applying for ophtho - advice!

[sisyphus22]

I'm a third yr at a good med school (not top-20, but not unheard of) and i just recently started considering ophtho for residency. I got a 243 on step 1 and honors in all my third yr clerkships so far. I have a couple publications from research i did in undergrad. I guess the main thing I am lacking is ophtho research and any contacts in ophtho... Do you have any suggestions on how to plan my fourth yr schedule so that I have enough time to do some ophtho research, get a publication or two, get some good LORs? How many rotations should I devote to ophtho? How many away? How much time, realistically, does it take to publish? Should I do a make one or more of these rotations research? Should I aim to do research at my school (where it would be easier) or should I try to do research at a bigger name? Should all my LORs be from ophtho people?

Additionally, I plan on applying to medicine as a back-up. Do most people do this? Any tips on how to go about it?

Any advice you can offer would be appreciated. Our school unfortunately gives very little guidance about this stuff.

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[splice]

With your current stats of a great Step I score and great 3rd year grades, you shouldn't have much trouble matching in ophthalmology. The reason some people with great stats don't match is because they limit their applications only to top programs (or because they are an FMG). As long as you make sure to apply somewhat broadly, you probably don't need to apply for categorical medicine as a backup. If you are really paranoid, you can apply to prelim medicine programs instead/in addition to TY programs- if you do a prelim medicine year then you can pretty easily switch to categorical at that or another hospital as a PGY2.

Shoot for two one-month clinical away rotations at programs you would really like to go to this July-August, September at the latest. Starting now, try to work in the ophtho department at your school as much as possible so you can get a great LOR from your department. As far as research, it's always helpful but probably not critical for you. Do it only if you really want to, but at this point its probably going to be hard to publish before the application cycle this fall. You may be able to get a case report in before then, talk to the faculty at your school to see if there is anything you can help with.

Dr. Doan's thread is chock full of great info about your questions:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=66427

 

[xaelia]

I'll just add my own quick question onto this thread: in obtaining letters of recommendation, did most of you ask your letter-writers for two distinct letters? One for the ophthalmology program, and one for the transitional/preliminary year? Or do you just take two copies of the ophthalmology letter, and send one to SF match and one to ERAS....

 

[splice]

I'll just add my own quick question onto this thread: in obtaining letters of recommendation, did most of you ask your letter-writers for two distinct letters? One for the ophthalmology program, and one for the transitional/preliminary year? Or do you just take two copies of the ophthalmology letter, and send one to SF match and one to ERAS....

I asked for two distinct letters. Some people just send the ophtho letters to the prelim programs but that just seems weird to me.

 

[blanche]

With your current stats of a great Step I score and great 3rd year grades, you shouldn't have much trouble matching in ophthalmology. The reason some people with great stats don't match is because they limit their applications only to top programs (or because they are an FMG). As long as you make sure to apply somewhat broadly, you probably don't need to apply for categorical medicine as a backup.

Along these lines--what if you have a regional preference and want to apply in optho? for example, i'd like to stay on the east coast...with similar stats, is there any hope of getting a residency if i apply to ALL programs in the NE and mid atlantic? it'd just be easier for family reasons to stay here...thanks!

 

[rubensan]

blanche,
i don't think region is as limiting of a factor as caliber of programs. what i mean is, apply to all east coast and mid-atlantic programs if that is where you want to stay, just make sure you apply broadly with respect to the caliber of programs. if you are going to limit yourself to mass eye and ear, wills, wilmer and penn then i would say you are making a mistake. if you apply to these programs in conjunction with the dozens of middle and lower tier programs that are in new york, new jersey, MA and PA alone, then i think your strategy is much more intelligent!

Good Luck!

Along these lines--what if you have a regional preference and want to apply in optho? for example, i'd like to stay on the east coast...with similar stats, is there any hope of getting a residency if i apply to ALL programs in the NE and mid atlantic? it'd just be easier for family reasons to stay here...thanks!

