OPT Pediatric Surgeon Jobs
Pediatric surgeon roles require board eligibility or certification, a completed fellowship, and an employer willing to sponsor H-1B visa after OPT. STEM OPT extension doesn't apply here, so your 12-month OPT window drives the hiring timeline. Academic medical centers and children's hospitals are your most realistic sponsorship targets.
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Take on a vital role within one of the nation’s premier academic health systems. UCLA Health is seeking a dedicated Staff Pediatric Surgeon to join our team and provide expert surgical care for infants, children, and adolescents across a wide network of medical centers and community hospitals. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to UCLA Health’s mission of delivering high-quality, compassionate, and accessible pediatric surgical care.
At UCLA Health, you can:
- Provide call coverage for medical centers and community hospitals, ensuring timely access to pediatric surgical expertise across the greater Los Angeles region.
- Work 2-24 hour shifts, or as assigned by the Division, with flexibility to meet the urgent needs of our patients.
- Participate in the day and night call schedule and remain available, by pager as needed.
- Hold weekly clinics for consultations and follow-up appointments to provide continuity of care.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including pediatricians, anesthesiologists, and subspecialists, to ensure optimal outcomes for pediatric patients.
- Play an essential role in expanding pediatric surgical coverage throughout our community network.
The University of California, Los Angeles is required to provide an estimate of the salary range for this role. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions. Salary offers are determined based on candidate qualifications and experience. The base salary range for this position is $123,500–$302,600 annually, based on a full-time FTE. Actual compensation will be competitive, reflect fair market value, and be prorated according to hours worked each month in alignment with University payroll policies. Please note, this position is not benefits-eligible and is listed as a contract role.
Pay range: $123500 - $302600 a year
Qualifications
- M.D. or D.O. degree
- Board Certification or eligibility in Pediatric Surgery.
- Board Certified in Pediatrics
- A current, valid California medical license, without restrictions
- Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) license, without restrictions
- Commitment to excellence in clinical care, collaborative teamwork, and patient-centered service.
- Ability to provide high-quality surgical care in both academic and community hospital settings.
- An active member in good standing of the medical staffs of such hospitals
Description
Take on a vital role within one of the nation’s premier academic health systems. UCLA Health is seeking a dedicated Staff Pediatric Surgeon to join our team and provide expert surgical care for infants, children, and adolescents across a wide network of medical centers and community hospitals. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to UCLA Health’s mission of delivering high-quality, compassionate, and accessible pediatric surgical care.
At UCLA Health, you can:
- Provide call coverage for medical centers and community hospitals, ensuring timely access to pediatric surgical expertise across the greater Los Angeles region.
- Work 2-24 hour shifts, or as assigned by the Division, with flexibility to meet the urgent needs of our patients.
- Participate in the day and night call schedule and remain available, by pager as needed.
- Hold weekly clinics for consultations and follow-up appointments to provide continuity of care.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including pediatricians, anesthesiologists, and subspecialists, to ensure optimal outcomes for pediatric patients.
- Play an essential role in expanding pediatric surgical coverage throughout our community network.
The University of California, Los Angeles is required to provide an estimate of the salary range for this role. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions. Salary offers are determined based on candidate qualifications and experience. The base salary range for this position is $123,500–$302,600 annually, based on a full-time FTE. Actual compensation will be competitive, reflect fair market value, and be prorated according to hours worked each month in alignment with University payroll policies. Please note, this position is not benefits-eligible and is listed as a contract role.
Pay range: $123500 - $302600 a year
Qualifications
- M.D. or D.O. degree
- Board Certification or eligibility in Pediatric Surgery.
- Board Certified in Pediatrics
- A current, valid California medical license, without restrictions
- Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) license, without restrictions
- Commitment to excellence in clinical care, collaborative teamwork, and patient-centered service.
- Ability to provide high-quality surgical care in both academic and community hospital settings.
- An active member in good standing of the medical staffs of such hospitals
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Pediatric Surgeon
Verify your ECFMG certification before applying
ECFMG certification is a prerequisite for residency and fellowship licensure in the U.S. Confirm it's active and matches your legal name before submitting applications, since discrepancies delay credentialing and push back your OPT start date.
Target children's hospitals with GME programs
Academic children's hospitals that run graduate medical education programs file H-1B petitions routinely and have dedicated immigration teams. Prioritize institutions with active cap-exempt status, which lets them file H-1B petitions outside the annual lottery window.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before signing contracts
Your OPT EAD requires your employer to be E-Verify enrolled. Ask the hospital's HR department for their E-Verify company ID before you countersign any offer letter, not after, to avoid authorization gaps at your start date.
Time your fellowship match around OPT expiration
Pediatric surgery fellowships run 12 to 24 months. Map your fellowship end date against your OPT expiration early. If the gap is under 60 days, your employer needs to file an H-1B petition before your EAD expires or you lose work authorization.
Use Migrate Mate to track employer H-1B filing history
Not every hospital publishes its sponsorship track record upfront. Use Migrate Mate to identify which academic medical centers have consistent H-1B petition histories for physician roles before you invest time in an application.
Request a J-1 waiver review if your visa history requires it
If you completed residency or fellowship on a J-1 visa, the two-year home residency requirement blocks H-1B transition. DOL and USCIS both process Conrad 30 waivers for physicians in underserved areas, and some children's hospitals in those areas actively recruit waiver-eligible candidates.
Pediatric Surgeon OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a pediatric surgeon on OPT before my H-1B is approved?
Yes, if your OPT EAD is valid and your employer is E-Verify enrolled, you can work during the period your H-1B petition is pending. Your employer should file before your EAD expires to trigger cap-gap protection if needed. Academic medical centers with cap-exempt status can file outside the lottery cycle, which gives more flexibility on timing.
Does STEM OPT apply to pediatric surgery roles?
No. STEM OPT extension requires your degree to be on the STEM Designated Degree Program list, which covers science, technology, engineering, and math fields. Medical degrees, including those leading to surgical specialties, are not on that list. You have a standard 12-month OPT window, which means your employer needs to move quickly on H-1B filing.
Which employer types are most likely to sponsor H-1B for pediatric surgeons?
Academic medical centers, children's hospitals affiliated with universities, and nonprofit hospital systems are your strongest options. Many qualify as cap-exempt H-1B employers under INA Section 214(g)(5), meaning they can file petitions year-round without waiting for the annual lottery. You can browse employers with verified sponsorship history on Migrate Mate before applying.
What happens if my OPT expires before my fellowship program ends?
If your OPT EAD expires mid-fellowship, you lose authorization to work unless your employer has filed for a change of status or an H-1B petition is in process. Some J-1 visa physicians in this situation use their J-1 sponsoring institution to bridge the gap. Planning your OPT end date against your fellowship contract length at the offer stage prevents this problem.
How does the prevailing wage requirement affect pediatric surgeon hiring on OPT?
During OPT itself, there's no DOL prevailing wage requirement tied to your EAD. The prevailing wage requirement becomes relevant when your employer files the Labor Condition Application as part of your H-1B petition. You can look up the prevailing wage for your role and location using the OFLC Wage Search to understand what the employer will need to certify before filing.