Ok just going to keep the advice there are too many influencers and people selling this that the other etc coaching study plan blah blah blah

Simple method for all the steps

Kaplan books plus UW that is it you dont need anything else (maybe first aid for step 1 again maybe)

You dont need anything else trust me. Forget about all these people promising you this that study plans etc

Keep it simple that method worked for me 15 years and I got v.good scores

Just my advice for people confused by the process

Are things more stable now? I asked an attorney I know he said he hadnt seen much change. The J waiver seems to be a hit and miss again depending on your luck.

Do you have to be on the dot at midnight when they release every week? It never used to be like this is it due to bots?

Are things more stable now? I asked an attorney I know he said he hadnt seen much change. The J waiver seems to be a hit and miss again depending on your luck.

One thing I find annoying compared to say 10-15 years ago when I applied is the plethora of USMLE influencers across all social medial platforms trying to sell stuff from exam coaching, personal statement writing, writing articles for you etc Its endless.

What I find more alarming is that some of these people are residents themselves!! Surely they dont have time for these side hustles which are probably illegal if they are on a visa too but they havent noticed that until its too late......

Amazingly they are taking paid ads on these platforms I find it so hard to believe.

The latest craze which people are trying to sell is the skipping residency with overseas experience again the problem with this its so new and only a pilot and practically any employer wont even consider it because insurance wont credential you plus the medico legal stuff.

Go to any recruiter the first thing they will ask when considering you for a job is where you did residency? Second question is are you board certified? These are hard stops.

Did people see that story came in the news yesterday that resident in Toledo put in jail for hiding a camera in the bathrooms in the hospital seems it was over a long period of time and 6 months jail pretty lenient but now am kinda creeped out that am hesitant to use a bathroom in a hospital!

Just curious some countries have a 10k bond to get the visitor visa would you pay that if it got you the visa for say a single entry 3 month visa only?

Just curious waiting times on the global wait times official say 2 months for a H1b slot so why are people struggling so much? Is that wrong?

I get it a lot of people are frustrated against the US over visa delays, refusals, issues with extensions etc etc

But I think a lot of people dont understand why this situation has come about and that is largely misuse of the visa system in past by various people (not physicians) so this new administration has been voted in to clear the mess left by previous governments and unfortunately physicians have been caught in the crossfire needlessly in my opinion.

There has been a lot of fraud and corruption with h1b basically from the IT sector thats why the 100k came in and concerns over student visa fraud scams with day 1 cpt etc hence now the 4 year limit same as other western countries. People doing multiple masters just to stay in the country etc etc

Plus saying one thing on the ds160 like 2 week vacation then doing something else they seem to be super hot at targeting at the moment.

So now here we are due to ignorance of the issue for decades so now a sledgehammer approach has been implemented.

I hope things improve for physicians eventually but its very difficult to get anyone to listen at present

Not shocked given the blatant racism in these kind of cases but he's been cleared to return to work despite grooming an underage disabled patient for years for his own s*** gratification.

So he's got the same sanction as a dr who skipped a training session yet claimed credit for it. Let that settle in for a while. So someone who grooms an underage disabled patient for years scarring her for life (she even said this at the tribunal apparently) gets the same sanction as someone who skipped a training session.

Honestly it's not even like they hiding the racism anymore they just make it blatantly obvious. I hope no employer would ever take this sick individual again. Oh Google did well that shows their morals then!

https://www.reddit.com/r/J1waiver/comments/1uaf4o4/am_i_the_only_one_suffering_in_this/

I posted about this issue a few weeks back given even CNN and the other networks have reported this problem and got kinda booed for it and today I see this posted by another physician on another sub running out of time for his waiver so its definitely real and this dr isn't even from a banned country.

The h1b 100k fee is back (the government got their stay of the judges decision a few days ago) so consular processing is not an option. Key thing is plan ahead.

I definitely think now they are cutting J visa duration etc the waivers will be the next thing they target. Honestly I don't think they care about shortages if they did they would have given some sort of exemption for healthcare staff but they haven't whatever they say in public about exemptions and what actually happens is another matter.

Have reposted with a much better link rather than a brief bloomberg article link

Credit to u/BuyCreative4557 for the link

So it looks like now F and J visas etc going to be limited to 4 years only rather than the open ended d/s they had before. It brings the US into line with other western countries.

I think this makes idea of fellowship tough on a J1 now as now after 4 years you are at the mercy of USCIS to extend the visa and given their general slow processing times and general stance of declining its going to be a tough time for that

So my take home points from this this change is happening this year already been approved by whitehouse likely towards end of summer plenty of attorneys are talking about it. Loads of youtube videos about it etc will apply for everyone by all accounts on these visas.

I think issue is for programs longer than 4 years the PD will be reluctant to take visas as now you are at the mercy of USCIS for extensions and they deliberately slowwalk them so that people lose their jobs that is a fact. Look at what they are doing with EAD extensions and DACA extensions they take over a year to process them and dont care about the person.

I think my strategy would be for fellowship get an attending job and get the GC which you can get quick (I got it within a year after approval) then look for fellowship that would be strategy. I know quite a few attendings that did after doing hospitalist jobs.

Given the UK has now legally shut the door for IMGs to enter training there are more considering the US instead? Same goes for UK grads also given their similar training and language skills to US grads.

I think IMGs from the UK with good paid experience and membership exams are in great shape for a match in the US if they want to consider it.

So it looks like now F and J visas etc going to be limited to 4 years only rather than the open ended d/s they had before. It brings the US into line with other western countries.

I think this makes idea of fellowship tough on a J1 now as now after 4 years you are at the mercy of USCIS to extend the visa and given their general slow processing times and general stance of declining its going to be a tough time for that

3internet down again

Used on phone to use vpn and its playing up again today this happening to anyone else? Kinda had enough which networks allow vpn use without all this headache? thx

am i doing something wrong has the id changed? thanks

This was very well received last weeks ago so doing it again. Hope it helps

Been an attending several years in NYC am an IMG have some time to kill in urgent care again is not busy so happy answer any questions have been through the exams and visa process I know it inside out. Any questions happy to answer.

I am now actually looking for positions outside of NYC as its just too expensive to live a decent life. Am not a crowds person have decided.

Hope people are getting their J visas approved. I think a lot of programs wont have people starting on time, it seems the state department dont care either.

1130 EST Back to work now will be back tomorrow

Interesting case GP working for 2 telehealth companies at the same time and got caught. Seems he was able to do it must have had two platforms open at once. Interestingly no criminal conviction for this didnt have to pay any money back. Sanction seems a bit small compared to the year given to someone skipping a training session and claiming attendance.

Wonder if the T&C of this companies forbid this kind of thing. Seems the work he was doing was of a decent standard too. All a bit odd

I spoke to an immigration attorney last week and we talked a bit about this J visa problem. It seems there is a problem with anything J visa related this year.

Getting extensions and waivers for people in the US has been a big struggle.

Also the issue about getting approved for J visa at certain consulates is an issue this year for some reason. Just be careful they seem to go through everything now looking for inconsistencies.

If anyone can comment on this if its still happening please let me know am trying to get the issue highlighted with various people in the health department thanks

Can they appeal this judgement? This is the state of california lawsuit the judge has ruled today.