Question about residency, Please HELP!!!

[StudentinDtown]

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I am classified as an internation student although I've been living in the US for over 10 years. I have gained acceptance to a US medical school and, although it was an incredible mountain to climb, I've finally been accepted for this coming fall. Now, is there a way that I can apply for permanent residency because I will be a medical student in the US? When it is time for residency, will I be in a HUGE disadvantage again for being classified if I still don't have my permanent residency then BUT still attending a US accredited school in the US? Please help, I have tried everything but haven't found anyone who knows about this. 🙁

 

[skypilot]

Will you need a work visa? I think that is the key. If you've already got one you should be golden. I am sure you will get more info in the IMG forums.

 

[StudentinDtown]

Will you need a work visa? I think that is the key. If you've already got one you should be golden. I am sure you will get more info in the IMG forums.

Yes, I have a work visa already. I just don't know if most residencies in the US have the same policy of accepting like 99% permanent residents and 1% international (ok, i'm making up numbers) even if the person actually went to a US school, not a foreign school.

 

[Blade28]

Hmmm...are you asking about AMG vs. IMG/FMG? Or citizen vs. green card holder?

 

[Amy]

Yes, I have a work visa already. I just don't know if most residencies in the US have the same policy of accepting like 99% permanent residents and 1% international (ok, i'm making up numbers) even if the person actually went to a US school, not a foreign school.

It's true that FMGs are discriminated against when it comes to hiring residents. Being an AMG will give you a HUGE advantage. I don't think they'll care that you're not American.

 

[EctopicFetus]

It's true that FMGs are discriminated against when it comes to hiring residents. Being an AMG will give you a HUGE advantage. I don't think they'll care that you're not American.

From some friends I know that certain programs dont sponsor residents who need visas. As someone mentioned before the key is the need or lack thereof of a work visa for residency.

 

[EctopicFetus]

FWIW my friends were canadians who decided to stay here for residency for one reason or another. They told me it makes a difference because they would need a J-1 (or the other type of visa) and some places just dont deal with that.

Good luck!

 

[StudentinDtown]

It's true that FMGs are discriminated against when it comes to hiring residents. Being an AMG will give you a HUGE advantage. I don't think they'll care that you're not American.

I am sorry, but what if an FMG and what is an AMG?

As for me, I do have a work permit but I do not have a Green Card, therefore I am automatically placed as an international student. It was already hard enough being accepted to a US medical school by being an international student, but now I wonder if that same problem will carry on over to residency when I apply for one. Do residencies care more than you went to a US medical school or that you are permanent resident?

thank you for any information 🙂

 

[Amy]

Yeah, I guess it's true that it's more of a PITA to deal w/ residents with visas. Still, being an AMG with a visa will give you an advantage over FMGs with a visa. Of course the best thing would be to become a citizen.

AMG = American medical grad
FMG = foreign medical grad

 

[Blade28]

What Amy said. 🙂

 

[PukiUki]

Of course the best thing would be to become a citizen.

Being a citizen is not necessary... Having a green card works as well.

 

[glorybrian]

I am classified as an internation student although I've been living in the US for over 10 years. I have gained acceptance to a US medical school and, although it was an incredible mountain to climb, I've finally been accepted for this coming fall. Now, is there a way that I can apply for permanent residency because I will be a medical student in the US? When it is time for residency, will I be in a HUGE disadvantage again for being classified if I still don't have my permanent residency then BUT still attending a US accredited school in the US? Please help, I have tried everything but haven't found anyone who knows about this. 🙁

You climbed an incredible mountain, i.e. aceeptance to US medical school 😱 .
You can climb another mountain, i.e. finding your happy other half who happen to be US citizen. If you love another half, this climbing will be fun 😍 . If you don't fall in love, it will not be fun at all .
Goodluck on your greencard journey, which is not green color any more.

 

[wstcoastgrl]

SDT,
I am a Canadian citizen, just graduated from an American med school and am starting residency here in the US. You will need an H1-B visa to do your residency (probably different than the work visa you have now since it is more specific to medical professionals). Yep, it's harder to find a residency to sponsor the H1-B for you, so your choices will be more limited. HOWEVER, they ARE more likely to sponsor you if you are from an American med school, versus somewhere overseas, etc. I've found that even some places that say on their websites that they don't sponsor H1-Bs will do so for an American grad.

Good luck to you.

 

[xylem29]

Is it safe to assume that the Top 20 residency programs in the non-primary care specialties WILL be willing to sponsor the H1-B??

 

[Chinnychin]

I believe it is much harder-I am canadian however have my green card before I entered med school but there was another canadian in my class who did not-he had gone to undergrad in the US and then medschool but was already worrying about getting into residency that he did a ton of EC's and was always stressing about it-I am not sure of the details.

I think there also may be some rule where after you are finished residency you have to go back to canada for a certain period of time before you can re-enter the US or apply for perm residency status-not sure. I just thank my lucky stars I got my GC in time and now am awaiting my citizenship papers. Immigration here is a BITCH when you try to be legit-that is why it frustrates us people who have dealt with immigration so much when all these illegals are coming across-most people do not understand how hard the legit people work-for years to get here. really PISSES me off-If I ever become senator-a goal-I would be so hard on those damn illegals! anyway that is a diff topic