J-1 Visa Pediatric Surgeon Jobs
Pediatric surgeons pursuing U.S. clinical training or exchange programs typically qualify under the J-1 visa Physician category, administered by ECFMG as the designated sponsor. Finding a host institution that will coordinate ECFMG sponsorship is the defining challenge. This page surfaces U.S. positions with J-1 sponsorship potential for pediatric surgical professionals.
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The Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Psychology and Developmental Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and Children’s Wisconsin (CW), seeks a one-year Instructor (Postdoctoral Fellowship) position, with a focus on Child Development. We are comprised of a nationally and internationally renowned, dedicated group of faculty and staff with a strong commitment to clinical care.
Position Highlights:
It is expected that Instructors at MCW, with the assistance of their supervisor, will:
- Transition to career independence through the development of professional skills that enable the postdoc to actively pursue a career of his/her own choosing.
- Be supervised by at least one faculty member who actively promotes the postdoc's professional development.
- Establish an individual development plan (IDP) that incorporates the postdoc's career and training goals.
- Participate in a scholarly project during their appointment.
- Attend a weekly professional development seminar.
- As postdocs are important members of the MCW community, appropriate levels of compensation, health care, and other benefits commensurate with their essential status will be afforded, independent of the postdoc's source of funding.
Primary Functions
- Under supervision, provide consultation, assessment and intervention with children and families.
- Function as a member of a multidisciplinary health team, attend meetings, collaborate with other members and staff.
- Complete a scholarly project in line with the fellow’s career goals.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Schedule:
- Full-time, 1.0, position
- Salaried (Exempt)
- Location: Children's Wisconsin, Milwaukee Campus
Department/Division Highlights:
The Instructor will provide clinical services for child development patients and their families as part of our Autism Team, including psychological assessment and psychotherapy. Clinical activities will include conducting diagnostic evaluations and providing psychotherapy (with possibilities for individual and group) for children and affected families as well as consultation and liaison services to schools and other community agencies. The fellow will also have opportunities to work collaboratively with medical providers, speech and language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and/or dieticians.
Opportunities for umbrella supervision of psychology trainees are also available. In addition to clinical care, fellows will also have one day each week dedicated to professional development didactics, scholarly project activities, and administrative time. Clinical activities (i.e., assessment vs intervention) may vary depending on the fellow’s interests, but a typical week may include 3-4 autism-focused assessments, 2-3 individual therapy clients and/or facilitation of social skills groups, two hours of supervision, 1-2 hours of didactic training, time for patient care follow-up, and time for report/note writing.
Qualifications
- Minimum Required Education: PhD or PsyD
- Minimum Required Experience: Completion of an internship
- Preferred Education: Applicants should have a PhD or PsyD from an APA-approved program in clinical or counseling psychology.
- Preferred Experience: Internship should be APA-approved with emphasis on child clinical or pediatric psychology, and experience working with pediatric populations.
Why MCW?
- MCW offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
- Protected Academic time.
- Access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources.
- Supportive and collaborative work environment.
- A competitive 403(b) retirement plan with an 8% employer contribution.
- Generous CME allowance to cover societal dues, travel, and conferences.
- As a qualifying non-profit, employment with the Medical College of Wisconsin may make you eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
- Robust benefits package, including health, dental, life insurance, disability coverage, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement program, generous paid time off, and more!
Children’s Wisconsin and Children’s Specialty Group
Children’s Wisconsin is an independent health care system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. The hospital, with locations in Milwaukee and Northeast Wisconsin, is recognized as one of the leading pediatric health care centers in the United States. Children’s Wisconsin provides primary care, urgent care, emergency care, specialty care, mental and behavioral health services, community health services, foster and adoption services, child advocacy services and health insurance plans. Each year, the Children’s Wisconsin team has more than 6.5 million touchpoints with kids and families through medical care, advocacy, research and education. In Northeast Wisconsin, Children’s Wisconsin is expanding its services to provide increased access to outstanding pediatric subspecialty care. This includes a pediatric hospital, with a Pediatric Unit, Level III NICU and Infusion Center, which is located at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah, WI. A multispecialty pediatric ambulatory clinic with on-site laboratory and radiology services opened in Appleton, Wis. in 2023.
