Ohio State University - Havener Eye Institute
This program ended up among my highest ranked programs. There are 6 residents per year. The PD mentioned that they have been approved for a 7th spot (aka they have very good clinical and surgical volume) but that he is hesitant to add another resident at this point. The PD is extremely friendly and easy to talk to. The chair is on the quieter side and humble. 32 full time clinical faculty (currently recruiting a few more). Dozens more community faculty members. 5 dedicated research faculty. My interviewers were engaging and fun and I am convinced that many of them would make excellent mentors in residency.
Facilities: Beautiful new eye and ear institute (nice resident lounge), OSU Medical Center with 1 billion dollar cancer center addition and OSU prison inmate clinic, Columbus VA, Dayton VA, and Nationwide Children's Hospital.
Fellows: neuro/plastics, glaucoma, cornea, retina, peds
Call: q5 week day and q5 weekends during first year, 4 months of q2 peds call during second year
PGY-2: 3 weeks of intro lectures, 3 months of subspecialty clinics, 2 months Columbus VA, 1 month Dayton VA, 2 months peds, 2 months consult service (that doesn't add up to 1 year… blame my notes from interview day)
PGY-3: 4 months peds, 2 months Columbus VA, 3 months Dayton VA, 3 months subspecialty clinics
PGY-4: 8 months of VA where most primary surgeries are performed (I have no clue about the rest of the year)
Surgery: 200 cataracts, 60 strab (highest peds numbers I saw anywhere)
Other: Daily 7am lectures follow the BCSC. Some third years go abroad with Dr. Mauger. Residents attend the Wills review course. Indirect, 20 and 90 are paid for by an alumni for each new resident with the understanding that one day when you are in practice (and actually making money!) you will support an incoming resident. I thought that was a cool system. The residents also mentioned that OSU gives them tons of books and a huge book allowance. "So many books that I had to buy a new bookshelf." Columbus is a bigger city than I expected. Surgical simulator located next to the resident room for easy access. Residents are required to complete modules on it.
Pros: Deep and personable faculty, supportive environment, strong surgical numbers, call is front-loaded, especially strong peds training (1-2 grads do peds every year), for the past few years almost every single resident has gotten their first choice fellowship (the PD keeps track), lots of research opportunities, residents seemed truly happy, good mix of autonomy and supervision, scheduled reading time during first year, 2 VAs
Cons: Long commute time to some training locations (1+ hour to Dayton VA, but you do not take any call on that rotation), low glaucoma surgical numbers, few medical student teaching opportunities for residents (this might be changing), no continuity clinic
