International medical graduates who come to the U.S. for residencies primarily do so via J-1 visas. Physicians who enter the U.S. on a J-1 visa must return to their home country for two years before applying for H-1B visa status or permanent residency.
According to a Sept. 5 blog post in The National Law Review, Congress passed the Conrad 30 bill in 1994, which created an exemption to this rule. The bill grants each state and the District of Columbia 30 positions for physicians to serve in areas with low access to healthcare for three years, focusing on primary care needs. These international medical graduates would then have their two-year home residency requirement waived.
Most states open their application windows on Oct. 1 of each year, while others open in September or accept applications on a rolling basis. Application windows are often extended if programs still have open spots.
The blog post recommended that employers and physicians interested in hiring through Conrad 30 should begin gathering early documents and information about the specific needs of the underserved area in which they work, including patient Census data.