Children’s and its joint venture with the Medical College of Wisconsin – the Children’s Specialty Group (CSG) – are the largest providers of pediatric healthcare in the state, serving the children and families of Wisconsin with the highest level of care through their American College of Surgeons Level I Children’s Surgery Verification Center, Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence, 72-bed Level IV NICU, Level IV Epilepsy Center, and a 72-bed PICU. In 2021-2022, CW and CSG had six specialties ranked by US News & World Report: cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; gastroenterology and GI surgery; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; and pulmonology. With over 70 specialties and 675 providers, CSG providers had 220,000 outpatient visits at 13 regional care sites, 67,000 emergency department/trauma center visits, and over 9,000 admissions.
Procedure for Candidacy
To submit your application, please click on “Apply Now.” You will create a candidate profile, and you will be prompted to upload your CV and your cover letter, describing your interest and qualifications. References will be required at an appropriate time in the process. All interactions will remain confidential, and no inquiries will be made without the consent of the applicant. Application review will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
For inquiries or to learn more, please contact:
Angie Lahr, Business Manager Senior
alahr@mcw.edu
Medical College of Wisconsin
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is the state’s only private medical school and health sciences graduate school. MCW consists of a School of Medicine with campuses in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Central Wisconsin, a School of Graduate Studies, and a School of Pharmacy. MCW is a major national research center ranking in the top third of U.S. medical schools in NIH funding and is the second largest research institution in Wisconsin. Academic medicine is at the core of everything we do at MCW, bringing together scientists, clinicians, students and community members to solve the most complex challenges in health and society. MCW is a diverse group of thought leaders collaborating to pioneer pathways to a healthier world. Every study we conduct and every patient we see leads to new learning and a continuous cycle of life-changing knowledge and innovation.
Approximately 1,780 MCW physicians and approximately 905 advanced practice providers care for more than 484,000 patients of all ages annually at Froedtert Hospital, Zablocki VA Medical Center, Children’s Wisconsin, and many other hospitals and clinics throughout eastern Wisconsin, representing more than 5.1 million patient visits annually.
The beautiful, safe and modern campus of the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC) houses Froedtert Hospital, Children’s Wisconsin, Curative Care Network, Versiti Blood Research Institute and the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division. These member entities share a common mission of excellence in patient care, medical education, biomedical research and community service.
Commitment to MCW Values
All of our endeavors at MCW, from our internal operations to our interactions with our partners, are driven by our shared organizational values: acting in Caring ways – engaging in Collaborative efforts – approaching our world with Curiosity – advancing Inclusive practices – demonstrating Integrity in all we do – treating everyone with Respect. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that values diversity in backgrounds, experiences and perspectives through merit-based processes, and in alignment with all applicable laws. We believe that embracing human differences is critical to realize our vision of a healthier world, and we recognize that a healthy and thriving community starts from within. Our values define who we are, what we stand for and how we conduct ourselves at MCW. If you believe in embracing individuality and working together according to these principles to improve health for all, then MCW is the place for you.
Milwaukee, the largest city in Wisconsin, is located on Lake Michigan’s western shore. A metropolitan area with more than 1.6 million people, Milwaukee is an affordable, comfortable place to live, work, and play, big enough to be exciting and uncongested enough to get around easily. Milwaukee’s many neighborhoods have incredible charm, accommodating a variety of lifestyles, from high-rise apartments to small farms. Nestled along a magnificent bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, Milwaukee’s downtown is home to botanical gardens, lakefront museums, a theater district, the world champion Milwaukee Bucks, the Milwaukee Brewers, bustling nightlife, and award-winning restaurants. The lake and its harbors are skirted by scenic parklands and provide first-class opportunities for recreation, including hiking, cycling, boating, and more. A recent study ranked Milwaukee as the 15th most walkable of the 50 largest US cities. Milwaukee has all the advantages of a large, vibrant city but without the stress or cost.
