Switching out before I'm locked in

[nextinline]

Hey,

So heres my situation. Im currently a PGY-1 Categorical Gen Surg resident at a fairly top tier respectable program. I am also currently on a F1-OPT Visa as I am not american but i am a US Grad and the GME at my program is making me apply for the J-1 before the start of PGY-2.

I have also sinced matching heard of a fair amount of internal politics going on at the highest levels of my program, which I am not sure I want to be a part of or be associated with in any way. The residents I work with however are great and I have no problem with them

If I did not have to be locked down on the J-1, I would probably be happy staying at my program. But in view of the impending J-1 lockdown, and internal politicking that is occuring and the fact that I am still in a fairly safe zone with my OPT, will it be wise to look for a different but similar program that does sponsor the H1B? And me being me, I know that I would only be happy with the move if it was to another top tier program.

I have good grades, excellent LOR's, AOA, etc.

I know it wont be easy, but will be it wise / worth it / a stupid thing to do?

Thanks

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[shopsteward]

Hey,

So heres my situation. Im currently a PGY-1 Categorical Gen Surg resident at a fairly top tier respectable program. I am also currently on a F1-OPT Visa as I am not american but i am a US Grad and the GME at my program is making me apply for the J-1 before the start of PGY-2.

I have also sinced matching heard of a fair amount of internal politics going on at the highest levels of my program, which I am not sure I want to be a part of or be associated with in any way. The residents I work with however are great and I have no problem with them

If I did not have to be locked down on the J-1, I would probably be happy staying at my program. But in view of the impending J-1 lockdown, and internal politicking that is occuring and the fact that I am still in a fairly safe zone with my OPT, will it be wise to look for a different but similar program that does sponsor the H1B? And me being me, I know that I would only be happy with the move if it was to another top tier program.

I have good grades, excellent LOR's, AOA, etc.

I know it wont be easy, but will be it wise / worth it / a stupid thing to do?

Thanks

You're a first year trainee at a decent program and you have good relationships with your co-trainees. You are contemplating a difficult and risky move to some unspecified other program because of rumours of internal politics at the top of your program and concerns that you might be a part of them or associated with them.

Let me reassure you, as long as you keep your head down and your nose clean, the chances of you, as a first year trainee, having any association with internal politics at the top of the organisation are minimal.

Also, any program you go to will also have internal politics at the top of the organisation. The only difference between your program and that program is that you won't have heard about them yet.

 

[splik]

did you not know they would make you apply for J1 beforehand? If not, and you are concerned discuss H1 visas with your program director, most GME offices, even the ones that don't sponsor visas normally make an exception for those on OPT. I would imagine it would be hard (but not impossible) to transfer elsewhere for PGY-2 as you would have to find a program that would be willing to pay for your H1B visa etc when there are usually plenty of people who don't need a visa floating around and I imagine not all that many PGY-2 GS spots...

Presumably you would be applying for J1 for your PGY-2 year as your OPT lasts a year..? You just need to way before to make sure you get your change of visa status in time to start (e.g. statement of need etc)

 

[Top Gun]

Every program has some form of internal politics. Doesn't matter where you go. Since its there at the top, it probably won't even affect you as long as you stay under the radar and do your work. You're getting along well with your fellow residents, in a top-tier surgical residency no less, which a million IMGs would kill to have. Why risk losing a good position on the basis of rumors of politics that probably won't even affect you?