research advice

[mnm10]

hi there,

I am interested in ophtho and anesthesia, and am on two ophtho projects. I am an MS1 and am leaning more towards anesthesia, and given that it is becoming more competitive, I was wondering if I should join an anesthesia project. Additionally, if i did transition to anesthesia, would it be a red flag that i did ophtho research? I am at a t5 for reference. Thanks!

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[FalconSlice]

hi there,

I am interested in ophtho and anesthesia, and am on two ophtho projects. I am an MS1 and am leaning more towards anesthesia, and given that it is becoming more competitive, I was wondering if I should join an anesthesia project. Additionally, if i did transition to anesthesia, would it be a red flag that i did ophtho research? I am at a t5 for reference. Thanks!

Not exactly directed at you but a general rhetorical question: when did people start thinking anesthesia is a competitive specialty? Of course recently more competitive than it was in the immediately preceding years, BUT it’s still easily attainable and nowhere near the worry plastic surgery or ENT should induce (Ophtho is mildly competitive but still…).

Anyway to answer your questions:
- sure do anesthesia research IF you like and want to do it (I.e. NOT for a box-checking, CV filler).
- Anesthesia is not that crazy. Just be a chill person.
- no one will care you did Ophtho research in addition to anesthesia research.

 

[Rachapkis]

Residencies understand that med students often change their area of interest between starting and finishing medical school. Pursue the projects that interest you with passion and determination and the rest will follow.

 

[operaman]

Surgery -> anesthesia is one of the most well trod paths in medicine. Shoot, if I wasn’t doing ent I think I’d probably be doing anesthesia too if I could. Nobody will thinking anything of it.

The only way it could be a red flag is if it looks like you’re dual applying both Ophtho and anesthesia as a backup. Thats easy to fix though: have your Ophtho research mentor write you a letter saying why you’d be a great anesthesiologist (or whatever field you end up pursuing).

 

[MDMechEngr]

Not exactly directed at you but a general rhetorical question: when did people start thinking anesthesia is a competitive specialty? Of course recently more competitive than it was in the immediately preceding years, BUT it’s still easily attainable and nowhere near the worry plastic surgery or ENT should induce (Ophtho is mildly competitive but still…).

The true SF match rate for opthal in 2024 for MD was around 67% and <30% for DO. SF match has not published 2025 data yet, but it looks worse than last year because the number of applications increased significantly this year. I would not call that mildly competitive.

OP: If you change your mind and want to do anesthysiology instead of opthal, you will need to communicate that to programs in a convincing manner. As stated above, a letter from your mentor/opthal/anes program will be a plus. You will be asked about opthal during your anes interviews.

 

[FalconSlice]

The true SF match rate for opthal in 2024 for MD was around 67% and <30% for DO. SF match has not published 2025 data yet, but it looks worse than last year because the number of applications increased significantly this year. I would not call that mildly competitive.

OP: If you change your mind and want to do anesthysiology instead of opthal, you will need to communicate that to programs in a convincing manner. As stated above, a letter from your mentor/opthal/anes program will be a plus. You will be asked about opthal during your anes interviews.

Only looking at match rate is not enough to comment on competitiveness as a whole. 67% is not great, but what are the average step two scores, average number of applicants that are AOA, number of publications, etc. these data are not available through the SF match currently. but ask any ophthalmology applicants and they’ll tell you compared to ENT, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, etc. yes, ophthalmology is “relatively Mildly competitive” but you are right in that. It is much more competitive than Anesthesiology

 

[ophthoaspirant]

I hear rumors that RY opportunities for MD-only students have significantly reduced due to funding uncertainty/cuts. Is that true? How will it affect students interested in competitive specialties like Ophtho? Will it incentivize more students to choose MD-PhD path?

 

[kamikaze1992]

Only looking at match rate is not enough to comment on competitiveness as a whole. 67% is not great, but what are the average step two scores, average number of applicants that are AOA, number of publications, etc. these data are not available through the SF match currently. but ask any ophthalmology applicants and they’ll tell you compared to ENT, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, etc. yes, ophthalmology is “relatively Mildly competitive” but you are right in that. It is much more competitive than Anesthesiology

As an ophtho applicant this year, I would say ophtho's competitiveness has increased by quite a lot over the last few years. Everyone has great stats (and that's not the difficult thing). If you look at avg stats from excel spreadsheets, the avg STEP2 from applicants for the last few years hover between 255-260, and anecdotally, the difference in the STEP2 between matched vs unmatched is minimal, which is scary. All the folks applied in my year were AOA. I know a handful of folks who didn't match this year, and matched at great programs for their second choices. I would say for US MD, optho is around the same ball park ortho. I would say ENT and urology have gotten less competitive over the years (but of course still very competitive due to the small residency sizes).



To answer OP's question tho, I would try to keep an open mind and focus on preparing for the most competitive specialties out of the two (ie ophtho). The best way is to build connection with 1-2 influential faculty members in ur department, and maybe work a few 1-2 long term research projects (ideally IRB-driven chart reviews). The best formula for matching well is to do well on STEP2 + being in first quartile (+ connections, which is a huge X factor in ophtho, which can be achieved by great letters/ppl making phone calls + doing well on aways (strategically)), and you should be good to go (assuming u have good letters). Publications in ophtho is merely a tool for networking with ur LOR writer. There are plenty of top tier applicant who matched at top programs with minimal to zero publications, so don't sweat it too much.

I don't think u need to specifically do research for anesthesia per se. If you decide to apply to anesthesia in the end, you can simply not list ur ophtho pubs or prepare to have a story on how ur clinical interest changed over the years during ur interviews.

 

[TwoDogMed]

OP: ^^^ this.

Ophtho cares more about the quality of research and 1st author pubs in high impact journals. Ophtho matched applicants stats (Step2, AOA, class rak, etc..) are up there with Dermo and ENT. But would say that ENT and ortho are more research heavy. But Ophtho has gotten extremely competive recently because it is a speciality with work life balance and pay that is approaching dermo.

 

[ophthoaspirant]

OP: ^^^ this.

Ophtho cares more about the quality of research and 1st author pubs in high impact journals. Ophtho matched applicants stats (Step2, AOA, class rak, etc..) are up there with Dermo and ENT. But would say that ENT and ortho are more research heavy. But Ophtho has gotten extremely competive recently because it is a speciality with work life balance and pay that is approaching dermo.

We may see more MD-PhDs go into these competitive specialties.

 

[thetenthletter]

Is it really necessary to get an LOR from a research mentor in X field you were involved in to describe specialty switch to Y field?

Eg, if one did both ENT and IM research, and decided to apply IM - wouldn’t it make more sense to just get a research LOR from your IM PI in addition to the standard two additional LORs for IM?

I can see it being important if you did something like >90% of your research in ENT. I struggle to see how an ENT PI can vouch for your potential as a IM resident better than a IM PI.