OPT Internal Medicine Physician Jobs
Internal Medicine Physician jobs on OPT are available, but they require active medical licensure, J-1 visa or H-1B visa sponsorship history from the employer, and ECFMG certification for international medical graduates. Your 12-month OPT window is short relative to physician credentialing timelines, making early employer engagement essential.
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Outpatient Primary Care
CHRISTUS St. Vincent | Santa Fe, New Mexico
CHRISTUS St. Vincent is seeking a Board-Certified/Board-Eligible Family Medicine or Internal Medicine Physician to join our growing Adult and Family Care practice in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is an excellent opportunity to practice comprehensive primary care in a collaborative, patient-centered environment while enjoying an exceptional quality of life in one of the Southwest’s most desirable communities.
As a member of our primary care team, you will provide high-quality preventive, acute, and chronic disease management services to patients across the lifespan while building meaningful relationships with individuals and families throughout the community.
Opportunity Highlights
- 100% outpatient practice
- Monday–Friday, Four 10-hour workdays per week
- Manageable patient volumes that support quality patient care
- Limited call rotation with telephone call only and nurse triage support
- Established patient base and strong referral network
- Epic health record
- Collaborative team environment with experienced clinical and administrative support
- Competitive compensation package
Benefits Highlights
- Competitive compensation package
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance effective on day one of employment
- Retirement savings plan with employer contributions
- Time away from practice and CME support
- Opportunities to participate in New Mexico state and federal student loan repayment and forgiveness programs for eligible providers
- Relocation and sign-on incentives available for qualified candidates
Qualifications
- MD or DO
- Board Certified or Board Eligible in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine
- Active New Mexico medical license or ability to obtain
- Commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care
- New graduates and experienced physicians are encouraged to apply
Why CHRISTUS St. Vincent?
CHRISTUS St. Vincent offers physicians the opportunity to build a rewarding career within a mission-driven organization known for clinical excellence, compassionate care, and a culture of support and collaboration.
Join a health system that has been recognized as one of New Mexico's Best Places to Work and designated a Family Friendly Business for nine consecutive years.
About CHRISTUS St. Vincent
CHRISTUS St. Vincent is a not-for-profit, integrated health system located in the beautiful mountain community of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Our 200-bed hospital serves as a Level III Trauma Center, providing compassionate, high-quality care to more than 300,000 residents throughout northern New Mexico.
With more than 2,500 associates and providers, CHRISTUS St. Vincent delivers care through its hospital and extensive network of outpatient clinics, offering 39 major medical services and specialty care lines.
As a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, CHRISTUS St. Vincent is part of a select group of independent health systems with access to Mayo Clinic expertise and resources. This collaboration allows our physicians to combine deep community knowledge with world-class clinical insights, ensuring patients receive the right care close to home.
At CHRISTUS St. Vincent, we are a compassionate family of healthcare professionals dedicated to making a meaningful and lasting impact on the health and well-being of our communities.
Live and Work in Santa Fe
Enjoy an outstanding quality of life with more than 300 days of sunshine each year, short commute times, and a vibrant cultural scene unlike anywhere else in the country.
Santa Fe offers:
- World-renowned arts, cuisine, and music
- More than 300 miles of hiking and biking trails
- Easy access to mountains, lakes, rivers, and wilderness areas
- Five nearby ski areas
- Year-round outdoor recreation
- A rich history and welcoming community atmosphere
Whether you're looking for professional fulfillment, outdoor adventure, or an exceptional place to raise a family, Santa Fe offers the perfect balance.
Interested to Learn More?
Heather Rising
heather.rising@christushealth.org
Join CHRISTUS St. Vincent and become part of a team dedicated to delivering exceptional primary care and improving the health of our community.
Description
Outpatient Primary Care
CHRISTUS St. Vincent | Santa Fe, New Mexico
CHRISTUS St. Vincent is seeking a Board-Certified/Board-Eligible Family Medicine or Internal Medicine Physician to join our growing Adult and Family Care practice in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is an excellent opportunity to practice comprehensive primary care in a collaborative, patient-centered environment while enjoying an exceptional quality of life in one of the Southwest’s most desirable communities.
As a member of our primary care team, you will provide high-quality preventive, acute, and chronic disease management services to patients across the lifespan while building meaningful relationships with individuals and families throughout the community.
Opportunity Highlights
- 100% outpatient practice
- Monday–Friday, Four 10-hour workdays per week
- Manageable patient volumes that support quality patient care
- Limited call rotation with telephone call only and nurse triage support
- Established patient base and strong referral network
- Epic health record
- Collaborative team environment with experienced clinical and administrative support
- Competitive compensation package
Benefits Highlights
- Competitive compensation package
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance effective on day one of employment
- Retirement savings plan with employer contributions
- Time away from practice and CME support
- Opportunities to participate in New Mexico state and federal student loan repayment and forgiveness programs for eligible providers
- Relocation and sign-on incentives available for qualified candidates
Qualifications
- MD or DO
- Board Certified or Board Eligible in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine
- Active New Mexico medical license or ability to obtain
- Commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care
- New graduates and experienced physicians are encouraged to apply
Why CHRISTUS St. Vincent?
CHRISTUS St. Vincent offers physicians the opportunity to build a rewarding career within a mission-driven organization known for clinical excellence, compassionate care, and a culture of support and collaboration.
