Inside The Match · Program List Review

Your program list, checked for visa and fit

Prepared by NMN, Physician Consultant, former residency selection committee member

SAMPLE REPORT · The applicant is a composite. The programs and data are real, checked November 7, 2026.

Applicant snapshot

SpecialtyInternal Medicine

Visa neededJ-1 (H-1B preferred)

Graduated2024, non-US school

USMLEStep 2 CK 241, first attempts

Step 3Not taken

US clinical experience4 months (2 hands-on)

Programs applied19

PreferenceNortheast

The bottom line

2Strong fit

4Target

11Reach

2Remove or confirm

Visa is not your main problem. 17 of your 19 programs have a clear J-1 path. Two need action now: Kaiser Permanente Oakland (sources conflict, and it reports almost no IMGs) and Mercy St. Vincent in Toledo (Mercy changed its visa eligibility rules for all programs in February 2026).
Your list is upside down. 11 of 19 programs are reaches: academic programs where non-US IMGs are a small share of residents, or where that share is not published. Only 2 are strong fits. At a reach program you compete with the US graduates it usually trains. At a strong-fit program, the committee is already looking for someone like you.
The California programs pull against your file. UCSF, Cedars-Sinai and Kaiser Oakland are far from your Northeast experience and are among the hardest on the list for a non-US IMG.
19 programs is a short list for your profile. Below are 15 programs to add, each with a confirmed or well-supported J-1 path and a large share of IMG residents. Most are in your preferred region.

How to read the evidence

[P] Program or hospital site. The program's own words. Strongest.

[F] FREIDA. The AMA's program database, filled in by programs. Strong, sometimes out of date.

[D] Department of Labor. Certified H-1B filings for resident and fellow positions, Oct 2025 to Jun 2026. Proof the employer has filed recently.

[N] NRMP program directory. Contact details programs give the Match. Strong.

[T] Third-party directory. Useful, often outdated. Treated as a lead, never as confirmation.

Your 19 programs, one by one

Program	J-1	H-1B	Fit	Why this grade
Rochester General HospitalRochester, NY	Yes [T]	15 filings [D]	Strong	15 certified H-1B filings for residents this year. Your best H-1B chance among programs that fit your file.
Jersey Shore University Medical CenterNeptune, NJ	Yes [P]	Not found	Strong	IMGs about 61 to 70% of residents [T]. Graduation within 10 years [P]. Reported Step 2 minimum 220 [T].
UConnFarmington, CT	Yes, J-1 only [P]	No [P]	Target	IMGs about 56% of residents [T]. A better fit than its university label suggests.
Danbury HospitalDanbury, CT	Yes [T]	13 filings [D]	Target	Welcomes IMGs; prefers graduation within 5 years and US experience [T].
Bridgeport Hospital / YaleBridgeport, CT	Yes [P]	Yes [P]; 7 filings [D]	Target	IMGs about 95% [T], but a reported Step 2 minimum of 245 [T] sits above your 241. Worth keeping; do not count on it.
Albany Medical CenterAlbany, NY	Yes, J-1 only [P]	No [P]	Target	Clear J-1 policy on its own site. IMG share not published in the sources we found.
Yale New Haven Hospital (Traditional)New Haven, CT	Yes [P]	Yes [P]; 38 filings [D]	Reach	Visa-friendly, but IMGs about 16% of residents [T]. Keep as one of a few reaches.
Boston Medical CenterBoston, MA	Yes [P]	Unclear; 16 filings [D]	Reach	Its program FAQ (Brighton campus) says J-1 only. IMG share not published.
Beth Israel DeaconessBoston, MA	Via ECFMG [P]	Not confirmed; 42 filings [D]	Reach	IMG share reports conflict, 2% vs 22% [T]. Highly academic.
NYU GrossmanNew York, NY	Yes [F]	Likely no [F]; 0 filings [D]	Reach	IMG share not published in the sources we found. Highly academic; a signal here is better spent elsewhere.
Mount Sinai Hospital (Icahn)New York, NY	Yes [F]	Yes [F]; 11 filings [D]	Reach	IMGs about 3% of residents [T].
Columbia / NewYork-PresbyterianNew York, NY	Yes [F]	Likely no: an NYP page says it does not accept H-1 [P]	Reach	One of the most competitive internal medicine programs in the country.
Rhode Island Hospital / BrownProvidence, RI	Yes [F]	Yes [F]	Reach	IMGs about 8% [T]. Graduation limit reported as 3 to 5 years [T]; you are at the edge of the stricter one.
Penn State HersheyHershey, PA	Yes, J-1 only [P]	No [P]	Reach	Graduation within 5 years [T]. IMG share not published.
Temple University HospitalPhiladelphia, PA	Yes [F]	Yes [F]; 8 filings [D]	Reach	IMGs about 4% of residents [T].
UCSFSan Francisco, CA	J-1 process in place [P]	Not confirmed; 0 filings [D]	Reach	Far from your Northeast experience. IMG share not found.
Cedars-SinaiLos Angeles, CA	Yes [T]	Yes for residents [P]; 4 filings [D]	Reach	Visa-friendly on paper; competitive and far from your base.
Kaiser Permanente OaklandOakland, CA	Conflicting: No [F], Yes [T]	Conflicting; 0 filings [D]	Remove	IMG share reported as 0% [T]. Likely a wasted application.
Mercy St. Vincent Medical CenterToledo, OH	Was yes [F]	Was yes [F]	Confirm	Historically almost all IMGs [T], but Mercy posted visa eligibility changes for all its programs effective Feb 3, 2026 [P]. Email before you count on it.

