I am completing residency in ophthalmology and am starting to realize that I may not like operating. Yes, I know, I should have known this before starting a surgical residency - but, like most ophthalmology programs, my program emphasized surgical training only towards the end of residency, and I didn't realize I may not like it until now. With the stress, the high patient expectations, the high liabilities, and decreasing compensation for surgeries, I am starting to wonder.... Are there any non-surgical opportunities out there for a trained ophthalmologist? (No optometry jokes please.)
non-surgical career options?
- Thread starter nyguy
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Non-surgical, or "medical ophthalmologists" are rare but they do exist. Usually these are ophthalmologists who are at the end of their careers and want to slow down, or ophthalmologists who can no longer operate due to physical impairment or injury. I bet there's more than a few practices out there who would love to have a general ophthalmologist see patients while referring surgical cases for the rest of the group. In some ways it's a win-win situation for them because you're fulfilling a need by seeing patients for a practice that is growing while at the same time generating surgical volume for your partners. The one thing that you need to realize is that because you are not operating your income will probably be less than your everyone else in your group. However if you are efficient and can see a 40-50 patients a day, 5 days a week, you can generate a lot of revenue without operating. Having said all of this, most groups are probably looking for a surgical ophthalmologist, so it may take you longer to find the right opportunity.
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WELCOME TO OPTOMETRY!!!!!!!!!!😍
DUDE, I could not resist.........
---You can be a medical ophthalmologist (analagous to an optometrist with a medical license and have no statutory restrictions) and you can still slice and dice every once in a while! 👍
VOTE REPUBLICAN and save our country!
DUDE, I could not resist.........
---You can be a medical ophthalmologist (analagous to an optometrist with a medical license and have no statutory restrictions) and you can still slice and dice every once in a while! 👍
VOTE REPUBLICAN and save our country!
I'm an IMG and don't know much about opportunities in USA but I must say I've seen so many non-operating Ophthalmologists in England and Scotland. They do make a decent living, most of them are happy with their lives of cool 9-5 rota x 5 days a week. There are of course a few exceptions always complaining about being 'less than an Ophthalmologist' or becoming rather 'overqualified Opticians' (same as optometrists in USA) after years of training!
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come on man, dont try to turn this political...please...I'm not saying I'm for or against your politics, but I can only imagine with the opinions of you on this forum, you're not helping your own cause...
In response to one of the posts above, I have done about 40 cataracts so far and a smattering of other glaucoma/oculoplastics/strabismus procedures. I am worried about my career options if I do not grow to be more comfortable and like surgeries more (I admit, part of the discomfort is possibly from worry of being a less than competent surgeon thus far). Medical retina and neuroophthalmology are definitely considerations; however, the demand for these specialties does not appear to be great (I could be wrong)...although I would imagine the demand for these would be higher than that of a non-operating general ophthalmologist? I wonder what other career options there are...I love ophthalmology clinically and intellectually, would hate to waste a hard-earned degree in ophthalmology.
In response to one of the posts above, I have done about 40 cataracts so far and a smattering of other glaucoma/oculoplastics/strabismus procedures. I am worried about my career options if I do not grow to be more comfortable and like surgeries more (I admit, part of the discomfort is possibly from worry of being a less than competent surgeon thus far). Medical retina and neuroophthalmology are definitely considerations; however, the demand for these specialties does not appear to be great (I could be wrong)...although I would imagine the demand for these would be higher than that of a non-operating general ophthalmologist? I wonder what other career options there are...I love ophthalmology clinically and intellectually, would hate to waste a hard-earned degree in ophthalmology.
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In Connecticut, there is a HUGE demand for neuro-ophthalmolgy. The problem with it seems to be that it's not very lucrative for the practitioner. The evaluations tend to be long and there aren't a lot of "precedures" that are generally done to make it more lucrative. The majority of neuro people here in CT are at Yale (where I assume they are salaried) and a scant few private practitioners who just sort of do it on the side because they have an interest.
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Actually I agree with KHE that there is a huge demand for neuro. My residency program was located in large metropolitan area with over a million people and there are currently only 3 neuro-ophthalmologists in the area. 2 are in the same practice. The wait time to get a non-urgent appointment was several months. As KHE said not a lot of people want to do it because you cannot see many patients during an average day and this makes it difficult to earn what a typical ophthalmolgist would make. Most neuro people are employed by large multi specialty groups or universities so a base salary can offset this.
