J1 waiver (3 gap years) before PICU fellowship

[osr2608]

As a non-US IMG on a J1 visa, I have to work in a medically underserved community for 3 years to obtain a waiver of the 2-year home country residency requirement (going back for 2 years after my J1 visa study).

I have 2 options - My preferred option is to do my fellowship right after residency (still on J1) and then find employment for 3 years (hopefully in PICU but if I don't find a J1 waiver job in PICU I will have to do something in General Peds). The second option is to do the 3-year waiver after completing my residency in primary care and then apply for the fellowship.
1. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of this situation and has an opinion on which might be the better route?

2. To me, it seems that taking a 3-year break to do primary care might make me less attractive as a candidate for a PICU fellowship. Is that the case?

Thanks

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[PTPoeny]

I have interviewed a physician for fellowship who had worked for a few years for a tuition commitment. I know several other people who had to take a year or two to match up with a spouse. Generally you would want to stay involved in academia by doing some case reports with residency faculty, being an SCCM member and doing critical care things for CME. But I don't think option 2 would hurt your chances if you do things right. We ranked the practicing physician well, you can sell work experience as a very good thing.

 

[osr2608]

Thank you @PTPoeny!