JAN-FEB 2007 : WHAT's GOING ON WITH J1 visas, J1-Waivers & IMGs ?

The January 2007 Issue of the American Medical News first carried a news article saying, "Rural areas say more J-1 visas needed". Following are the highlights of the article:

"J-1 visa waiver program, in the hands of the Dept. of Health and Human Services since 2002, placed just four physicians in 2005.That dramatic drop is a big concern for medically underserved communities that rely on these programs to help recruit doctors."

"The J-1 visa waiver physicians are an essential pipeline for rural places that would find it nearly impossible to find a physician otherwise"

As we know there are different agencies that sponsor J1-waivers for IMGs. Click here for some revision ;-)


Another news article that followed titled, "J-1 waivers on the decline" had the following highlights:

"A government study released in November 2006 indicates a decline of IMGs on J1-waiver programs, dropping to 6,200 in 2004-05, from 11,600 in 1996. Part of this decline is attributed to more IMGs seeking less-restrictive H1b visas. Secondly, IMGs who complete their training in the U.S. increasingly are going to other countries to work. IMGs are getting good job offers in Europe, India and Singapore, a trend that could hamper recruitment to underserved areas in the U.S."


I wish I had complete access to these articles to know the latest percentages of the J1-waiver slots under the Conrad-30 program that were filled up, but here are some reflections we can draw:

1. The J1 program was started to have more physicians to practice in the rural areas in return for allowing to educated under the American roof - if that's not happening, policy makers will sit up, rethink and most probably curb down on the H1b visas issued for International Medical Graduates, because the other option - making medical practice in US more attractive than other countries, is a long shot to bring changes on. It's like turning off the second tap of water to force water through the first ;-)

2. Secondly, US-trained IMGs finding 'good jobs' in Europe, India, etc. is at least significantly, if not completely, indicative of the booming Medical tourism industry where the label of "US-trained physician" is a huge huge trump card giving instant marketability and pay negotiability.

3. Overall I always felt it was a little short-sighted to expect it to be convenient for IMGs who come on J1s to go back after making them stay for 7 years, because most of these IMGs come to the US at an age when they expect to get settled!

4. If J1-wavier job slots are going underutilized, as the article reports, then IMGs planning for upcoming Residency matches should be less concerned about finding J1-wavier jobs and should be less fearful of taking up J1 residency positions for Primary care specialties at least (Family medicine, Internal medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, General Surgery and Ob-Gyn). In other words, while filling up the ERAS application, indicating that they are OK with J1s and H1b Visas both is a good strategy