this thread and my response resulted in a lot of PMs asking me why i thought doheny was a better program. to be honest, i never interviewed at duke and know very little about the program. i do believe that duke is an excellent program. here is why i think doheny is also an outstanding program:
1. it starts at the top: drs. smith and sadun are everything you want and need in a department chair and program director.
2. volume: clinical and surgical. you can read until your eyes bleed about ophthalmology but until you see it or do it, you won't know it. no one can deny that the pathology we see at lac+usc is almost unparalleled. we are well-rounded and staffed by world class faculty in every subspeciatly of ophthalmology. expect to do 150 cataracts (extra-cap, scleral tunnel and clear cornea phaco) along with healthy numbes of muscle surgeries, trabs and plastics. you leave very comfortable with the use of all lasers.
HOWEVER, this is not a program that holds your hand. one-third of our time is spent at doheny in the private clinics working one on one with attendings. there, you will not lack supervision. HOWEVER, 2/3 of your time is spent at the county hospital clinic. you are your own doctor. there are always fellows and faculty present if you need them, but it is impossible to run every patient by them. you see your own patients and with help, learn to manage your own complications. in summary, this is a program that balances direct attending supervision with independence.
we do not lack for didactics. we have lecture almost every morning. but there is no way that they can cover everything that will be on the OKAPs. you also have to supplement with outside reading.
in summary, if you are looking for a top-notch clinical and research program that produces highly skilled and independent ophthalmic physicians and surgeons, doheny is a great place to train.