Difficulty reaching home ophtho dept - contact private practice?

[rocketbooster]

I am having difficulty getting involved with my home ophtho department. It's not too large...maybe 8 faculty members of whom only half do research. I'm trying to get involved with the dept but I never get many responses when I try to contact them. I shadowed one faculty member last month and he's happy to have me again, but they always want me to schedule through the secretary since they said their office is full of med students. Since I don't know many 3rd year med students here interested in ophtho, I'm assuming they're mainly 4th years on their sub-Is but I don't know for sure.

My plan was to shadow some of these faculty members a bit and then soon ask to get involved in one of their research projects. Since there are only 3-4 who even do research, this may be difficult to organize, especially since I'm having so much trouble even scheduling times to shadow.

So my backup plan is contact some of the private practice ophthos in the area. I know a few of them from my own time as their patients. I figure it'd maybe be easier to schedule shadowing times since they may feel more obligated since they actually take my money on a regular basis haha. The major down sides are they are not faculty members at my school (where I likely ideally want to do residency) and I doubt they do research since they're in private practice. It'd still be better than nothing, though, to at least get some shadowing in.

What do you guys think? Keep trying to contact my school's department and forge private practice docs, contact my private practice ophthos, or just shadowing the private practice ones while I wait to find times with my department?

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[ophthope]

I am having difficulty getting involved with my home ophtho department. It's not too large...maybe 8 faculty members of whom only half do research. I'm trying to get involved with the dept but I never get many responses when I try to contact them. I shadowed one faculty member last month and he's happy to have me again, but they always want me to schedule through the secretary since they said their office is full of med students. Since I don't know many 3rd year med students here interested in ophtho, I'm assuming they're mainly 4th years on their sub-Is but I don't know for sure.

My plan was to shadow some of these faculty members a bit and then soon ask to get involved in one of their research projects. Since there are only 3-4 who even do research, this may be difficult to organize, especially since I'm having so much trouble even scheduling times to shadow.

So my backup plan is contact some of the private practice ophthos in the area. I know a few of them from my own time as their patients. I figure it'd maybe be easier to schedule shadowing times since they may feel more obligated since they actually take my money on a regular basis haha. The major down sides are they are not faculty members at my school (where I likely ideally want to do residency) and I doubt they do research since they're in private practice. It'd still be better than nothing, though, to at least get some shadowing in.

What do you guys think? Keep trying to contact my school's department and forge private practice docs, contact my private practice ophthos, or just shadowing the private practice ones while I wait to find times with my department?

You might first try scheduling an appointment with your program director. Like a sit-down, please advise me about what to do to boost my application meeting. PDs are generally pretty amenable to this type of meeting in my experience. Shadowing a private doctor is not going to be super beneficial other than getting a good, personal letter. You'll still want another letter by some academic physician who is "in with" or "known among" other programs, though. Everything is just a good ol' boys club when you get right down to it.

 

[guttata]

If the program is fairly small, the program director or chairman should be available to speak with you. I would first contact their secretaries. If you still do not get a response, physically stop by the department and ask to schedule a meeting with one of them. Private practice would be my last resort (it may be okay if your school does not have a department - but if you have a department, you need a letter from someone at the department).

This is probably a busy time for everyone since the fourth years usually rotate in the summer/early fall.

 

[ophthope]

If the program is fairly small, the program director or chairman should be available to speak with you. I would first contact their secretaries. If you still do not get a response, physically stop by the department and ask to schedule a meeting with one of them. Private practice would be my last resort (it may be okay if your school does not have a department - but if you have a department, you need a letter from someone at the department).

This is probably a busy time for everyone since the fourth years usually rotate in the summer/early fall.

Good advice. We M4s are spending as much time around the department as we can right now. In January when we've all checked out mentally you might be more successful.

 

[Visionary]

Agree with above. If you don't have connections with your home department by application time, you're going to have problems.

 

[rocketbooster]

Good advice. We M4s are spending as much time around the department as we can right now. In January when we've all checked out mentally you might be more successful.

Sorry bro, you M4s better move out the way. Not waiting till January.