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I just started private practice in medical retina. There is definitely a market, though you have to search for it. You can't simply look for ads in the throw-aways or consult a head-hunter. You need to probe prospective areas and do some market analyses on your own. Find a need and fill it. I joined a large comprehensive group, allowing them to keep all the medical retina revenue (which is 80-90% of retina nowadays) in house. Provided me with an immediate referral base, even for a 5-day-per-week practice. My number projections put me in the ballpark for 40+ patients per day, once the practice is built. That's just what I was looking for. You'll have more luck with that than trying to join a retina-only group. In the latter situation, medical retina tends to be the domain of the older docs, as they near retirement. They typically want the younger docs to do more surgery and surgical call.
As for the practice of medical retina itself, it enables me to enjoy a range of pathology and treatment techniques without a lot of the surgical hassle. While I didn't dislike surgery, I found it boring when straightforward and stressful when complicated. There wasn't a happy medium for me. Can't really say I miss it. Of course, there are those who prefer the OR to clinic. But sounds like that's not you. Check out medical retina. It may be a good option for you. Feel free to PM me, if you want more info.
As for the practice of medical retina itself, it enables me to enjoy a range of pathology and treatment techniques without a lot of the surgical hassle. While I didn't dislike surgery, I found it boring when straightforward and stressful when complicated. There wasn't a happy medium for me. Can't really say I miss it. Of course, there are those who prefer the OR to clinic. But sounds like that's not you. Check out medical retina. It may be a good option for you. Feel free to PM me, if you want more info.
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Other areas besides medical retina that are less surgery-oriented are uveitis, pathology and neuro, as has been mentioned. Neuro is tough as a going-alone practice because of the low volume--no seeing 50 patients a day--and the relatively low volume of surgeries. If you combine neuro with something else, orbit and plastics, for example, the calculus changes a little, but that is because of the added surgical activity.
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When you say painful patients, do you mean patients having unexplained pain or patients who are just difficult that no one can figure out?
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Both, really, some of the former being drug-seekers, secondary-gainers, depressives and occasionally people with real neuralgias. Difficult is diagnostically and personality as well, some who are personality disordered and others who are angry and frustrated that their problems aren't improving or aren't improving quickly enough.
Neuro is to ophthalmology is some ways the way nephrology is to medicine.
That is SOOOO correct! Renal patients have "woo" factor - they are generally not the happiest of people! "Dude, don't shoot me, I'm just a messenger, it's not my fault that you have BMI of 50 and have hypertensive AND diabetic nephropathy and tied to dialysis machine!"
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Can one get into neuro-ophtho via a neurology residency, or is that domain of ophtho only?
Also, (rhetorically) why is it abbreviated "ophtho" when it's actually spelled ophthalmology?
Also, (rhetorically) why is it abbreviated "ophtho" when it's actually spelled ophthalmology?
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1. Yes. That is a common pathway, and there are both neurology-trained and ophthalmology-trained people as members in NANOS, which is the largest neuro-ophthalmology subspecialty organization in North America.
2. Maybe just because it is easier to say than if you ended it with an "a"?
Hello, I have seen your post of many years ago and now I figure you must be qualified and working. is it possible to share what turn you finally took and how you feel about your career. Am currently at a career roadblock and feel quite frustrated. I have been practicing for 5 years and i love ophthalmology but truth be told i don't like the surgical part. I go through it like a bad routine. Someone please help me, what can i do about my career right now, are there feasible options for me?
thank you
thank you
Depends on the practice. My partner is an older ophtho who refers all surgical cases to me. Win-win for both.
Are you in a solo practice? Have you talked to your associate about how you feel? Talk to another ophtho in the area about surgical referral?
Welcome to SDN. Good luck.
Are you in a solo practice? Have you talked to your associate about how you feel? Talk to another ophtho in the area about surgical referral?
Welcome to SDN. Good luck.
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I've seen AAO job posting for medical ophthalmologists to take care of inpatient consults or general ophthalmology. Also some neuro-ophthalmologists I know don't operate.
You could go non-clinical and become a consultant or something...
You could go non-clinical and become a consultant or something...
