Applying to multiple Fellowship Specialties (SF Match)

[Smpco02]

After multiple searches, I have not been able to find the answer to my question. I am interested in applying to ocular oncology but given there are only a few programs available, I also wanted to apply to another specialty of interest as well. Has anyone applied to multiple specialties with SF Match and if so, is there any advice on how I can accomplish this? Thank you in advance.

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[JayZBlue]

Haven't done it myself, but I would assume the first step is to determine what other fellowship would be conductive to the types of tumors you are most interested in: intraocular (retina), ocular surface (cornea), or extraocular (plastics). Most people do oncology within those subspecialties after completing a fellowship with good onc exposure, rather than a sole onc fellowship.

 

[MstaKing10]

Ocular oncology fellowships rarely if ever fill. In fact, more often than not they go unmatched. If your fear is that you will not match, unless you have serious issues with your application, this should not be a major concern. If this is what you really want to do, I'm not sure I would apply broadly into multiple fellowships as they are all vastly different.

 

[JayZBlue]

Aren't there very few onc fellowships though? Which ones are there besides Wills, UCSF and Cole? Just curious.

Agree with MK that it doesn't really make sense to apply to fellowships of different parts of the eye.

 

[OphthoApp]

Wills, Cole, and UCSF oncology fellowships have matched without issue.

I wouldn't say they rarely fill.

 

[Smpco02]

I would like to thank everyone for the replies. What I was thinking was either doing an oncology with plastics or pediatric fellowship. My issue is that I have had trouble deciding what I want to do, I have considered multiple options and this is what it boiled down to recently. I have no issues with my application, probably your average applicant, good scores, great LOR. Through my research I found about 5-6 Ocular Oncology fellowships. I would like to do this first and decide where I want to branch from there. I'm assuming I can only submit one personal statement so if I applied to oncology + plastics (non-ASOPRS) or peds just in case, how should I proceed? I don't think oncology went unmatched through SF Match but I know some are some outside the match.

 

[Smpco02]

Am I the only one throwing around the prospect of applying to two different fellowships? Has no one else tried this before? SF Match opens in about a week

 

[OphthoApp]

One personal statement goes out for both. Your second choice subspecialty of fellowship is unlikely to rank you if they think you are picking the other specialty.