u/hiamjudy

Hi everyone,
I’m an international student currently planning my healthcare and tech career path in the U.S., and I’d love to get some feedback on whether my plan is realistic and worth the investment.
My current plan is as follows:

1. Phase 1: Complete an Associate of Applied Science in Radiography. After graduation, I intend to use my 1-year OPT to work as a Radiologic Technologist to gain clinical experience and hopefully find an H-1B sponsor.
2. Phase 2: If I don't secure a sponsor within that year, I plan to bridge into a Bachelor’s in Biomedical Informatics (BMI). I’m specifically looking at STEM-designated programs (like the one at ASU) to qualify for the 3-year STEM OPT extension later on.
3. Phase 3: My long-term goal is to transition into Cancer Research, eventually pursuing a PhD in a field related to medical imaging informatics or computational oncology.
   My questions for the community:
   • Is the transition from clinical Radiography to a technical BMI degree common? Does having a clinical background provide a significant edge in the Health Informatics job market?
   • For those in the field, how is the H-1B sponsorship landscape for BMI/Health Informatics roles compared to frontline Rad Tech roles?
   • Does this "Clinical \rightarrow Tech \rightarrow Research" trajectory seem like a solid path for someone aiming to specialize in oncology?

Hi everyone,
I’m an international student currently planning my healthcare and tech career path in the U.S., and I’d love to get some feedback on whether my plan is realistic and worth the investment.
My current plan is as follows:

1. Phase 1: Complete an Associate of Applied Science in Radiography. After graduation, I intend to use my 1-year OPT to work as a Radiologic Technologist to gain clinical experience and hopefully find an H-1B sponsor.
2. Phase 2: If I don't secure a sponsor within that year, I plan to bridge into a Bachelor’s in Biomedical Informatics (BMI). I’m specifically looking at STEM-designated programs (like the one at ASU) to qualify for the 3-year STEM OPT extension later on.
3. Phase 3: My long-term goal is to transition into Cancer Research, eventually pursuing a PhD in a field related to medical imaging informatics or computational oncology.
   My questions for the community:
   • Is the transition from clinical Radiography to a technical BMI degree common? Does having a clinical background provide a significant edge in the Health Informatics job market?
   • For those in the field, how is the H-1B sponsorship landscape for BMI/Health Informatics roles compared to frontline Rad Tech roles?
   • Does this "Clinical \rightarrow Tech \rightarrow Research" trajectory seem like a solid path for someone aiming to specialize in oncology?

Hi everyone,
I’m an international student currently planning my healthcare and tech career path in the U.S., and I’d love to get some feedback on whether my plan is realistic and worth the investment.
My current plan is as follows:

1. Phase 1: Complete an Associate of Applied Science in Radiography. After graduation, I intend to use my 1-year OPT to work as a Radiologic Technologist to gain clinical experience and hopefully find an EB3 sponsor.
2. Phase 2: If I don't secure a sponsor within that year, I plan to bridge into a Bachelor’s in Biomedical Informatics (BMI). I’m specifically looking at STEM-designated programs (like the one at ASU) to qualify for the 3-year STEM OPT extension later on.
3. Phase 3: My long-term goal is to transition into Cancer Research, eventually pursuing a PhD in a field related to medical imaging informatics or computational oncology.
   My questions for the community:
   • Is the transition from clinical Radiography to a technical BMI degree common? Does having a clinical background provide a significant edge in the Health Informatics job market?
   • For those in the field, how is the H-1B sponsorship landscape for BMI/Health Informatics roles compared to frontline Rad Tech roles?
   • Does this "Clinical \rightarrow Tech \rightarrow Research" trajectory seem like a solid path for someone aiming to specialize in oncology?