The J1 - Visa program allows foreign physicians to participate in US graduate medical education programs or training at US medical schools.

In order to qualify for clinical exchange programs, foreign national physicians must have adequate prior education and training for the program in which they are enrolling; they must be competent in speaking and writing English; they must have passed either Parts I and II of the National Board of Medical Examiners Examination, the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination, Step I and II, or the Visa Qualifying Examination (VQE) prepared by the National Board of Medical Examiners. They must also provide a statement of need from their home government that states that there is a need for persons with the skills the applicant wishes to acquire in their home country. Also necessary is an agreement or contract from the US medical school, affiliated hospital, or scientific institution at which the participant plans to study, signed by the physician and the official responsible for the training.  Moonlighting is not allowed.

The H - 1B visa is different from the J1 Student Visa.  This is for sub-specialty training positions for highly skilled physicians and is well documented in the paperwork filed with the United States Department of Labor.  The HOA is notified of your status and must sign an Acknowledgement before you are hired.  

You can’t get paid from another employer unless they filed a concurrent H - 1B petition on your behalf.  If they are willing to do so, there should be no issue with moonlighting, providing you or the employer submit that paperwork to GME as verification and approval.  

Contact the GME office for visa issues 734.615.2643.