Matching with No Research

[Undes1]

My wife is an M3 at a low tier MD School.
Step 1: Upper 250s
Clinicals: Honored all Rotations so far.
Lots of volunteering around town and really unique ECs

Her school doesn't have a home Ophtho program and doesn't have any Ophthalmologists as part of the teaching staff. She did her rotation with a local PP ophtho practice but has no other exposure to ophthalmologists through the med school. She absolutely loves the field and was able to get promises for strong LORs from the PP attendings.

The problem is that her school is very much primary care minded and doesn't have many research opportunities available to the students in any of the more competitive specialties.

My wife has tried to pursue a few research projects that were outside of the school but they didn't pan out. Mainly, COVID cancelled or indefinitely suspended the projects.

Is it possible to match with a great Step 1, great clinical grades, and strong LORs, and unique volunteer and ECs, but with NO ophthalmology research to speak of? Like zero research in the field?

Frankly, as her husband, it's really hard for me to see her so sad and stressed over "trying to find research". I want to help her in every possible way that I can, but I know even less about research than she does.

So I'm posting hoping that y'all maybe have some wisdom or even have some anecdotal stories that it is possible. Do PDs understand her situation? Or is it like a red flag not to have any research?

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[SlitLampExam]

I got in with no ophthalmology research but I did have publications in another specialty. My medical school ophthalmology chairman was completely unhelpful, refusing to write a recommendation letter or giving any kind of advice. The residency coordinator was a jerk and wouldn't let me take the 4th year ophthalmology elective unless I scheduled it late in the 4th year, which is useless. I ended up rotating with a private practice ophthalmologist with no national reputation but he wrote a decent recommendation letter and I got in based on one private practice letter and some non-ophthalmology professors writing.

I know of someone who went to a medical school that didn't have an ophthalmology residency and only had one (?) ophthalmologist on the faculty. That person matched into a really decent residency (in my opinion 4 stars out of 5 if there was a star ranking system like hotels).

As far as no research, it's probably possible. There are lots of programs that are not really research oriented. True, they churn out some papers but not that much.

 

[Trefoil]

My wife is an M3 at a low tier MD School in the southeast.
Step 1: 257
Clinicals: Honored all Rotations so far.
Lots of volunteering around town and really unique ECs including working on her Pilots License..(I'm an active duty Navy Pilot and flight instructor)

Her school doesn't have a home Ophtho program and doesn't have any Ophthalmologists as part of the teaching staff. She did her rotation with a local PP ophtho practice but has no other exposure to ophthalmologists through the med school. She absolutely loves the field and was able to get promises for strong LORs from all the attendings including Retina, Glaucoma, and Oculoplastic attendings.

The problem is that her school is entirely and utterly unsupportive of her pursuing Ophtho. They are very much primary care minded and don't really have any research opportunities available to the students in any of the more competitive specialties.

My wife has pursued a few research projects that we're outside of the school but they didn't pan out. Mainly, COVID cancelled or indefinitely suspended the projects.

Is it possible to match with a great Step 1, great clinical grades, and strong LORs, and unique volunteer and ECs, but with NO ophthalmology research to speak of? Like zero research in the field?

Frankly, as her husband, it's really hard for me to see her so sad and stressed over "trying to find research". I want to help her in every possible way that I can, but I know even less about research than she does.

So I'm posting hoping that y'all maybe have some wisdom or even have some anecdotal stories that it is possible. Do PDs understand her situation? Or is it like a red flag not to have any research?

With her stats, she should be fine. A lack of research might prevent her from getting into research oriented programs, but it shouldn’t prevent matching. The most important thing is to use her away rotations as strategically as possible. Pick places that she wants to go to that aren’t necessarily research oriented. That will help her make a connection with a program. Also, be sure to prepare well for those rotations. If she can learn how to operate a slit lamp and do a screening exam with the PP docs that would be ideal, but at the very least read up prior to the rotation.

 

[Undes1]

I got in with no ophthalmology research but I did have publications in another specialty. My medical school ophthalmology chairman was completely unhelpful, refusing to write a recommendation letter or giving any kind of advice. The residency coordinator was a jerk and wouldn't let me take the 4th year ophthalmology elective unless I scheduled it late in the 4th year, which is useless. I ended up rotating with a private practice ophthalmologist with no national reputation but he wrote a decent recommendation letter and I got in based on one private practice letter and some non-ophthalmology professors writing.

