I can't give you intimate details as I did not do residency there; I was a med student at UAB and did 2 months of ophth rotations in my 4th year (it was back in 1998-99 though). However, I have kept in touch with the people back there over the years, including someone who just finished the residency this past June.
I would categorize UAB ophth program as "up and comer" - very high among second tier programs. Chairman is Lanning Kline who is a very well known neuro-ophthalmologist. UAB has always been a very good clinical program in my mind, and Dr. Kline has stregthened the academics quite a bit.
UAB is one of handful of programs that has both a county hospital and a VA - very important for a residency program, I think - excellent source of surgical cases. I think the residents finish with over 100 phaco cases.
They also have an eye ER - good and bad. You will be seeing plenty of "pink eyes" as well as true emergencies. You will be required to be fully licensed so that they can bill for your service in the ER. In-house call for the first year only.
Birmingham is a very pleasant city. I know a lot of people have negative reaction to Alabama, but Birmingham is CITY with its own rights. Not NYC, LA, Miami, or Houston, but it has a lot to offer. NCAA basketball has held its first round games there about every 3 years or so. Alabama and Auburn football is HUGE. Nice minor league baseball team - Barons - MJ played there, if you remember as well as Frank Thomas, etc.
Weather can be little humid depending on where you're coming from, but overall very pleasant with nice spring and fall. Winter can get as cold as 20's rarely, but almost never snows. People freak out and the city shuts down when the weather person whispers even 1% chance of snow.
Overall, I would rank UAB pretty high.
Good luck to all of you in the match. You have tough competition, if what I've seen come through Baylor in recent years is any indication. I'm not sure I would have gotten into Baylor if I was applying now. Best wishes...
