Practice Areas: California targets primary care physicians who have completed a U.S. residency training program in one of the following practice areas Family Medicine, General Pediatrics, General Obstetrics/Gynecology, General Internal Medicine or General Psychiatry.

Specialists: Yes.

Application Review: Rolling Review based on applications received 10/1 until full. Specialist applications accepted 7/1 until 9/30.
Notes: The physician must provide services to a caseload that is at least 30% Medicaid (Medi-Cal) patients or one that includes a combination of at least 30% Medi-Cal and uninsured patients through the three-year contract period. Sponsoring employer must sign an attestation to this.

The California J-1 Visa Waiver Program does not provide job placement or employment referral services.  Applicants must locate employment prior to contacting the J-1 Visa Waiver Program. The facility cannot assist in acquiring permanent residence status for the physician until these requirements have been met for at least two years. The sponsoring health facility must provide a certified copy of the contract detailing the full-time employment of the applicant physician at said health facility. The contract must contain a provision that requires the applicant physician to work at the health facility in which he/she is employed for a total of not less than three years. The applicant physician must agree to begin employment within 90 days of receiving a J-1 Visa Waiver. Additionally, the applicant physician’s position must be full time (40 hours per week). 

The primary care physician must practice primary care medicine full-time at a health facility that is located in the geographic area or areas that are designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or Medically Underserved Area (MUA). 

Recruitment/retention efforts must be described by the sponsoring health facility. It must be clearly demonstrated that a suitable American replacement for the applicant physician cannot be found through recruitment or any other means. The health facility's plan must be detailed on how they plan to retain the applicant physician beyond the three-year commitment.

E-mail: J-1VisaWaiverProgram@dhcs.ca.gov

Website: www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/rural/Pages/J-1VisaWaiver.aspx