 

[rubensan]

in obtaining letters of recommendation, did most of you ask your letter-writers for two distinct letters? One for the ophthalmology program, and one for the transitional/preliminary year? Or do you just take two copies of the ophthalmology letter, and send one to SF match and one to ERAS....

from the following thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=1424405#post1424405

If you are asking the same letter writer who wrote you a letter for ophtho to write you one for internship, i would ask them to write you 2 versions of the same letter. One that states, "this candidate will make an awesome ophthalmologist" and one that states "this candidate will make an excellent intern."

 

[blanche]

blanche,
i don't think region is as limiting of a factor as caliber of programs. what i mean is, apply to all east coast and mid-atlantic programs if that is where you want to stay, just make sure you apply broadly with respect to the caliber of programs. if you are going to limit yourself to mass eye and ear, wills, wilmer and penn then i would say you are making a mistake. if you apply to these programs in conjunction with the dozens of middle and lower tier programs that are in new york, new jersey, MA and PA alone, then i think your strategy is much more intelligent!

Good Luck!


thanks ruben, that's what i'm hoping!

 

[Needleandthread]

Additionally, I plan on applying to medicine as a back-up. Do most people do this? Any tips on how to go about it?
.

Huh? I thought ophthalmology was a surgical specialty. Having medicine as a backup might suggest that the applicant is not dedicated to surgery. There are surgical specialties, other than ophthalmology, that have easier hours.

Tips to get into medicine? Try the Internal Medicine forum. Specific programs might be hard to get but internal medicine is generally an easy specialty to get a residency. There are even a lot of foreign medical graduates in internal medicine.

 

[Spyder007]

I'll just add my own quick question onto this thread: in obtaining letters of recommendation, did most of you ask your letter-writers for two distinct letters? One for the ophthalmology program, and one for the transitional/preliminary year? Or do you just take two copies of the ophthalmology letter, and send one to SF match and one to ERAS....

I just used the same letter and asked for two copies of it. I don't really think it matters since programs know that you're going into ophtho and not a categorical spot. Using the same letter didn't seem to hurt me in getting interviews and no one ever commented on it during my prelim/TY interviews. Ofcourse, getting a separate letter can't hurt, but is nothing to sweat over.

 

[demspawn]

Huh? I thought ophthalmology was a surgical specialty. Having medicine as a backup might suggest that the applicant is not dedicated to surgery. There are surgical specialties, other than ophthalmology, that have easier hours.

Tips to get into medicine? Try the Internal Medicine forum. Specific programs might be hard to get but internal medicine is generally an easy specialty to get a residency. There are even a lot of foreign medical graduates in internal medicine.

Ophthy is both surgical and highly clinical.
If something I would say that very little of G. Surg is in any way related to ophthy surg.
If you have to choose between IM and GS for back-up to transition into ophthy I would go into IM. You will get more elective time for ophthy and will be ably to do some related electives (allergy, rheumatology, etc.)

 

[txguy]

With your current stats of a great Step I score and great 3rd year grades, you shouldn't have much trouble matching in ophthalmology. The reason some people with great stats don't match is because they limit their applications only to top programs (or because they are an FMG). As long as you make sure to apply somewhat broadly, you probably don't need to apply for categorical medicine as a backup. If you are really paranoid, you can apply to prelim medicine programs instead/in addition to TY programs- if you do a prelim medicine year then you can pretty easily switch to categorical at that or another hospital as a PGY2.

Shoot for two one-month clinical away rotations at programs you would really like to go to this July-August, September at the latest. Starting now, try to work in the ophtho department at your school as much as possible so you can get a great LOR from your department. As far as research, it's always helpful but probably not critical for you. Do it only if you really want to, but at this point its probably going to be hard to publish before the application cycle this fall. You may be able to get a case report in before then, talk to the faculty at your school to see if there is anything you can help with.

Dr. Doan's thread is chock full of great info about your questions:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=66427

Excuse my ignorance, but what do you mean when you say "categorical medicine?" I'm just a lowly first year trying to learn the lingo!

-tx

 

[rubensan]

tx,

uhhh, i can't believe i am giving advice to a longhorn. interns in internal medicine or general surgery fall into two categories: categorical (those who will complete an entire internal medicine or general surgery residency) and preliminary (those lucky soles who will only be with the program for one year before moving on to greener pastures in fields such as ophtho, ENT, derm, radiology, etc).

