Advice about Ophtho...?

[jehtaemean]

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I'm looking to get some advice - I'm a current 3rd year. I rotated through a brief ophtho rotation a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it. I always knew I possibly could like it because of my background, however, I am not the strongest of students - which is why I am seeking some opinions.

Background (written to preserve some anonymity):

- USMD school
- bottom half of class rank the first two years
- Step 1 between 215-220
- 3rd year grades a lot better so far - a couple honors
- Class leadership all 3 years so far
- Research - 1 pub, 1 presentation - unrelated to optho
- Volunteer - this is why people think I am interested in ophtho in the first place - about 5000 hours of volunteer time over the last 6 years - international and local volunteer/leadership work providing eye screenings and glasses.

I'm not 100% committed to going down the path right now - I understand it is a difficult road, especially with some of my stats.

 

[Psai]

Get in good with your home program. Do a subi and work your rear off. Do a bunch of aways. There's no secret method for matching.

 

[Donald Juan]

Like above, get in with your program immediately. Don't be a tool--this is very important in a small field like ophtho. You need to be somebody that everybody likes and wants to keep working with. Knock some research out before you apply next year. You need to do much better on step 2, and you need to plan on having it done early next year...maybe right after M3, then do some aways and a home sub-I. Work hard, have a good attitude, and don't be a tool. With your scores, your best chance is having a low level program who has worked with you think that you are awesome and want you to stick around.

Also, have a backup plan.

 

[NWwildcat2013]

Not interested in ophtho but just curious since it isn't listed in Charting the Outcomes... what is an average step score of applicants?

 

[.hematoma.]

Not interested in ophtho but just curious since it isn't listed in Charting the Outcomes... what is an average step score of applicants?

For accepted applicants about 244

 

[jehtaemean]

Thank you all for the advice!

 

[baoser]

Not interested in ophtho but just curious since it isn't listed in Charting the Outcomes... what is an average step score of applicants?

That's because it uses the SF match. Not the NRMP

 

[Etorphine]

I'm looking to get some advice - I'm a current 3rd year. I rotated through a brief ophtho rotation a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it. I always knew I possibly could like it because of my background, however, I am not the strongest of students - which is why I am seeking some opinions.

Background (written to preserve some anonymity):

- USMD school
- bottom half of class rank the first two years
- Step 1 between 215-220
- 3rd year grades a lot better so far - a couple honors
- Class leadership all 3 years so far
- Research - 1 pub, 1 presentation - unrelated to optho
- Volunteer - this is why people think I am interested in ophtho in the first place - about 5000 hours of volunteer time over the last 6 years - international and local volunteer/leadership work providing eye screenings and glasses.

I'm not 100% committed to going down the path right now - I understand it is a difficult road, especially with some of my stats.

extremely likely u won't match with that step 1 alone..independent of everything else

 

[jw3600]

extremely likely u won't match with that step 1 alone..independent of everything else

Average step 1 was a 244. He's got a 220. Care to explain?

 

[jw3600]

Ophtho has a 92% match rate for US seniors and only 4% for IMGs. If you could separate out the data and only look at US senior MDs that matched the average Step 1 is probably going to be lower. (His score is still to0 low to match, the average unmatched applicant had a 229)

My bad. He said WON'T. Misread. Yeah that step ain't gonna cut it.

 

[immunology89]

Ophtho has a 92% match rate for US seniors and only 4% for IMGs. If you could separate out the data and only look at US senior MDs that matched the average Step 1 is probably going to be lower. (His score is still to0 low to match, the average unmatched applicant had a 229)

The match rate for US seniors is much lower than 92%. The exact match rate for US seniors is not published but is likely somewhere in the high 70's

 

[PhillyMed777]

The match rate for US seniors is much lower than 92%. The exact match rate for US seniors is not published but is likely somewhere in the high 70's

I swear everyone misinterprets that statistic when they post it to SF match

 

[immunology89]

What does the statistic mean then?

92% of ophthalmology residents are US seniors

 

[baoser]

Can someone explain the meaning of the 92% statistic then?

 

[W19]

You are unlikely to match ophthal with that score...

 

[Ismet]

Can someone explain the meaning of the 92% statistic then?

It has already been explained. That 92% of matched applicants are US seniors. Not that 92% of US senior applicants matched.

Look at the # of US seniors who matched (429) and divide it by the number of filled positions (467) and you get 92%. They don't tell you how many US seniors submitted a rank list so there's no way to know the exact number who matched.