How much does it hurt to not have a home residency program?

[MedScholar18]

Is it much harder to get into a competitive speciality like Ophthalmology without a home residency program in that field?

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[WedgeDawg]

Moving to pre-allo

 

[Nymphicus]

It hurts in multiple ways.

First off, how would you know you would even be interested in XYZ specialty without any/minimal exposure?

You would need to do aways, both to gain experience/show interest and to get letters of recommendation.

Also it will likely be more difficult getting in on XYZ research as it will be likely be limited at the home institution.

 

[Ismet]

This question gets asked all the time, lots of info in past threads.

https://forums.studentdoctor.net/th...-schools-home-residency-into-account.1188991/

https://forums.studentdoctor.net/th...rations-when-choosing-medical-school.1171117/

https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/path-to-becoming-a-neurosurgeon.1170759/

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

One piece of helpful advice that I got with a similar question was to email the school and see if they can put you in touch with 4th years who just matched as well as recent alumni who may have matched into the specialty in question. These recent grads will probably be pretty honest with you on their experiences and how the school may have hindered that process.

FWIW, the school I'm probably attending does not have residencies in some of those more competitive areas, but they still match students into them pretty consistently each year.

 

[airplanes]

Ophthalmology is a bit different than other fields, you will want exposure, research and strong letters. It's not impossible to match without a home Ophtho program, but it is exceedingly difficult and would require a lot of personal initiative. If you are strongly considering a career in Ophthalmology and you have a choice, with all other things being equal, I would strongly lean towards the schools(s) with Ophtho departments.

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

Ophthalmology is a bit different than other fields

Obviously ophtho is competitive, but out of curiosity, what makes it different and/or more necessary to have a home program?

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

I know they have their own match system...Could that have something to do with it?

 

[Mansamusa]

It hurts in multiple ways.

First off, how would you know you would even be interested in XYZ specialty without any/minimal exposure?

You would need to do aways, both to gain experience/show interest and to get letters of recommendation.

Also it will likely be more difficult getting in on XYZ research as it will be likely be limited at the home institution.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but why wouldn't you get exposure to it?

One school I'm considering doesn't have any surgical residencies besides ortho and gen surg, but they match people outside those fields every year. They have departments in other surgical fields and some research going on in those fields. Can't you just email the chief of the ophtha (how do shorten ophthalmology?) and ask to observe some surgeries and get exposure and letters that way? I understand the letter may not be as powerful as one from a bigshot, but still

 

[Nymphicus]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but why wouldn't you get exposure to it?

One school I'm considering doesn't have any surgical residencies besides ortho and gen surg, but they match people outside those fields every year. They have departments in other surgical fields and some research going on in those fields. Can't you just email the chief of the ophtha (how do shorten ophthalmology?) and ask to observe some surgeries and get exposure and letters that way? I understand the letter may not be as powerful as one from a bigshot, but still

Well it's a generalization, but if they don't have a residency program, the department is likely smaller and less academic. Which would likely mean less research. They would also be less likely to consistently offer medical student rotations.

There is actually a pretty big difference between observing some surgeries and hanging around and being part of a structured academic team on a formalized rotation.

Of course, there is also a difference between having a department but no residency program and not having a department at all.


Also, optho is the word you're looking for

 

[Ismet]

Well it's a generalization, but if they don't have a residency program, the department is likely smaller and less academic. Which would likely mean less research. They would also be less likely to consistently offer medical student rotations.

There is actually a pretty big difference between observing some surgeries and hanging around and being part of a structured academic team on a formalized rotation.

Of course, there is also a difference between having a department but no residency program and not having a department at all.


Also, optho is the word you're looking for

Ophtho

 

[Nymphicus]

Ophtho

I just like sounding things out ok

 

[Mansamusa]

Well it's a generalization, but if they don't have a residency program, the department is likely smaller and less academic. Which would likely mean less research. They would also be less likely to consistently offer medical student rotations.

There is actually a pretty big difference between observing some surgeries and hanging around and being part of a structured academic team on a formalized rotation.

Of course, there is also a difference between having a department but no residency program and not having a department at all.


Also, optho is the word you're looking for

Do you think it is worth paying $80K (total cost $285K vs $365K) more to attend a school with residencies in everything vs a school that doesn't have any surgical residencies outside of gen surg and ortho?

 

[Ismet]

Do you think it is worth paying $80K (total cost $285K vs $365K) more to attend a school with residencies in everything vs a school that doesn't have any surgical residencies outside of gen surg and ortho?

No, IMO.

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

What if they have a department but no home program? What are the pros and cons of this?

Thanks!