Fellowship application

[ophthoresident1]

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I am planning on applying for retina fellowship coming fall. However, I complete my ophtho residency in September and will be able to join fellowship begining of October.
What is the best way to do it? Should I apply through regular sfmatch and mention is my application my availability or wait for unfilled position after the match.
Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[orbitsurgMD]

I am planning on applying for retina fellowship coming fall. However, I complete my ophtho residency in September and will be able to join fellowship begining of October.
What is the best way to do it? Should I apply through regular sfmatch and mention is my application my availability or wait for unfilled position after the match.
Any suggestions will be highly appreciated.
Thanks

You may have a problem with your fellowship program unless you tell them you must delay your start until September. Most fellows are replacing an outgoing fellow who is leaving in summer. I suppose they could leave the job gapped for three months or ask the departing fellow to remain, but usually the former would leave high-volume clinics under-staffed and the latter might be impossible because most departing fellows need to report to start their own jobs.

Your choices are: (A) apply through the SF match and tell them of your need for a delayed start date (that might hurt your competitiveness)
(B) apply through the SF match to start the following summer and find something to do in the 9-month interval (research, work as a staff doc at your residency program, vacation, etc.) or (C) try to arrange a spot you can start in the fall outside the match (but expect fewer opportunities, if any at all.)

 

[MstaKing10]

I think your best bet is to delay your start for 9 months. You will be a much more competitive candidate that way and won't cause problems at the fellowship you will be starting.

I'm not sure any good fellowship program would be able (or willing) to delay your start by 3 months when there are other competitive candidates who don't have that issue.

 

[umsami]

Sometimes there are vacancies in other specialties, usually with solo practioners, that never seem to match. Maybe you could arrange a 9 month fellowship in some area that also interests you while you wait out your time. Also, as you'll find out about the match in December, you could then contact the program where you matched and see if you can do medical retina or something else for six months. While the current fellows will not want to give up any surgery cases to you, they probably won't mind somebody helping out in the clinic...doing lasers, injections, etc. I would, however, be very diligent in refusing any surgery opportunities for that time even if the attendings offer. You will only generate bad-will for taking away surgery from the existing fellows.

Another option would be to try for locums and just work on your boards. Would be nice to enter your fellowship already having passed the WQE.

 

[MR1]

Agree with everyone above, I think your chances at matching and starting in Oct instead of July is extremely unlikely. Find something to do for those 9 mths, maybe paid research at your current program?

 

[ophthoresident1]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I really appreciate it. I agree doing something in the interim is best option for me and start a fresh following year. I know retina is very competative.
I actually finish ending August and will be available beginning of September. Does that change anything? I will be late 2 months not 3 months.
Can I work through my vacation, if I talk to my PG, so that I finish earlier.
Again, thank you so much for all the replies.

 

[MR1]

My fellowship starts one week into July and I imagine others do (to allow time to move, etc) but I doubt any start later than one wk in. I think 2 mths vs 3 mths makes NO difference for the fellowship, either is going to hurt your chances a lot.

I think your only option is to figure away to finish the end of June, ie work through vacation if you can, good luck.

The only other option I can think of is to try for a un-matched position. The downside though is you would have to register for the match and if you don't match that will look bad the next year (assuming you dont' get a un-matched position). Also the unmatched places are usually undesirable for many reasons, one of which is poor training.