Dr. Fadi Asfour, a Conrad State 30/J-1 visa waiver program waiver recipient has been helping Utah children with cystic fibrosis since 2012.
“I can think of many meaningful moments of my career as a physician in Utah,” says Dr. Asfour, pediatric cystic fibrosis center director and medical director of quality improvement at Primary Children’s Hospital. “One family has an annual tradition of taking a picture of their son with me, as I have taken care of him since he was born. I am so thankful for the privilege of taking care of the children, getting to know them and their families, and watching them grow and achieve their dreams without compromise.”
As the pediatric cystic fibrosis center director at Primary Children’s Hospital, Dr. Asfour is credited with leading the team to top national rankings and exceptional health outcomes for patients. As a medical director for quality improvement, he has helped other teams improve their outcomes to continue providing excellent care.
“Being a pediatric pulmonologist in Utah has given my career purpose and inspiration,” says Dr. Asfour. “Caring for children with cystic fibrosis and providing quality improvement in healthcare fuel my passion as a physician.”
Dr. Asfour was born in Jordan, and came to the US for medical training. He was the first J-1 visa waiver recipient to join the University of Utah’s Department of Pediatrics. Since then, Asfour’s department has benefited from many more J-1 physicians, improving access to quality pediatric care. He graduated from The University of Science & Technology in Jordan, and completed his pediatric residency at the University of Buffalo. Dr. Asfour then completed a pediatric pulmonology fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. The J-1 program allowed Dr. Asfour to remain in the United States, providing critical care to Utah children. He became an American citizen in 2021.
The Office of Primary Care and Rural Health administers Utah’s J-1 visa waiver program. A J-1 visa is a temporary visitor visa, allowing foreign medical graduates to participate in graduate medical education programs in the United States. After international medical graduates finish their residency or medical schooling, they are required to live in their country of origin for at least 2 years before returning to practice in the U.S. The J-1 visa program allows states to waive the 2-year requirement to return to their country of origin, in exchange for 3 years of service to underserved patients. Read more success stories like this one at https://ruralhealth.utah.gov/primary-care-office/cardiologist-employed-in-utah-thanks-to-j-1-visa-program/.