MCW as an Equal Opportunity Employer and Commitment to Non-Discrimination
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic, or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the MCW community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship in Pediatric Surgeon
Verify your ECFMG certification status early
ECFMG issues the DS-2019 for J-1 Physician exchange visitors and requires ECFMG certification before sponsorship. Confirm your certification is current and your medical degree is from an ECFMG-recognized institution before approaching any host program.
Target ACGME-accredited pediatric surgery fellowships
Most J-1 Physician placements for pediatric surgeons sit inside ACGME-accredited fellowship programs at children's hospitals or academic medical centers. These host institutions already have established ECFMG coordination workflows, making the sponsorship process significantly more straightforward.
Use Migrate Mate to find host institutions
Identifying U.S. children's hospitals and academic medical centers actively hosting J-1 physicians is the hardest part of this search. Migrate Mate filters roles by J-1 compatibility so you can focus your outreach on programs already set up to host exchange visitors.
Prepare for the two-year home residency requirement
Most J-1 Physician exchange visitors are subject to the two-year home-country residency requirement after program completion. Before accepting an offer, confirm whether your country of origin and funding source trigger this requirement, and whether a waiver pathway is realistic for your situation.
Align your training plan with a defined clinical objective
ECFMG requires a detailed training program description tied to a specific clinical or research objective. Work with your prospective host program coordinator to draft this before your DS-2019 application, as vague or broad objectives are a common reason for delays.
Confirm host institution liability and visa support capacity
Not every children's hospital that wants to hire you has a department experienced in ECFMG coordination. Before advancing through an offer, ask the program coordinator directly how many J-1 Physician exchange visitors they have hosted and who manages their ECFMG correspondence.
Pediatric Surgeon J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category applies to pediatric surgeons?
Pediatric surgeons pursuing clinical training in the U.S. fall under the J-1 Physician category, not Trainee or Research Scholar. ECFMG is the sole U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor for this category. The host institution, typically a children's hospital or academic medical center, coordinates with ECFMG but does not itself issue the DS-2019 or act as the formal sponsor.
Can a pediatric surgery fellowship program sponsor my J-1 directly?
No. Fellowship programs are host institutions, not designated sponsors. Only ECFMG can issue the DS-2019 for J-1 Physician exchange visitors. The fellowship program submits documentation to ECFMG on your behalf, but the legal sponsoring organization is always ECFMG. Conflating the host program with the sponsor is one of the most common misunderstandings in this process.
How do I find U.S. children's hospitals open to J-1 Physician hosting?
Most children's hospitals with active pediatric surgery fellowship programs have prior ECFMG coordination experience, but not all actively recruit international exchange visitors. Migrate Mate is built to surface U.S. employer roles that align with J-1 sponsorship, letting you identify host institutions already set up to support the ECFMG process rather than approaching programs cold.
Does the two-year home residency requirement affect pediatric surgeons on J-1?
It likely does. J-1 Physician exchange visitors are almost always subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement under INA Section 212(e), particularly if your training is government-funded or you come from a country on the State Department's Exchange Visitor Skills List. You'll need to return home for two years or obtain a waiver before changing to H-1B visa or applying for a green card.
What documents does ECFMG require before issuing a DS-2019 for a pediatric surgeon?
ECFMG requires a signed contract with the host institution, a detailed training program description with specific clinical objectives, proof of ECFMG certification, evidence of adequate health insurance, and English language proficiency documentation if applicable. The host program coordinator typically assembles these materials. Missing or vague training program descriptions are the most frequent cause of DS-2019 processing delays for surgical specialties.