H-1B Visa Sponsorship and Physician Trainee Retention: A Single Institution Experience

• Published in: Journal of graduate medical education 2020-04, Vol.12 (2), p.217-220
• Main Authors: Abdel-Aziz, Yousef, Khan, Zubair, Barnett, William R, Altorok, Nezam, Assaly, Ragheb
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Medical Centers - statistics & numerical data; Brief Report; Education, Medical, Graduate - statistics & numerical data; Emigration and Immigration - legislation & jurisprudence; Fellowships and Scholarships - statistics & numerical data; Foreign Medical Graduates - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Internship and Residency - statistics & numerical data; Ohio; Physicians - supply & distribution
• ISSN: 1949-8349; 1949-8357
• DOI: 10.4300/JGME-D-19-00664.1

International medical graduates (IMGs) form a significant portion of the physician workforce in the United States and are vital in filling training slots due to a shortage of American medical graduates. Most often, IMGs require visa sponsorship, which must be solidified before applying for a residency or fellowship. We examined the association of H-1B visa sponsorship on retention of physician trainees within the state of Ohio. This was a single institutional study that examined all visa-sponsored residency and fellowship graduates who entered fully licensed clinical practice between 2006 and 2015. Practice location was ascertained immediately upon completion of training and at follow-up to determine which visa group (H-1B or J-1) were more likely to initially practice in Ohio after graduation and remain within the state. Of 103 visa-sponsored residency and fellowship graduates, 42 were H-1B sponsored and 61 were J-1-sponsored. Fifty-two percent (22) of H-1B visa-sponsored trainees and 31% (19) of J-1 visa-sponsored trainees were retained in Ohio after graduation. At follow-up, 40% (17) of H-1B and 26% (16) of J-1 visa holders remained in the state. H-1B visa-sponsored trainees were more likely than those with J-1 visas to practice in the state of Ohio after graduation. Regardless of visa status, graduates tended not to change their geographical location over time.