Gen surgery vs ophtha

[kandyps]

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I am a third year med student and I am having conflict choosing between General Surgery and Ophthalmology. I have centered my research and attended to Ophtha Grand rounds, etc since the beginning of third year because is more competitive, but I did also a good job in my GS clerkship and I am in good standing with surgery attendings.

My qualifications are:
Step 1 241
GPA acc- 3.73 (without the ObGYN, IM, and Psych grades)
AOA nominee
Research in Summer MS1, and on semester Ophtha - 1 poster pres, no publications
Anato TA 2years


I think I have the numbers to go either way, although with my qualification i would probably get in to a better GS residency than an ophtha residency.

I really like being in the OR, using the scalpel and just really cutting and putting back together parts of the human body. I am an anato freak and used to be Anato TA to fellow MS. What I dont like of surgery is the lifestyle, the waking up @ 4am and arriving @ 430 am to the hospital. I know overall surgery has a sacrificed lifestyle that I am not really sure I want.

I dont have a lot of exposure to Ophtha, but when I did get to go to the clinics I loved the gadgets, the peds emergencies, etc. My research is in ROP and i really liked the clinics, get to help those kids with their future visual acuity, etc. and saw some interesting cases of metastatic cancer in retina,etc. I do like their lifestyle.

Something that is very important to me right now is that the SFmatch is very expensive, and you have to do a transitional application too in ERAs. I need to know what to do if I am gonna invest in Ophtha (i dont really have money, all i have are loans...)

I have a enrolled in Ophtha in August to exposed myself and try and decide, but by then I should have the SFM application ready to go and payed.

WHAT to DO?? ANY feedback will be welcomed!!! Thanks

🙁

 

[maxheadroom]

Um, those are two VERY DIFFERENT specialties. Yes, Ophthalmologists are surgeons, but they have almost nothing in common with General Surgeons. I think you need to get some real exposure to Ophthalmology.

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

Um, those are two VERY DIFFERENT specialties. Yes, Ophthalmologists are surgeons, but they have almost nothing in common with General Surgeons. I think you need to get some real exposure to Ophthalmology.

QFT. Haven't known anyone that was between the two.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Since this thread is cross posted in the Ophtho forum, I'll close it here. Those who would like to respond, can do so there.

In general, the advice you've been given so far is excellent. They are radically different fields in terms of training, lifestyle, variety, clinic:surgery ratio, etc.

And while it is true that you can use a Prelim GS year, as a base for both, doing so will make further training in either hard to get. If its your only option, then so be it, but you really should get more experience and apply for the definitive training in one or the other.