen student visa and non-citizen permanent resident.

Does this really mean citizenship is required or can permanent residents (green card holders) also apply?

From what I understand you'll have to talk to the residencies to get that info. some might take the Green Card, and some will not. It depends a lot on where they get the funding to pay your residency salary. If it is federally funded (ie VA) then they only want US citizens. The same with county run hospitals as well.

I find that even residency directors don't really know the answers to those questions. Those decisions are usually made by HR. I have talked to many residency directors who say that they take non US citizens, but yet their residency profile says they only take citizens..

My advice is to talk to the HR department of where you are interested in to get the real story of what they will/will not take.

 

[IVlamisil]

Darazon is correct that you must speak to the hospital Human Resources Department or the section in charging of hiring residents, not just the director of the program.

The residency secretary, director and even current residents are not a valid source of information for hiring non-citizens as they are not the ones who sign off on your immigration paperwork. In fact, even the CPME documents can be incorrect. The only way of confirming if a residency will accept you based on your immigration status is by speaking directly with the hospital administration. If you can get something in writing from them that helps even more.

If you are not a US citizen and you are a green card holder or you are on a student visa that allows you to only study in the US, then you should start to check residency hiring info before you choose your externships.

You can still do an externship in a hospital or program that does not accept non-citizens for residency. My advice and that of others is that you should pick externships that will be accepting non-citizens for residency.

The externship process for non-citizens can be quite competitive and the task to figure out which residencies accept non-citizens is long and time consuming. The process should be started in your 2nd and 3rd year well before externship year.

good luck

 

[janV88]

Thanks guys. I'll try and get ahold of HR.

This issue is really weird. I've never heard of MD residencies having this policy. My brother is doing his residency at a county hospital with no problems. It's also unfair since I, as a green card and permanent resident, pay the exact same taxes as a US citizen. The same tax dollars that comes out of my pocket won't fund my training??

 

[MaseratiGT]

Thanks guys. I'll try and get ahold of HR.

This issue is really weird. I've never heard of MD residencies having this policy. My brother is doing his residency at a county hospital with no problems. It's also unfair since I, as a green card and permanent resident, pay the exact same taxes as a US citizen. The same tax dollars that comes out of my pocket won't fund my training??

I have the same problem as well. Some of the residencies have "yes" under Citizenship, but have the stipulation that they accept permanent residents under their description.

I have spoke to a few HRs as well, and some will still accept us - they just don't want to sponsor us on a working visa.

 

[janV88]

I have the same problem as well. Some of the residencies have "yes" under Citizenship, but have the stipulation that they accept permanent residents under their description.

I have spoke to a few HRs as well, and some will still accept us - they just don't want to sponsor us on a working visa.

Have you come across any programs that won't accept permanent residents?

 

[MaseratiGT]

Have you come across any programs that won't accept permanent residents?

I haven't personally, but I have heard that some residencies (main hospital isn't a VA) still won't accept us because they do quite a few rotations at VAs. I don't know how much truth there is to that.

If you are inquiring, let the HR coordinator know that you are a PR and don't need your job to sponsor you. They just need to run your A number.

If I get any more info, I'll let you know!

 

[PharoPod]

The concept is being confusing for a lot of people

As a green card holder(permanent resident) you can apply and hired at any residency except the VA where citizenship is required.

When some people other than VA say citizenship is required, they sometime mean that they do not sponsor Visa (J1, H1) for foreign nationals other than permanent residents.

So if u have a green card you have no issues except for the VA system.

 

[janV88]

It makes a lot more sense though that the programs just don't want to sponsor visas.

If any of you find out otherwise, please post on here the program and such.

 

[PMSIII]

It makes a lot more sense though that the programs just don't want to sponsor visas.

If any of you find out otherwise, please post on here the program and such.

Most programs outside of the VA hospitals sponsor H1 visas. I am a Canadian citizen myself and can tell you from experience that I had multiple offers for residency and no issues with visa status. Just make sure you have a great file, do well in school, interview well, and impress them during your clerkship. Programs want good residents - period. Most hospitals that have those "restrictions" really don't have experience working with non-citizens in general and when they refer to their HR department the situation is usually much more manageable because hospitals sponsor a lot of foreign medical graduates (especially department of internal medicine). Canadian citizens usually have an easier time (at least the ones that I know in Podiatry, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry).

 

[janV88]

PMSIII,

It's nice to hear from a resident. Just to clarify, you never had any issues other than with VA residencies?

 

[darazon]

Most programs outside of the VA hospitals sponsor H1 visas. I am a Canadian citizen myself and can tell you from experience that I had multiple offers for residency and no issues with visa status. Just make sure you have a great file, do well in school, interview well, and impress them during your clerkship. Programs want good residents - period. Most hospitals that have those "restrictions" really don't have experience working with non-citizens in general and when they refer to their HR department the situation is usually much more manageable because hospitals sponsor a lot of foreign medical graduates (especially department of internal medicine). Canadian citizens usually have an easier time (at least the ones that I know in Podiatry, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry).

Where you selective when you ranked your residencies? i.e. only ranked those that you knew would accept a Canadian, or that indicated on their file that they would take non-US citizens?

 

[PMSIII]

PMSIII,

It's nice to hear from a resident. Just to clarify, you never had any issues other than with VA residencies?

Wasn't interested in VA residencies so no issues with my other programs.

 

[PMSIII]

Where you selective when you ranked your residencies? i.e. only ranked those that you knew would accept a Canadian, or that indicated on their file that they would take non-US citizens?

I ranked the programs I externed at and specifically the ones I genuinely liked - that's it. When I was a student, I did my externships at the programs that fitted my needs in training. That being said though, I confirmed prior to rotating that these hospitals take foreign medical graduates (which is the case for most of these programs, believe it or not - even if they've never taken non-US citizens in their podiatric surgery programs)

 

[darazon]

I ranked the programs I externed at and specifically the ones I genuinely liked - that's it. When I was a student, I did my externships at the programs that fitted my needs in training. That being said though, I confirmed prior to rotating that these hospitals take foreign medical graduates (which is the case for most of these programs, believe it or not - even if they've never taken non-US citizens in their podiatric surgery programs)

Thanks.

Can I assume that you contacted the HR departments in each hospital to get the real story?

 

[PMSIII]

Thanks.

Can I assume that you contacted the HR departments in each hospital to get the real story?

Yes.