There are a lot of moving parts to this, but the answer is yes, it’s possible.
Is it likely? It depends but generally should be considered a long shot.
- You’ll need to get accepted to US medical school. The acceptance rate for US college educated non US citizens is around 10%.
- You need to be able to pay in full for your US medical education. No financial aid available for non-citizens. Currently, you ‘ll need at least $250-400K upfront as a deposit at most medical schools. Could be higher in 4-6 years when you’ll be applying. Beside the tuition and fees ($250-400K), you will also need to be able to pay for your own living expenses, health insurance, books, test fees, transportation, etc.
- You’ll need to do well in medical school and apply to the NRMP Match. Most US residencies do not sponsor visas so your choice of specialties and locations will be limited.
- Assume that you’ll Match. Data for US educated non-citizens is sparse, but if apply carefully and interview well and aren’t picky about where you’ll Match, you have about a 85% chance to Match.
- You will start your residency on OPT or a J1 visa.
- After you’ve successfully completed 2 years of residency, you can petition to change your J1 to a H1B. The terms of the visa status switch will include a requirement to serve as a physician in a federally designated medically underserved region of the US for at least 5 years post residency. Service is typically done at FQHC and will be in a primary care field.
- If you successfully complete your term of service, you’ll qualify for permanent resident status in the US.