Thread: Canadians and Visa Issue

Hi just wondering do Canadians have a better chance at getting J-1 or H1-B visa compared to other FMGs? (I only ask because we are part of North America, speak english well, etc) How hard is it to get these visas??

Where's The Big Fella when you need him?

exposfan;

Are you a student on campus here? If you are and you are interested in going back to Canada to practice or even if you just want info on obtaining visa's as a Canadian in the USA, you should come to bell lecture hall on monday Feb. 11 at 7:30pm. The Canadian students' association here has arranged for a talk by a Canadian who is currently doing clinicals in the states and he will talk about his experiences. Also, the president of CARMS will be at that meeting (which is a first for SGU as well as Caribbean medical schools) to answer any questions pertaining to getting Canadian residencies. This message is for all the Canadians on this board and please come if you can so we can have a good showing and show CARMS that we're serious about going back to Canada.

As long as the hospital wants you, and they offer the visa, getting it shouldn't be a problem.

J1 offers much better hospital selection and less headache in general in Babu's opinion. Do a search, there's a ton of info on both. Good luck.

IndianBabu

Thanks for the replies! I am actually a pre-med student interested in SGU and just wanted more info....if you could post info from that meeting I think it would help alot of us Canadians....also, with the J-1, if you go back to Canada for the two years, is it possible to practice medicine for those two years?

Yes depending on what province you are in, you can practice, albeit sometime with a restricted license until your boards are in. I really think being a canadian doesn't offer an advantage. If the program likes you and are willing to sponsor, then they will sponsor. However, since on average Canadian have a better grasp of English and the north american culture than forreigners outside NA, we do have an advantage in that sense. I think the hassles for j-1 and h1 are the same. Im goin through the j1 process now and there are alot of hoops that you have to jump through. however, more programs sponsor a j-1 since to sponsor an h-1, it costs the program money. a j1 doesn't cost the program a thing and that is why more programs sponsor this type of visa. good luck

Hi Vtrain, I am deciding if I should attend SGU or a few DO, namely AZCOM and NOVA. I know in SGU, you don't need to spend time to learn OMM and COMPLEX. But being a Canadian, do you think DO route is better to gain into Radiology or anethesiology? I know it all depends on your score, but if you have the same score from DO and SGU, which one offers better opportunity?

Thank you

Originally Posted by StriveToBeDr

Hi Vtrain, I am deciding if I should attend SGU or a few DO, namely AZCOM and NOVA. I know in SGU, you don't need to spend time to learn OMM and COMPLEX. But being a Canadian, do you think DO route is better to gain into Radiology or anethesiology? I know it all depends on your score, but if you have the same score from DO and SGU, which one offers better opportunity?

Thank you

I'm a canadian who matched into one of the ROAD specialties and I needed a VISA. So having said that, it can be done and has been done in the past. Most canadians who go to SGU enter primary care - i know of ONE person who matched into rads and a couple in anesth from canada. If can be done, but it isn't common. Your best bet to land those residencies is to do electives and network within the specialty - chances are you will end up matching where you did an elective if you do match. MD or DO, doesn't really matter, if you have high scores and are a likeable person, they will take you. You have to see if you believe in the OMM that DO's offer - you can't look at it as who will give you the better chance. Both allow you to do electives in the US and that is key. you need to network and do research work preferably. DOs have their own res programs, so that might be a plus. With MD you can apply to CARMS, with DO, I dont think you can do that and coming back to practice in canada might be more difficult. If you want to practice in canada eventually, or want to keep that as a possibility, id stick with MD. if you like OMM, go DO. But I dont believe both offer an significant advantage in terms of matching into the ROADE specialties

Thanks vtrain, I know that DO can practise in Canada. If my caliber or interest lies only within FM, then obviously I will change SGU, since coming back to Canada and staying US does not really matter and people will not ask you what is DO.

I know it is a tough decision. The rotations in NOVA have so many rural and OMM stuff, which I don't like, but the school is tauted to be superior. AZCOM on the hand has most people match into FM and IM last year.

I just don't know how to decide. Also when you mention residency depends on where you do electives, but isn't the match starts at the beginning of 4th year and you just started elective. How can you have time to build connections?

thanks

I think if you dont like OMM and dont believe in the philosophy, you should stick with SGU. If you are looking at FM and IM, SGU is a more than viable alternative and many have matched into both specialties. SGU has even matched IM in CAnada. If you are set on the ROADE specialties, you will most likely do research work the summer after your first year. After your cores in 3rd year you can start to do electives at places that you think you can match at. Interviews for the match aren't until sept-dec, so you have the summer months after third year to do your electives.