Conrad 30J1 Visa and the National Health Service Corps

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Conrad 30/J-1 Visa and the National Health
Service Corps

• Clinician recruitment and retention programs

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What is it?

• Program Objective
• Assists international medical graduates in
  obtaining a H-1B or L-1 Visa in return for
  practicing at a health care site that provides
  services to Vermonts medically underserved
  populations.
• H-1B Visa primary US work visa for foreign
  professionals in a specialty occupation.
• Valid for up to six years
• Dual intent visa allowing application for a
  Green Card (Legal Permanent Residency)

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How does it work?

• Vermont acts as an Interested Government Agency
  (IGA) to sponsor 30 waivers each year
• The Waiver lifts the obligation of foreign
  medical graduates to return to their home country
  for two years following their United States
  medical education.

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What is the process?

• The health care facility must notify the Vermont
  Department of Health in writing of their intent
  to hire a international medical graduate (IMG).
  The contact must be made from the facility not
  the J-1 clinician.
• Department will verify the shortage designation
  of the area in which the IMG is to practice and
  provide supporting evidence.

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What is the process?

• Facility notifies VDH in writing of intent to
  hire IMG
• Submit DS-3035 Data Sheet to the U.S. Department
  of State to obtain case number
• Facility submits completed application to VDH for
  review and submission to U.S. Department of State

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Who is Eligible?

• Physicians with sub-specialties, general surgeons
  as well as primary care are eligible for
  placement through Vermonts J-1/Conrad 30 Visa
  Waiver Program.

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Vermont Requirements

• An offer of employment as a primary care,
  sub-specialty, or general surgeon in a medically
  underserved area.
• A letter of support from the Commissioner of
  Health supporting the physicians request
• A three-year employment contract
• Medical license issued by the Vermont Board of
  Medical Practice

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Conrad 30 Program Information

• Contact the Vermont Department of Health, Office
  of Rural Health and Primary Care at 802-951-5179
  for an Application Checklist of Forms

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The National Health Service Corps(NHSC)
The NHSC is committed to improving the health of
the Nations underserved

• Uniting communities in need with caring health
  professionals
• Supporting communities efforts to build better
  systems of health care

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NHSC Is Composed of

• Clinicians and communities dedicated to serving
  the underserved.
• Over 24,500 dedicated primary health care
  clinicians placed in Health Professional Shortage
  Areas (HPSAs).
• Currently, over 3,900 NHSC clinicians serve in
  rural and urban communities nationwide and 11
  serve placements in Vermont.

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National Health Service Corps

• NHSC Scholarship Program
• NHSC Loan Repayment Program (LRP)
• NHSC On-Line Job Opportunity List

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Clinicians in the NHSC

• Dedicated to service
• Culturally competent
• Community responsive
• Serve on interdisciplinary teams with clinicians
  who share a commitment to improving the health of
  the underserved
• Receive support and assistance from the NHSC
  throughout their education, training and career

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Clinicians in the NHSC

• Represent a variety of disciplines
• Primary Care Physicians
• Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Assistants
• Certified Nurse Midwives
• Dentists
• Dental Hygienists
• Mental and Behavioral Health Professionals

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Sites in the NHSC

• Located in federally designated HPSAs
• Frontier, rural and inner city urban settings
• Treat everyone regardless of their ability to pay
• Community Based Practices including community
  health centers, migrant health centers, private
  practices rural health clinics, IHS and prisons

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NHSC Scholarship Program

• Scholarships to students who commit to practicing
  primary care in HPSAs of greatest need upon
  completion of education or training.
• Period of service is 2-4 years based on number of
  years of scholarship support
• Students choose their practice site from a list
  of approved sites located in areas of greatest
  need across the country.

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Scholars Available

• Certified Nurse Midwives
• Dentists
• Family Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Assistants
• Primary Care Physicians (FP, IM, PEDS, OB/GYN)
• Psychiatrists

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NHSC Scholarship Program Eligibility

• Clinicians who have received NHSC scholarships
  can only interview at sites that have eligible
  scholarship vacancies
• Site eligibility is set by the number of sites
  and the number of eligible scholars in a given
  placement cycle.

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NHSC Federal Loan Repayment Program

• Repayment of educational loans for clinicians who
  commit to provide full-time clinical service in a
  HPSA of greatest need.
• Minimum 2-year service commitment.
• Clinicians secure employment at an NHSC site
  Higher scoring HPSA sites are given priority for
  awards.
• Maximum repayment during the required initial
  2-year contract is 50,000. Opportunities to
  continue in the program may be available for 1
  year intervals beyond the 2-year commitment.

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Loan Repayment Program -- Who is eligible?

• U.S. citizens in the following disciplines/special
  ties
• Primary Care Allopathic or Osteopathic Physicians
• Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
• Primary Care Physician Assistants
• Certified-Nurse midwives
• Dentists
• Dental Hygienists
• Health Service Psychologists, Clinical Social
  Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors,
  Marriage and Family Therapists, and Psychiatric
  Nurse Specialists

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NHSC Scholarship and Federal Loan Repayment
Programs -- Timeline

• Scholarship Applications become available in
  January, and are due to the NHSC the last Friday
  in March. Awards are announced in late summer.
• Loan Repayment Applications are accepted from
  winter to spring, with all awards finalized by
  late summer.

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On- line Job PostingsNHSC Opportunities List

• The NHSC Opportunities List is a valuable
  resource to health professionals seeking jobs in
  underserved communities nationwide.
• Profiles of employment sites will be
  forthcoming which will assist candidates in their
  search for the right fit.

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NHSC Assistance to Communities

• The NHSC works with communities to recruit and
  retain primary care clinicians by
• Providing technical assistance to become an NHSC
  site.
• Identifying resources and strategies to flourish.
• Developing academic and community partnerships
  for student experiences and rotations in
  underserved areas.

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To Learn More

• For more information on NHSC and its
• programs
• Call the toll-free helpline at 1-800-221-9393
• Visit the Web site at http//nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov