residency

[moose]

if i graduate from a top tier school in america as a canadian, can i do any residency i want in the US? For example even the competitive ones like opthalmology or will the fact that I'm canadian render me only to family/internal med?

[Jochi1543]

Well, first off, get into a top tier.

 

Secondly, you stand a chance, but FP/IM programs are a LOT more likely to sponsor your work visa, because they have fewer applicants. For example, if you have 199 Americans and one Canadian applying to your hot-shot residency, what's your motivation to pay an extra $5000 a year (that's how much it costs for a sponsoring institution to get you a work visa) and fill out loads of paperwork for the one Canadian? Sure you're bound to find at least one American among the 199 that you like and that won't give you hassle.

[Madz25]

Jochi, wouldnt the H1B vs. J1 issue come up in this situation?

[Jochi1543]

Jochi, wouldnt the H1B vs. J1 issue come up in this situation?

 

Yes, it would, but J1 is only for primary care, pretty much.

[hippie]

Well, first off, get into a top tier.

 

Secondly, you stand a chance, but FP/IM programs are a LOT more likely to sponsor your work visa, because they have fewer applicants. For example, if you have 199 Americans and one Canadian applying to your hot-shot residency, what's your motivation to pay an extra $5000 a year (that's how much it costs for a sponsoring institution to get you a work visa) and fill out loads of paperwork for the one Canadian? Sure you're bound to find at least one American among the 199 that you like and that won't give you hassle.

 

Jochi,

 

Do those chances change if you are actually applying to a residency at your own university. Let's say U of VT accepts you, you take all your electives in neurosurgery there, you know the chief of neurosurgery, the chief resident...maybe they like you too...Will that make it more likely that you get sponsored ?

[mikkey]

Couldn't you just get your Green Card after the 4 years of Med?

[Jochi1543]

Jochi,

 

Do those chances change if you are actually applying to a residency at your own university. Let's say U of VT accepts you, you take all your electives in neurosurgery there, you know the chief of neurosurgery, the chief resident...maybe they like you too...Will that make it more likely that you get sponsored ?

 

I don't know...I'm not an immigration officer, lol. Yes, it might help you, or maybe it won't - I don't know.

 

U VT is actually very much primary-care oriented (and best known for pediatrics), so probably not the best choice if you're gunning for neurosurgery - I don't know if you are using a completely random example, or if this is actually your plan, but figured I'd throw this in there.

[Jochi1543]

Couldn't you just get your Green Card after the 4 years of Med?

 

You don't just get a green card by virtue of going to school in the US. I went to school there for 5 years straight and for green card purposes, I'm no closer to getting PR status than a FOB.

[hippie]

I don't know...I'm not an immigration officer, lol. Yes, it might help you, or maybe it won't - I don't know.

 

U VT is actually very much primary-care oriented (and best known for pediatrics), so probably not the best choice if you're gunning for neurosurgery - I don't know if you are using a completely random example, or if this is actually your plan, but figured I'd throw this in there.

 

I love neurosurgery, Amongst all the shadowing I did, it was the most amazing experience.

But my first and only priority now is to get accepted! (Hopefully at Wayne State)

 

Mikkey,

 

I think H1B for three years is what you need to be able to apply for a green card. My brother was an IMG in the states he was on J-1 then O-1 then H1B, and now he has a green card. He had to work in a rural area though.

[Jochi1543]

 

I think H1B for three years is what you need to be able to apply for a green card. My brother was an IMG in the states he was on J-1 then O-1 then H1B, and now he has a green card. He had to work in a rural area though.

 

Yeah, J-1 then 3 years in a rural area is the easiest route. However, last time I checked (3-4 months ago), it was only available for primary care practitioners - FP and general IM.

[sonyvaio2700]

I don't know...I'm not an immigration officer, lol. Yes, it might help you, or maybe it won't - I don't know.

 

U VT is actually very much primary-care oriented (and best known for pediatrics), so probably not the best choice if you're gunning for neurosurgery - I don't know if you are using a completely random example, or if this is actually your plan, but figured I'd throw this in there.

 

p.s i had to respond to this question since I go to UVM! heh

 

uvm isnt columbia in producing neurosurgeons (they produce like 10 a year - amazing), but last year they had someone nab a neurosurgery residency at u of maryland. so it is possible. getting contacts surely helps since its such a small field at bigger schools there is more chance of meeting physicians who do cutting edge research. that said though the head of neurosurgery at uvm is actually a queens graduate. perhaps this might be easier to come back to canada to get a neurosurg residency? heh.

 

doesnt matter which school you go to its hard to get a neurosurg residency, and it doesnt all have to do with competitiveness...its a long residency and your priorities might change. but that said, neurosurg residency i have seen going to people who have done lots of research in that field (phd) or you have just an amazing step 1 score (260+)....most of time..a combination of both...check out sdn's residency section for more details...being a canadian probably doesnt play as big a role though...if you are good, you are good...