I know of someone who went to a medical school that didn't have an ophthalmology residency and only had one (?) ophthalmologist on the faculty. That person matched into a really decent residency (in my opinion 4 stars out of 5 if there was a star ranking system like hotels).

As far as no research, it's probably possible. There are lots of programs that are not really research oriented. True, they churn out some papers but not that much.

Is there a way to find "non-research" programs, or "community-based" programs? Would that be on doximity or the AAMC website?

 

[Undes1]

With her stats, she should be fine. A lack of research might prevent her from getting into research oriented programs, but it shouldn’t prevent matching. The most important thing is to use her away rotations as strategically as possible. Pick places that she wants to go to that aren’t necessarily research oriented. That will help her make a connection with a program. Also, be sure to prepare well for those rotations. If she can learn how to operate a slit lamp and do a screening exam with the PP docs that would be ideal, but at the very least read up prior to the rotation.

Yeah we both were trying to build a list of programs to do away rotations. But we weren't sure how to tell if a program is in "reach" ? What is a good metric to narrow down a list of programs that aren't research heavy?

 

[Musty Goose]

I got in with no ophthalmology research but I did have publications in another specialty. My medical school ophthalmology chairman was completely unhelpful, refusing to write a recommendation letter or giving any kind of advice. The residency coordinator was a jerk and wouldn't let me take the 4th year ophthalmology elective unless I scheduled it late in the 4th year, which is useless. I ended up rotating with a private practice ophthalmologist with no national reputation but he wrote a decent recommendation letter and I got in based on one private practice letter and some non-ophthalmology professors writing.

I know of someone who went to a medical school that didn't have an ophthalmology residency and only had one (?) ophthalmologist on the faculty. That person matched into a really decent residency (in my opinion 4 stars out of 5 if there was a star ranking system like hotels).

As far as no research, it's probably possible. There are lots of programs that are not really research oriented. True, they churn out some papers but not that much.

Not to hijack the thread, but what are your thoughts on rotating at a university vs pp? I was thinking about potentially rotating at a pp with someone well known in their subspecialty and has connections to local university. They would most likely write me a good letter but I worry about using a rotation at a place that doesn't have a residency.

 

[Bronze Medal]

Not to hijack the thread, but what are your thoughts on rotating at a university vs pp? I was thinking about potentially rotating at a pp with someone well known in their subspecialty and has connections to local university. They would most likely write me a good letter but I worry about using a rotation at a place that doesn't have a residency.

My best recommendation letter came from a doc in private practice who was known and respected in his subspecialty. I used days off during third year to spend with him in clinic and OR. I even saw consults with him in the local hospital. Eventually I did a formal rotation with his practice. I’m now an attending and he is still a mentor and a friend.

 

[Trefoil]

Yeah we both were trying to build a list of programs to do away rotations. But we weren't sure how to tell if a program is in "reach" ? What is a good metric to narrow down a list of programs that aren't research heavy?

That’s kind of tricky to answer because so much is dependent on the individual application. I’d say you need to focus on regional preference. What I mean is that a doctor at university x is more likely to know a doctor at university y that is in the same region. If you all are looking to stay in a particular region, then the outside rotations should be geared towards rotating at programs in that region. A rec letter coming from someone who is known is more valuable.

In terms of reach programs, I wouldn’t selectively rotate at huge big name programs (I don’t know Wills Eye for example). Every outside rotator does that, which means getting a good rec letter from that program is far less likely.

I would still apply to reach programs, but I wouldn’t try to rotate at them to get a rec letter because your rotation will likely be overshadowed by other rotators and it will be difficult to make a meaningful connection.

 

[SlitLampExam]

Is there a way to find "non-research" programs, or "community-based" programs? Would that be on doximity or the AAMC website?

Just look at the ophthalmology residency's website and you can sort of tell. All ophthalmology residencies try to do a little research but sometimes it's really weak. Some ophthalmology residencies have a few PhD's that do most of the research, some have none.

Not to hijack the thread, but what are your thoughts on rotating at a university vs pp? I was thinking about potentially rotating at a pp with someone well known in their subspecialty and has connections to local university. They would most likely write me a good letter but I worry about using a rotation at a place that doesn't have a residency.

Depends. In general, university faculty recommendations are better but you have to make the best of what you have. There are some people in private practice that have name recognition and wouldn't be bad as authors of recommendation letters.