QUESTIONS abt Visa - J1 & H1B .. pls advice! - docryuy

[ArchivalUser]

I'm an IMG needing visa.

what's the best visa for me given my situation that i want to pursue fellowship right after residency ( they say go for j1 because fellowship programs do not sponsor h1b), but I would want to keep my options open if ever i decide to apply for GC here. (so should i get h1b?)

If ever i get j1, i believe the validity of it is for 7 years? so if i have my residency for 3 years in Hospital X, and apply for fellowship in Hospital Z, will it be a new J1 or just a continuation of the 1st j1 that i have? is changing from hospital X to hospital Z for fellowship entail a reapplication of j1??

after completing fellowship, i believe I should apply for a waiver job after if i want to apply for GC right?

alot of people are aspiring for h1b visa at the onset of their residency.. are these people have no intentions of pursuing fellowship after? do they see themselves getting job right away as hospitalist maybe after their residency training?


I cant find the answers to these questions despite reading alot of forums that deals with visa topic. I would want to know these things since some programs Ive applied to i think have the option of giving out h1b and j1, i dont know which one to get. Im already done with my step 3 so i think im eligible to request for h1b.



AND HOW DO U TELL THE PD that u want the H1b? do u request for it? does the PD lets u decide which visa u want? how do u negotiate h1b with the PD? what do you tell them / what would convince them in giving u the h1b?


THANK YOU in advance!

[ArchivalUser]

it depends on where you match and which fellowship you want. J1 sucks big time and waiver for subspecialist is not easy to find compared to primary care. It can also be for 5 years not just 3 for primary care. Go for j1 only if you have to, for example, when you are choosing between university offering j1 and community offering h1.
The only exception is cardiology fellowship, where choice of visa is really complicated because doing cards fellowship on any visa is pain in the butt. Do u want cardiology ?

J1 visa is for a maximum period of 7 years regardless the number of hospitals.

If the program says they sponsor j1 and h1 period, then you choose whatever you want. If the program says we sponsor h1 on case by case basis or in limited amounts ..etc, then you will have to negociate with the PD.

hope this helps

[ArchivalUser]

Why Card is more complicated??? Shed the light on me, please

[ArchivalUser]

whitecurd,
I want to do cards myself, but have no idea which visa is better for that purpose. H1 visa is for 6 years only, and cardiology needs at least 7 years to be interventionist or ep. WHat do you think ?

[ArchivalUser]

Personally, J1 is more dangerous in the case that you cannot match fellow within PGYII and III. You have to go back home with sorrow. If you take H1b, you cut all of your chance for card fellow...except you have great credential like Nirav Mamdani. So it's quite perplexing for me too. Otherwise, change it into GC firstly, this will strengthen your qualification...the question is "How long and how early we can change our H1b into GC"...I think this is the great Q that we should help each other find the answer. Any input is welcome!!

[ArchivalUser]

ignored, let's keep this thread alive....I'll be back in the evening, alright???

[ArchivalUser]

It takes 2 years to change h1 to gc, but at that time you will be way less competitive applicant for a fellowship like cardiology. They prefer fresh candidates who are still in residency. Also even if you manage to find a spot, it will be in less competitive programs which don't offer ic or ep fellowships, so you might end up genereal cardiology again. I hope this discussion helps both of us. I am really nervous about that issue.

[ArchivalUser]

Hey!!what about start changing H1b to GC since PGYI, then you'll get GC at PGY4 and then you spend one year in Card course like echo, heart failure or research. Sounds cool??

[ArchivalUser]

who will agree to sponsor your gc from pgy1 ??? I have never heard any program does that ? Are you sure ?

[ArchivalUser]

some low level community programs may agree like crozer chester, but never heard university does that.