Ophthalmology residency

[OPHTHOI]

Hi all,
I am second year Internal medicine resident at top US residency programme .I am a Foreign Grad with residency in ophthalmology(3 yrs) back in my country.i wish to apply for ophthalmology residency now , just not sure how should i proceed and what are the chances of getting the residency?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[umsami]

I'm assuming you plan to start the application procedure this summer/fall, and thus complete your IM residency... unless you know of a PGY-2 vacancy?

Do you have Step III yet? That can be an issue with IMGs--as many have trouble on Step III.

Does your residency director like you? Will s/he give you a good reco? Is there an ophthalmology program associated with where you're doing medicine?

I would think that your chances are as good as any other IMG. Give it a try.

Know of a guy who was US-born but IMG....completed IM residency....did a pre-residency fellowship....and then ophthalmology residency. That could be an option for your transition year...as you already have it covered. Alternatively, as you already have an ophthalmology residency under your belt, perhaps you could apply for a fellowship targeting IMGs?

 

[neuronerd12]

I may be wrong, but as far as I know (hearing from friends), completing another residency will not exempt you from repeating intern year. One guy from Egypt (this one I know for sure) completed residency in Medicine and then matched in Ophthal (he had very good scores). He had to redo intern year. Part or complete, another discipline residency years will not count for board certification, that's what I know. Sombody knows from first hand experience?

 

[JMK2005]

I may be wrong, but as far as I know (hearing from friends), completing another residency will not exempt you from repeating intern year. One guy from Egypt (this one I know for sure) completed residency in Medicine and then matched in Ophthal (he had very good scores). He had to redo intern year. Part or complete, another discipline residency years will not count for board certification, that's what I know. Sombody knows from first hand experience?

Ophthalmology only requires an internship that has at least 6 months of patient care. This can be done in internal medicine, surgery, peds, family medicine. If you did an 3-year IM residency this would be sufficienct.

Was this Egypt guy's residency done in the US or Egypt?

 

[neuronerd12]

The guy from Egypt did Ophthal residency from Egypt, then moved to USA. He didn't get Ophthal residency despite having very high scores, but he matched into Medicine. He completed 3 years Medicine residency but did not write the boards (to avoid some sort of regulatory problems regarding funding during another residency), then applied to Ophthal and got matched. He had to repeat the intern year because he did not get credit for prvious 3 yrs residency, apparently once again due to some Ophthal boards regulations, of which I know very little. Admirable tenacity, I must say!

 

[Hemichordate]

The guy from Egypt did Ophthal residency from Egypt, then moved to USA. He didn't get Ophthal residency despite having very high scores, but he matched into Medicine. He completed 3 years Medicine residency but did not write the boards (to avoid some sort of regulatory problems regarding funding during another residency), then applied to Ophthal and got matched. He had to repeat the intern year because he did not get credit for prvious 3 yrs residency, apparently once again due to some Ophthal boards regulations, of which I know very little. Admirable tenacity, I must say!

How old was he when he finally became an attending?

 

[abu barney]

How old was he when he finally became an attending?

Hi,

I followed a similar path -- completed IM then applied ophthalmology. No you don't need to repeat an internship because you will already have completed the requirements. Keep your eyes peeled for open PGY-2 positions since the applicant pool for the those spots are already greatly reduced as most conventional applicants have already went through the match. Look for an ophthalmology research position or pre-residency fellowship after your IM residency to enhance your application and demonstrate your dedication to the field. You can moonlight on the side or do some hospitalist locums to make end meet financially in the meanwhile. Yes it's a long road but do what you love. Also the IM residency honestly definitely makes you a better ophthalmologist as well.

It should be mentioned that the money on the ophthalmology side is not as great as many think it is. A starting hospitalist job pays better and has a better lifestyle than most starting ophthalmology jobs. Just something to keep in mind before you commit several years of your life (if not your entire career) to an entirely different field.

Best of luck!

 

[ilyada]

Hi
I am actually in a similar position. Did my ophtho residency in my home country, doing a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship in US right now. I did not apply this year for residency cause I thought my chances are so low also did not want to be seperated from my husband who has applied for IM residency. Instead I applied to prelim and transitional year positions of the hospitals my husband has applied. I did not get any IVs, so anxious of what I will be doing next year, Cannot even concentrate and enjoy the fellowship. Any recommendations are appreciated.

 

[ophthope]

It should be mentioned that the money on the ophthalmology side is not as great as many think it is. A starting hospitalist job pays better and has a better lifestyle than most starting ophthalmology jobs. Just something to keep in mind before you commit several years of your life (if not your entire career) to an entirely different field.

Best of luck!

Thank you for mentioning this. I get the feeling that many of my fellow students and especially IMGs do not realize that Ophthalmology reimbursement is not very high. It is a wonderful, incredible, rewarding field of medicine but it doesn't pay much more than the hospitalists make and the hospitalists don't have to worry about practice management like ophthos do. This is not the 80s. You will not make loads of money doing this. Coupled with the fact that as an IMG by the time you match and finish residency you may have squandered many years of what could have been a productive medical career in another field... the decision is not easy.