15 programs to add

Each has a confirmed or well-supported J-1 path, a large share of IMG residents, and fits your region. Ordered by strength of fit.

Program	Visa	Why it fits your file
Bassett Medical CenterCooperstown, NY	J-1, H-1B [T]; 8 filings [D]	IMGs about 95% [T]. Reported Step 2 minimum 215 [T], well under your 241.
Guthrie Robert Packer HospitalSayre, PA	J-1, H-1B "in most cases" [P, institution-wide]	IMGs about 97% [T]. 36 positions [T].
Geisinger Wyoming ValleyWilkes-Barre, PA	J-1, H-1B [P]; 14 filings [D]	Program FAQ confirms both visas. H-1B needs Step 3 passed by Match Day [P].
Rochester Regional Health / Unity HospitalRochester, NY	J-1, H-1B [T]; 2 filings [D]	IMGs about 90% [T]. Same system as Rochester General, already your best fit.
St. Barnabas HospitalBronx, NY	J-1, H-1B [P]; 4 filings [D]	Both visas listed on the hospital's own site. Large class, 22 to 30 positions [T].
Lincoln Medical CenterBronx, NY	J-1 [T]	IMGs about 98% [T].
Richmond University Medical CenterStaten Island, NY	J-1 [T]	IMGs about 91% [T]. 31 first-year positions [T].
The Brooklyn Hospital CenterBrooklyn, NY	J-1, H-1B [T]; 2 filings [D]	Described as IMG-friendly with J-1 and H-1B support [T].
One Brooklyn Health / BrookdaleBrooklyn, NY	J-1, H-1B [F]	Listed in FREIDA with both J-1 and H-1B.
Yale-New Haven Hospital (Waterbury)Waterbury, CT	J-1 [T]	IMGs about 83% [T], with a Yale affiliation on your letterhead.
Jefferson Abington HospitalAbington, PA	J-1, H-1B [T]; 8 filings [D]	IMGs about 67% [T]. Jefferson confirms visa sponsorship in writing before the Match [P].
Jefferson Einstein PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA	J-1, H-1B [T]; 5 filings [D]	IMGs about 60% [T]. Large program.
Saint Peter's University HospitalNew Brunswick, NJ	J-1 [P]	Written hospital policy names J-1 as its preferred visa for trainees.
Monmouth Medical CenterLong Branch, NJ	J-1 only [P]	Graduation within 6 years [P]; you qualify. Reported Step 2 minimum 230 [T].
Berkshire Medical CenterPittsfield, MA	Conditional Step 3 required for visa applicants [P]	IMG-friendly, but add it only if you will pass Step 3 before ranking.

Who to contact

Program directors and coordinators for the programs to add, plus Mercy St. Vincent. Checked November 7, 2026. Coordinators change often, especially in July, so a bounce means the listing is stale: call the program office instead. [N] = NRMP program directory.

Program	Program director	Coordinator	Email
Bassett Medical Center	Russell Moore, MD [P]	Teri Musser	[email protected] [P]
Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital	Saurabh Sharma, MD [F]	Clint Wandell	[email protected] [N]
Geisinger Wyoming Valley	Wasique Mirza, MD [P, 2024]	Lindsey DeLazzari (administrator)	[email protected] [P]
Rochester Regional / Unity Hospital	Khalid Abdel Gadir, MD [P]	Tracy Scholze	[email protected] [P]
St. Barnabas Hospital	Victoria Bengualid, MD [P]	Name varies by source	[email protected] [P]
Lincoln Medical Center	Nehad Shabarek, MD [T]	Gisele Cordero	[email protected] [T]
Richmond University Medical Center	Jay M. Nfonoyim, MD [F]	Sarina Libonati	[email protected] [N]
The Brooklyn Hospital Center	Ahmar A. Butt, MD [P]	Beverly Noel	[email protected] [T]
One Brooklyn Health / Brookdale	Conrad Fischer, MD [F]	Cheryl Smith	[email protected] [T]
Yale-New Haven Hospital (Waterbury)	Danise Schiliro, MD [T]	Yvonne Jones-Mulholland	[email protected] [T]
Jefferson Abington Hospital	Rachel Ramirez [N]	Johnna Stieber	[email protected] [N]
Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia	Glenn Eiger, MD [N]	Program office	[email protected] [N]
Saint Peter's University Hospital	Haris Rana, MD [F]	Cheryl Nicastro	[email protected] (education office) [P]
Monmouth Medical Center	Doantrang Du [N]	John S. Casseus (administrator)	[email protected] [P]
Berkshire Medical Center	Steven Lamontagne, MD [P]	Jill Olasin-Ferriere	[email protected] [T]
Mercy St. Vincent (to confirm visa)	Srinivas Katragadda [N]	Rose Bryce	[email protected] [N]

What to do this week

Withdraw Kaiser Oakland and put that energy into the first five programs above.
Add the strongest fits first. Some programs keep reviewing into December, and earlier is always better.
Confirm visa policy in writing at Mercy St. Vincent and at any program marked [T]. Use the contacts above. One line to the coordinator is enough:
"I am an international graduate applying for July 2027 and will need J-1 sponsorship. Could you confirm the program accepts J-1 for categorical residents this cycle?"
If H-1B matters to you, consider Step 3. It opens H-1B at Geisinger and makes Berkshire possible at all.

This is a sample. The applicant is a composite; every program finding reflects public sources checked November 7, 2026, labeled by source. Visa policies and program requirements change. Confirm with each program before relying on any finding. Inside The Match | NMN Digital Consulting · insidethematch.nmndigitalconsulting.com

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