Excuse my ignorance, but what do you mean when you say "categorical medicine?" I'm just a lowly first year trying to learn the lingo!

-tx

 

[txguy]

tx,

uhhh, i can't believe i am giving advice to a longhorn. interns in internal medicine or general surgery fall into two categories: categorical (those who will complete an entire internal medicine or general surgery residency) and preliminary (those lucky soles who will only be with the program for one year before moving on to greener pastures in fields such as ophtho, ENT, derm, radiology, etc).

Thanks for the reponse!! Are you from California?

So what does a "transitional year" fall under?

-tx

 

[rubensan]

yes, i went to medical school at that "other school" who choked during the rose bowl in january. as a prelim in internal medicine, i think that a transitional year is a neat concept. a transitional intern "transitions" through internal medicine, surgery, peds, obgyn and some elective rotations for a year before moving on to a residency in ophtho, derm, etc.

Thanks for the reponse!! Are you from California?

So what does a "transitional year" fall under?

-tx

 

[darrvao777]

transitional years are generalized as being easier than prelim programs

 

[txguy]

yes, i went to medical school at that "other school" who choked during the rose bowl in january. as a prelim in internal medicine, i think that a transitional year is a neat concept. a transitional intern "transitions" through internal medicine, surgery, peds, obgyn and some elective rotations for a year before moving on to a residency in ophtho, derm, etc.

Thanks!! That does sound like a good opportunity to brush up on various clinical skills before diving into a specific specialty.

Anyway, I'm sure you were happy to hear about VY going pro

-tx

 

[OphthalmicPilot]

Ophthy is both surgical and highly clinical.
If something I would say that very little of G. Surg is in any way related to ophthy surg.
If you have to choose between IM and GS for back-up to transition into ophthy I would go into IM.

Why have only Internal Medicine or General Surgery as a back-up. I can think of many other fields which are better. It's true that you can do rheumatology after medicine. However, if you do general surgery, you can do plastic surgery or colorectal surgery, can change to an ENT or urology program. These 3 specialties are among the best in medicine, even better than ophthalmology is some respects.

If one is looking for an easy to get into specialty, there are good specialties which are better than internal medicine.

 

[rubensan]

acutually, i think interventional cardiology and gastroenterology are 2 of the most lucrative fields of medicine at this particular time.

Why have only Internal Medicine or General Surgery as a back-up. I can think of many other fields which are better. It's true that you can do rheumatology after medicine. However, if you do general surgery, you can do plastic surgery or colorectal surgery, can change to an ENT or urology program. These 3 specialties are among the best in medicine, even better than ophthalmology is some respects.

If one is looking for an easy to get into specialty, there are good specialties which are better than internal medicine.

 

[demspawn]

Why have only Internal Medicine or General Surgery as a back-up. I can think of many other fields which are better. It's true that you can do rheumatology after medicine. However, if you do general surgery, you can do plastic surgery or colorectal surgery, can change to an ENT or urology program. These 3 specialties are among the best in medicine, even better than ophthalmology is some respects.

If one is looking for an easy to get into specialty, there are good specialties which are better than internal medicine.

ENT, Urology and plastics are three of the most competitive residencies around. If you do not get into ophthy what makes you think that you will make it into the other fields? Just because you are in a field already? That may ormay not help you. THey are indeed sweet specialties and maybe better than ophthy for some but talk about higher goals.

Also ophthy has very spscific microsurgical procedures which cannot compare in nature to some ENT and most plastics, let alone colorectal.
Urology resemblesmore to ophthy as a practice setup with minimally invasive procedures as well as clinics.

Internal medicine is the most diverse sepcialty in that sense. You can get into almost double digits of fellowships in deffierent med fields, without the need to redo part of your residency (you are technically a fellow).

Also try and see how many spots for plastics, colorectal, ENT and urology are left unfilled each year or are looking all of a sudden for applicatns out of the match. Unless you do not have a problem with repeating years of your residency training.

-----------------------------------------------
"Your CV was excellent, since you got an interview at Xxxxx, your letters were amaing and you interviewed very well. Frankly there is nothing wrong with you... except that you are an FMG..."

Member of the residency committee at top 5 ophthy residency program, in letter answering post-(non)match questions to yours truly.