low complex level 1 & osteopathic ophthalmology?

[bitemporalhemi]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi,

I'm a 3rd year student with Level 1 score of 450s. I have a strong interest in ophthalmology and related extracurricular activities. The most recent DO GME match from 2011 showed the following Level 1 scores for accepted ophth applicants: 547 (mean), 514 (median), 75 (standard deviation), and range from 431 to 646. My score is in the lower end of the range, but definitely not anywhere close to the mean nor median. A DO ophthalmologist who graduated a while back told me that it's more about the chemistry with the program that I do my audition rotation. Is this low score going to hold me back? Do you of people who actually matched into osteopathic ophthalmology residency with similar scores? I plan to work my butt off this year and study better for Level 2. Thank you for reading.

 

[pathologyDO]

Just an M1 here, but logically if your score is far below the mean, then you gotta assume it will be difficult. The other things I know of which also carry weight for residency is clinical evals, and LORs. How good are these two things?

 

[Makati2008]

Hi,

I'm a 3rd year student with Level 1 score of 450s. I have a strong interest in ophthalmology and related extracurricular activities. The most recent DO GME match from 2011 showed the following Level 1 scores for accepted ophth applicants: 547 (mean), 514 (median), 75 (standard deviation), and range from 431 to 646. My score is in the lower end of the range, but definitely not anywhere close to the mean nor median. A DO ophthalmologist who graduated a while back told me that it's more about the chemistry with the program that I do my audition rotation. Is this low score going to hold me back? Do you of people who actually matched into osteopathic ophthalmology residency with similar scores? I plan to work my butt off this year and study better for Level 2. Thank you for reading.

Board scores are important but chemistry is more important in the DO world as well as auditions. Make sure to get good grades in your rotations and study hard

Good luck

 

[sonofva]

can you do an away at some do optho programs? the do match i feel is very much like the army match. away rotations help a LOT to determine fit. just go crush some aways. if not, do a TY at a hospital with optho residency and do your electives in optho and shadow in optho and do some research in optho while youre there.

 

[VooDooo327]

I'm applying ophto this year to the allopathic and osteopathic match. I can tell you that you need to rotate at the location you want to do a residency at if you want to go in to the osteopathic match; not so much for the allopathic match but you need to do well of the Step1 if you haven't taken it already for allopathic programs. Many of the osteopathic residencies will not consider you for an interview if you do not do an audition there. I can tell you that I auditioned at one program and the only thing they asked me was if I got over 500 on the COMLEX. Some schools have different averages but considering the number of program (12) and the total number of positions (~15?) you need to make connections if you want a good shot. Goodluck with everything

 

[Trogghunter]

What does osteopathy have to do with Opthalmology?

 

[VooDooo327]

Honestly, probably not much. At least not the OMM stuff.

 

[eimaise]

What does osteopathy have to do with Opthalmology?

Osteopathic ophthalmologists look at the whole eyeball.

HVLA to the eyeball can also cure glaucoma.

 

[DrEnderW]

What does osteopathy have to do with Opthalmology?

Unimpressed

 

[JGimpel]

Complex

[/thread]

 

[survivordo]

A low score certainly isn't going to help but as you can see from the range of scores it certainly isn't insurmountable. All it takes is for you to really impress someone on your audition rotations and you've got a solid shot.

Survivor DO

 

[NYEMMED]

3rd year OMS that calls it the complex instead of COMLEX....

 

[Jamie561]

3rd year OMS that calls it the complex instead of COMLEX....

Autocorrect la

 

[Siggy]

Osteopathic ophthalmologists look at the whole eyeball.

HVLA to the eyeball can also cure glaucoma.

Then you get to charge to fix the globe rupture?

 

[josephmedman]

Does anyone have any stats on the optho DO programs. There isnt much info out there. I understand for the NY Far rockaway program, they make you do an extra year of traditional rotating internship. Is this true? Can anyone chime in on this? I heard that the scores of accepted applicants are 650 to 750 and that the few that get in through pure connections, skew the average score. Anyone currently in an AOA optho program that can chime in? Im sitting at a 632 COMLEX level 1 score and hoping to break 700 on level 2 taken early but hope is only hope. I worked my ***** off to get 700 on level 1 and it just didnt happen.

 

[VooDooo327]

Does anyone have any stats on the optho DO programs. There isnt much info out there. I understand for the NY Far rockaway program, they make you do an extra year of traditional rotating internship. Is this true? Can anyone chime in on this? I heard that the scores of accepted applicants are 650 to 750 and that the few that get in through pure connections, skew the average score. Anyone currently in an AOA optho program that can chime in? Im sitting at a 632 COMLEX level 1 score and hoping to break 700 on level 2 taken early but hope is only hope. I worked my ***** off to get 700 on level 1 and it just didnt happen.

I'm not sure what you mean by an extra year of TRI but ophthalmology training doesn't begin until PGY-2 regardless of which program you enter AOA/ACGME. Do you mean they do two years of a TRI? Because that wouldn't make any sense . As for your scores, I think they are fine but if you think you can get in on scores alone you need to rethink your strategy. As mentioned, with the limited number of positions and the almost necessary rotations you seem to need to do for AOA ophthalmology it is a good idea to be making connections in anyway you can.

 

[saraya]

Is there a way to know what the average scores are for these programs? GME says around 545, but I keep hearing the reality these days is higher than that? Would it be appropriate to ask the recently matched residents about COMLEX scores? Thank so much guys!

 

[dozitgetchahi]

I'm not sure what you mean by an extra year of TRI but ophthalmology training doesn't begin until PGY-2 regardless of which program you enter AOA/ACGME. Do you mean they do two years of a TRI? Because that wouldn't make any sense . As for your scores, I think they are fine but if you think you can get in on scores alone you need to rethink your strategy. As mentioned, with the limited number of positions and the almost necessary rotations you seem to need to do for AOA ophthalmology it is a good idea to be making connections in anyway you can.

There are programs that do weird stuff like this. Some osteopathic derm programs make you finish the internship and multiple years of family medicine before you finally get to start derm. I'm not surprised if some other optho program is doing crap like this too.

 

[fzwarrior]

DO student here nearing the end of third year and I feel like I am late to the game since I recently decided I want to go for ophthalmology. COMLEX is high 590s with my only research being a QI project with internal medicine. Good volunteer experiences. Are the chances slim if I am deciding this late?

 

[Jwalker]

Osteopathic ophthalmologists look at the whole eyeball.

HVLA to the eyeball can also cure glaucoma.

This is actually kind of funny considering the subspecialities of optho now-a-days. "I specialize in left corneas only" 😀

 

[JGimpel]

This is actually kind of funny considering the subspecialities of optho now-a-days. "I specialize in left corneas only" 😀

You forgot to add that they only work on left corneas every third Tuesday if they're Board Certified. Trying not to hate just a little bit.

Hey other Osteopaths: delete your custom dictionary from your phone and have a conversation with a few people including the word COMLEX and you should have this fixed.

Since doctors only use iPhones, it's Settings, then Privacy, General, Reset, then Reset Keyboard Dictionary and it's reset after you enter your highly secure password ; )