Physician Program J-1 Visa

The doctor is in — the United States (Physician Program J-1 Visa)

Dr. Salma Zaidi was not yet a doctor, though she liked to imagine what her name would sound like with a ‘Dr’ in front of it. She had completed her 4- year basic medical training graduation with a specialization in dentistry at the University of Jordan School of Medicine, the first and best in the country. She was seriously interested in going deeper, especially in the area of orthodontics and reconstruction of teeth and jaws after traumatic injuries. Growing up, she had seen the horrific wound and deformities on the faces of the war refugees who streamed into Jordan. She wanted nothing more than to undergo an advanced training in an American dental college and return to Jordan to practice.

She didn’t really think she had a chance though.

One day, her orthodontics professor suggested to her that she apply to the School of Dentistry at the University of California in Los Angeles. He knew a professor there well, and could give a recommendation. Being a star student, Salma was accepted easily and eagerly for a training program.

Things seemed to happen automatically after that. The university assigned a Training Program Liaison or TLP, to help her with the next stages. And this was how she first heard about the Physician Program J-1 Visa.

She went online looking for US Immigration advice, and learned about the US Exchange Visitor Program, designed to give people worldwide an
opportunity to experience the culture and life of the USA while meeting their academic or professional goals through study and work.

Under the Physician Program J-1 Visa, one of 15 categories under the EVP, Salma could enter the United States on a Physician Program J-1 Visa to participate in graduate medical education programs or clinical training programs at US schools of medicine that are members of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The visa allowed her to be in training for up to 7 years, though once the training ended, she would be expected to return to her home country to apply what she had learnt.

Unlike other programs in the EVP, which have long lists of approved third- party visa sponsors, the Physician Program J-1 Visa has only a single global institutional sponsor, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFGM). As soon as the University of California sent her an offer letter, her TPL began working with Salma to prepare a visa sponsorship application to the ECFGM.

How the years fly. Salma finished her intense training in the USA, falling in love with the country but also eager and excited to return to Jordan to practice all that she had learned.

You can get more information on how to apply for the Physician Program J-1 Visa, including how to find the best sponsors, from the detailed, user- friendly visa guides you get when you buy one of our Visa Plans

If you have questions or would like clarifications about the Physician Program J-1 Visa, please send us an email and we’ll do our best to get back to you within 24 hours with an answer.