OPT Headache Specialist Jobs
Headache Specialist jobs on OPT require a medical degree and typically fall under neurology or pain medicine. Most roles are hospital-based or clinic-based positions with H-1B visa sponsorship available through academic medical centers. Your 12-month OPT window, or 36 months on STEM OPT extension, determines your hiring timeline.
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Join the Region’s Premier Neuroscience Program
Jefferson Health is seeking a Board-Certified Neurologist with fellowship training in Headache Medicine to join the nationally recognized headache program at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience.
As part of the renowned Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, this opportunity offers access to multidisciplinary collaboration, academic involvement, innovative clinical research, and one of the country’s leading headache centers. Jefferson’s Headache Center has been a national leader in headache medicine since 1982 and provides comprehensive care for complex migraine and headache disorders.
Job Description
Primary practice location at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience in Center City Philadelphia
- Join an established academic headache program with nationally recognized specialists
- Outpatient-focused practice with opportunity for inpatient headache management
- Access to advanced therapies, infusion services, procedures, and clinical trials
- Collaborate with neurology, neurosurgery, pain management, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and behavioral health teams
- Opportunity for teaching and academic appointment through Sidney Kimmel Medical College
- EPIC EMR integrated across Jefferson Health system
Ideal Candidate
- Board Certified in Neurology
- Fellowship training in Headache Medicine preferred
- Interest in clinical excellence, teaching, and multidisciplinary collaboration
- Commitment to patient-centered neurological care
Why Jefferson?
Jefferson Health is home to the only dedicated neuroscience hospital in the Philadelphia region and is nationally recognized for neurological and neurosurgical care. The Jefferson Headache Center is among a select group of academic headache centers nationwide, offering advanced treatment pathways and active clinical research opportunities.
Work Shift
Workday Day (United States of America)
Worker Sub Type
Regular
Employee Entity
Thomas Jefferson University
Primary Location Address
900 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region, Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospitals campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.
Jefferson is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, veteran status, handicap or disability or any other protected group or status.
Benefits
Jefferson offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues, including medical (including prescription), supplemental insurance, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, retirement plans, tuition assistance, as well as voluntary benefits, which provide colleagues with access to group rates on insurance and discounts. Colleagues have access to tuition discounts at Thomas Jefferson University after one year of full time service or two years of part time service. All colleagues, including those who work less than part-time (including per diem colleagues, adjunct faculty, and Jeff Temps), have access to medical (including prescription) insurance.
Job Details
Join the Region’s Premier Neuroscience Program
Jefferson Health is seeking a Board-Certified Neurologist with fellowship training in Headache Medicine to join the nationally recognized headache program at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience.
As part of the renowned Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, this opportunity offers access to multidisciplinary collaboration, academic involvement, innovative clinical research, and one of the country’s leading headache centers. Jefferson’s Headache Center has been a national leader in headache medicine since 1982 and provides comprehensive care for complex migraine and headache disorders.
Job Description
Primary practice location at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience in Center City Philadelphia
- Join an established academic headache program with nationally recognized specialists
- Outpatient-focused practice with opportunity for inpatient headache management
- Access to advanced therapies, infusion services, procedures, and clinical trials
- Collaborate with neurology, neurosurgery, pain management, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and behavioral health teams
- Opportunity for teaching and academic appointment through Sidney Kimmel Medical College
- EPIC EMR integrated across Jefferson Health system
Ideal Candidate
- Board Certified in Neurology
- Fellowship training in Headache Medicine preferred
- Interest in clinical excellence, teaching, and multidisciplinary collaboration
- Commitment to patient-centered neurological care
Why Jefferson?
Jefferson Health is home to the only dedicated neuroscience hospital in the Philadelphia region and is nationally recognized for neurological and neurosurgical care. The Jefferson Headache Center is among a select group of academic headache centers nationwide, offering advanced treatment pathways and active clinical research opportunities.
Work Shift
Workday Day (United States of America)
Worker Sub Type
Regular
Employee Entity
Thomas Jefferson University
Primary Location Address
900 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region, Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospitals campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.
Jefferson is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, veteran status, handicap or disability or any other protected group or status.
Benefits
Jefferson offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues, including medical (including prescription), supplemental insurance, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, retirement plans, tuition assistance, as well as voluntary benefits, which provide colleagues with access to group rates on insurance and discounts. Colleagues have access to tuition discounts at Thomas Jefferson University after one year of full time service or two years of part time service. All colleagues, including those who work less than part-time (including per diem colleagues, adjunct faculty, and Jeff Temps), have access to medical (including prescription) insurance.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Headache Specialist
Target academic medical centers first
Academic medical centers like Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Cleveland Clinic have established H-1B visa sponsorship pipelines for physicians. They hire headache specialists regularly and have in-house immigration counsel familiar with sponsoring international medical graduates on OPT.
Align your OPT start date with hiring cycles
Hospital neurology and headache clinic hiring cycles typically peak in late fall and early spring. Apply three to four months before your intended start date so your OPT authorization is active when the position begins and paperwork clears.
Confirm your role qualifies as a specialty occupation
Headache Specialist positions require a medical degree in neurology or a related specialty, satisfying USCIS specialty occupation criteria. Confirm the job description explicitly states degree requirements so your employer's H-1B petition is on solid ground from the start.
Ask about J-1 waiver pathways during interviews
Many international medical graduates on OPT previously held J-1 visas. If that applies to you, ask prospective employers about Conrad 30 waiver sponsorship, which satisfies the two-year home residency requirement and can run concurrently with H-1B sponsorship discussions.
Document your fellowship or residency as OPT-qualifying training
If your headache specialist role follows a fellowship, confirm with your Designated School Official that the position is directly related to your degree program. Misalignment between your OPT authorization category and the role can create complications during H-1B transition.
Prioritize employers with cap-exempt H-1B status
Hospitals affiliated with universities and nonprofit research institutions are often cap-exempt, meaning they can file H-1B petitions year-round without waiting for the annual lottery. This significantly reduces your risk of losing status after OPT expires.
Headache Specialist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Headache Specialist on OPT?
Yes, if your medical degree is directly related to the role. Headache Specialist positions in neurology or pain medicine qualify under OPT because they require the specialized degree you earned in the U.S. You must ensure your job is authorized under your OPT category and that your Employment Authorization Document is valid before your start date.
Do Headache Specialist employers typically sponsor H-1B visas?
Academic medical centers, hospital systems, and neurology group practices regularly sponsor H-1B visas for headache specialists. Sponsorship is most common at institutions with dedicated immigration support teams. To find employers actively hiring OPT candidates in this specialty, browse Migrate Mate, which filters for roles open to international candidates.
Does a Headache Specialist role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree. If your qualifying U.S. degree is in a STEM-designated field, such as biomedical science or a related clinical science program, you may qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you 36 months total. Pure clinical MD programs are typically not on the STEM OPT designated degree list, so confirm with your DSO.
What happens to my OPT status if I complete a fellowship before starting as a Headache Specialist?
Fellowship training can count toward your OPT period if it is authorized under your current OPT. The challenge is timing: OPT is tied to a specific degree, so if your fellowship follows a new degree program, you may be eligible for a fresh OPT authorization. Work with your DSO well in advance to map the transition without gaps in work authorization.
Is the Headache Specialist field competitive for OPT candidates compared to other medical specialties?
Headache medicine is a subspecialty with a relatively small pool of qualified candidates, which works in your favor. Demand at headache clinics and academic neurology departments often exceeds supply. That said, employers still need time to initiate H-1B sponsorship, so applying early in your OPT window and being transparent about your authorization timeline is essential.