Medical Scholars: Five Point Statements
For those wishing to bring Exchange Visitors into medically related areas, the J-1 program provides opportunities of an academic nature such as studying, observing, teaching or research. Only incidental patient contact is permitted. If the J-1 visitor will have any patient contact, the State Department requires a letter describing the incidental nature of the patient contact. This letter will need to be attached to the EV’s J-1 application. This letter must be signed by the Dean of the medical school (or his or her designee).
Any medical student or foreign medical graduate pursuing a J-1 Research Scholar/Professor program in the United States that involves incidental patient contact must apply for their J-1 visa with the "Five-Point Statement" appended to their application materials.
The wording of the Five-Point Statement is prescribed by federal regulation at 22 CFR § 62.27(c) (iii), and is reviewed by consular officers at the time of visa application and by immigration inspectors at the port of entry to the United States.
If the foreign medical graduate will be involved in a clinical training program, you must contact the sponsoring department’s Training Program Liaison (TPL) or the Visa and Licensing Office’s Assistant Director to assist in submitting clinical J-1 visas for graduate medical education, which are issued by the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).