Join a health system that has been recognized as one of New Mexico's Best Places to Work and designated a Family Friendly Business for nine consecutive years.
About CHRISTUS St. Vincent
CHRISTUS St. Vincent is a not-for-profit, integrated health system located in the beautiful mountain community of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Our 200-bed hospital serves as a Level III Trauma Center, providing compassionate, high-quality care to more than 300,000 residents throughout northern New Mexico.
With more than 2,500 associates and providers, CHRISTUS St. Vincent delivers care through its hospital and extensive network of outpatient clinics, offering 39 major medical services and specialty care lines.
As a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, CHRISTUS St. Vincent is part of a select group of independent health systems with access to Mayo Clinic expertise and resources. This collaboration allows our physicians to combine deep community knowledge with world-class clinical insights, ensuring patients receive the right care close to home.
At CHRISTUS St. Vincent, we are a compassionate family of healthcare professionals dedicated to making a meaningful and lasting impact on the health and well-being of our communities.
Live and Work in Santa Fe
Enjoy an outstanding quality of life with more than 300 days of sunshine each year, short commute times, and a vibrant cultural scene unlike anywhere else in the country.
Santa Fe offers:
- World-renowned arts, cuisine, and music
- More than 300 miles of hiking and biking trails
- Easy access to mountains, lakes, rivers, and wilderness areas
- Five nearby ski areas
- Year-round outdoor recreation
- A rich history and welcoming community atmosphere
Whether you're looking for professional fulfillment, outdoor adventure, or an exceptional place to raise a family, Santa Fe offers the perfect balance.
Interested to Learn More?
Heather Rising
heather.rising@christushealth.org
Join CHRISTUS St. Vincent and become part of a team dedicated to delivering exceptional primary care and improving the health of our community.
See all 345+ OPT Internal Medicine Physician Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Internal Medicine Physician Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as an Internal Medicine Physician
Target teaching hospitals and academic medical centers
Academic medical centers and university-affiliated teaching hospitals have established immigration infrastructure and routinely sponsor physicians. They're far more likely to have legal counsel experienced with OPT-to-H-1B visa transitions than private practices or smaller community hospitals.
Confirm your OPT end date before applying
Physician credentialing alone can take 60 to 90 days. Add licensing and privileging timelines, and your OPT window may expire before your start date. Know exactly when your authorization ends and communicate that proactively with prospective employers.
Get your state medical license in process immediately
Most states take three to six months to issue a medical license. You cannot legally practice without one, and employers won't extend offers without it. Start the application before you begin job searching, not after you receive an offer.
Frame H-1B sponsorship as a standard physician hiring conversation
Large health systems sponsor physicians routinely. Lead with your qualifications and specialty fit, then address sponsorship. Employers who regularly hire J-1 visa physicians after their waiver period are already comfortable with immigration logistics for internists.
Prioritize STEM OPT extension eligibility if your program qualifies
If your graduate medical or biomedical science degree is STEM-designated, you may qualify for a 24-month STEM OPT extension. This gives you significantly more runway for the H-1B lottery cycle, which matters enormously in physician hiring.
Engage an immigration attorney before accepting any offer
Physician OPT transitions involve credentialing, licensure, and visa timing converging simultaneously. An immigration attorney can identify whether your employer qualifies as a cap-exempt H-1B filer, which would let you bypass the lottery entirely.
Internal Medicine Physician OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as an Internal Medicine Physician on OPT without an H-1B?
Yes, OPT authorizes you to work as an Internal Medicine Physician for a qualifying employer during your authorization period. However, OPT is temporary. Most physicians use it as a bridge while their employer files an H-1B or, if the hospital qualifies as a nonprofit or government research entity, a cap-exempt H-1B petition that bypasses the lottery entirely.
Do hospitals typically sponsor OPT physicians for H-1B visas?
Academic medical centers, large health systems, and VA hospitals sponsor physicians regularly. Many qualify as cap-exempt H-1B employers, meaning they can file outside the annual lottery. Smaller private practices rarely have the infrastructure to manage sponsorship. Targeting systems with established immigration departments significantly improves your chances of a smooth OPT-to-H-1B transition. Browse employers on Migrate Mate to identify health systems actively hiring OPT candidates.
Does ECFMG certification affect my OPT eligibility as a physician?
ECFMG certification is a medical licensure requirement for international medical graduates, not an OPT eligibility requirement. OPT is granted based on your student visa and program completion, not your clinical credentials. That said, you cannot practice medicine without ECFMG certification and a state medical license regardless of your work authorization status, so both tracks must run simultaneously.
How does the 12-month OPT window interact with physician credentialing timelines?
It's tight. Hospital credentialing typically takes 60 to 90 days, state medical licensing takes three to six months, and DEA registration adds additional time. If you wait until graduation to begin these processes, your OPT window may expire before you can legally start. Begin licensing applications during your final residency or fellowship year and communicate your timeline clearly with any prospective employer.
What happens if my OPT expires before I complete credentialing at a new hospital?
If your OPT expires before you begin employment, you lose work authorization and cannot legally practice. You'd need either a timely H-1B approval with a start date before OPT expiration or a cap-exempt petition filed by your employer. This is why early employer engagement and an immigration attorney review of your timeline are critical, not optional, steps in the physician job search process.