EB-1A Case Study: A Mexican Internal Medicine Physician Recognized for Advancing Care Where It Is Needed Most, No RFE Mexico Internal Medicine ProfessionalThe United States faces a growing shortage of physicians, with the deficit projected to reach up to 86,000 doctors by 2036, placing increasing strain on frontline specialties like internal medicine, particularly in underserved communities. Under the guidance of Colombo & Hurd Senior Immigration Attorney Nicolas Vargas, our client, an internal medicine physician from Mexico, secured an EB-1A Extraordinary Ability approval in 15 days through premium processing. Approval of the EB-1A petition confirmed the client’s extraordinary ability and important contributions to clinical care, medical education, and health system improvement. CHECK YOUR EB-1A ELIGIBILITY Client Profile Physician Profile: Clinical Care, Medical Education, and Public Health Leadership EB-1A VisaOur client is a Mexico-trained internal medicine physician with more than 25 years of experience, combining long-term frontline patient care with academic medicine, public health education, and healthcare leadership across both Mexico and the United States. Her professional trajectory later expanded into academic leadership, where she spent more than a decade as a university professor and program coordinator, educating and mentoring over 2,500 medical students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she developed an innovative outpatient treatment model associated with mortality rates significantly below regional averages, which was subsequently adopted by other physicians. She also designed a post-COVID rehabilitation framework that influenced institutional care models. These efforts demonstrate her ability to generate original, high-impact solutions under crisis conditions. Since transitioning her practice to the United States, she has worked in a medically underserved region, providing tens of thousands of patient consultations and achieving measurable improvements in treatment adherence and clinical outcomes. Her work has received national media coverage and includes ongoing contributions to medical education, clinical research, and community-based public health initiatives addressing chronic disease, nutrition, and mental health. The Challenge Demonstrating Extraordinary Ability Beyond Citation Metrics The case presented a strategic evidentiary challenge of addressing the frequent overemphasis on citation metrics in evaluating extraordinary ability in the medical field. As Attorney Vargas explained “This case was about showing that extraordinary ability can and should be demonstratedthrough impact, leadership, and original contributions, not just numbers.” The challenge, therefore, was not a lack of qualifying evidence, but how to distill a decades-long career into a legal narrative that clearly demonstrated the client’s position at the very top of her field. Strategic Response EB-1A Strategy Built on Impact, Not Volume To address the evidentiary challenge, our legal team focused on the five strongest EB-1A criteria, presenting a tightly structured record that highlighted the client’s original contributions of major significance, leadership roles, peer recognition, and sustained national and international acclaim. As Attorney Vargas noted “We made a strategic decision to focus on the strongest evidence. The client may have met more criteria, but concentrating on the most compelling ones allowed us to tell a clear, persuasive story about who she is and why her work matters.” This approach emphasized impact over volume and demonstrated that the client belongs to the small percentage of physicians who have risen to the top of their field. See If you QualifyGet your free EB-1A visa profile evaluation today. EVALUATE MY PROFILE The Result EB-1A Approval Secured in 15 Days through Premium Processing Our client’s EB-1A petition was approved in 15 days through premium processing, without a Request for Evidence (RFE). Our client is now positioned to continue expanding her work in the United States, strengthening healthcare systems, advancing medical education, and addressing critical gaps in care for underserved communities. The outcome reflects our legal team’s focused evidentiary strategy in a case involving clinical medicine, academic contributions, and cross-border public health leadership. Why this Case Succeeded Aligning Extraordinary Ability with U.S. National Healthcare Priorities The petition met five evidentiary criteria and placed the client’s work within areas of recognized importance to the U.S. healthcare system: expanding access to care in underserved communities, strengthening chronic disease management and public health education, advancing medical training, and supporting clinical research that improves outcomes. Instead of relying on any single metric, our legal team foregrounded original contributions of major significance, peer validation and judging roles, major media recognition, and sustained leadership, all presented with clarity and restraint. As Attorney Vargas put it, “We made the strategic decision to focus on the five strongest criteria, and I think that served us well as far as getting the approval.” What this Approval Enables Unlocking Long-Term Public Health, Education, and Community Impact in the United States With EB-1A approval, our client can continue building long-term impact in the United States through clinical care, medical education, research, and community health initiatives that directly support stronger public health outcomes. She can expand access to internal medicine services in medically underserved communities, address gaps in chronic disease care, and grow health education, culturally responsive training, and clinically informed research. Over time, this stability supports sustained investment in community-based programs focused on nutrition, obesity prevention, and mental health. Case Overview Category Details Visa Classification EB-1A Extraordinary Ability Nationality Mexico Professional Field Internal Medicine and Public Health Education Advanced medical training with board certification and postgraduate specialization Request for Evidence (RFE) No Final Outcome I-140 Approved Timeline 15 days (Premium Processing) Lead Attorneys Nicolas Vargas Attorney Perspective Nicolas VargasSenior AttorneyRead More “What really helped this case was taking the time to truly understand who the client is and what she has accomplished over the course of her career. She had done remarkable work in Mexico, and once she came to the United States, she continued to strengthen an already extraordinary profile. Developing an innovative outpatient treatment model and then expanding that level of care to thousands of patients in the U.S. speaks to the real-world impact of her contributions.” This case was handled by Attorney Nicolas Vargas of Colombo & Hurd, a U.S. immigration law firm focused on extraordinary ability and national interest cases. The firm has secured over 10,000 successful visa and green card approvals for clients from more than 100 countries, including 2,500+ EB-2 NIW and EB-1A approvals since 2023.