H-1B Status for Physicians

Medical doctors who will be coming to work at MUSC in a clinical capacity must provide the following documents to be submitted with the H-1B petition (in addition to all of the standard required documents):

  • ECFMG Certificate
  • USMLE transcripts for steps 1, 2, and 3
  • South Carolina medical license, or evidence of application for South Carolina medical license

Applying for a South Carolina Medical License

The South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners issues medical licenses in the state of South Carolina. Refer to the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners website for more information on applying for a South Carolina medical license. Please contact your hiring MUSC department with any questions related to applying for a South Carolina medical license.

South Carolina law requires that every individual who applies for an occupational or professional license provide a Social Security number. If you are outside of the United States and you do not have a U.S. Social Security number (SSN), you will likely not be able to complete the application for a South Carolina medical license until you enter the U.S. and obtain an SSN. You must be physically present in the United States to apply for the SSN. However, for the purpose of the H-1B petition, we may need documentary evidence that you have fulfilled all of the criteria for the South Carolina medical license application, except the SSN, if your specific employment position requires you to have a South Carolina medical license.

Residencies & Fellowships

Each residency/fellowship program at MUSC decides which visa classifications they will permit. Not all residency/fellowship programs at MUSC will sponsor a foreign national in H-1B status. Some residency/fellowship programs will only allow sponsorship in the J-1 Alien Physician classification, which is sponsored through the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). You should contact your specific GME program coordinator to discuss your options and what visa statuses they are willing to sponsor.

Medical residents who will be participating in a post-graduate medical training program at MUSC will be granted H-1B status in one-year increments only. This is because, with each progressive post-graduate year level of residency, the position salary and job duties will change, thus necessitating the need for a new H-1B petition each year. Even if your residency program will be several years in length, we are still required to file a new H-1B petition each year.

Please be aware that moonlighting is not permitted in H-1B status.