Hi everyone,
I’d really appreciate some guidance on my situation.
I completed my BDS in India in 2019 and moved to the US in 2023 to pursue a Master’s in Health Informatics. I’m currently working in a state government role that does not offer H-1B sponsorship, and my STEM OPT is valid until February 2028.
Given the current job market, I’m finding it quite challenging to secure roles that provide visa sponsorship, which has made me rethink my long-term plan.
At this point, I’m trying to decide whether I should continue focusing on job applications in health informatics/data roles and hope to eventually find sponsorship, or start preparing for the CAAPID pathway and apply for advanced standing dental programs in the US.
For additional context, I have an F-2 dependent who is also applying to pursue dental school. I’m trying to carefully consider timelines, visa stability, and the overall return on investment for both paths.
I’d really appreciate advice on whether it would be smarter to start preparing for CAAPID now given my OPT timeline, how realistic it is to secure a sponsored role in informatics within the next 1–2 years, and if anyone here has transitioned from a non-clinical role back into dentistry. Also, is it feasible to balance both job applications and CAAPID preparation at the same time?
Thanks in advance for any insights!