Sincere question: ophtho vs rads, which is more competitive?

[txrad]

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Hi,

I'm just curious what everyone thinks. A friend of mine is considering both fields. My initial take is ophtho may be a little more competitive. Then I looked at the 2006 match stats: for ophtho, 88% of US seniors matched, or 84.8% of US Graduates (seniors plus other USMGs) matched. Looking at the AAMC's xls file for ERAS and NRMP match data, that number for rads is 77.3%. Does it mean rads is more competitive? My gusess is that it's a close call. What do you folks think?

 

[eyestar]

Does it mean rads is more competitive? My gusess is that it's a close call. What do you folks think?

NO!

 

[victorkomd]

Please please please do not choose a field based on how competitive or not competitive it is. If you are committed to finding a spot, you must persevere and find one. If you are not committed, then, well, so be it. I did a whole 3 year medicine residency and still managed to find an ophthalmology program that would take me. It took a lot of legwork and some connections but it is possible.

Please base your decision on whether you really can see yourself as a radiologist or ophthalmologist. What would you enjoy doing day in a day out for the next 20 years?

 

[darrvao777]

victor took the words right out of my mouth

a) If it really is your friend that is trying to make the decision, then he should be trying to figure out what he likes and not enlisting you to scour internet websites for him

b) If it is really you who's trying to decide, then you have to figure out which field interests you more. I wouldn't pick such-and-such a field merely because it is easier to get into.

 

[Toadkiller Dog]

Allright, now with all the preaching out of the way, maybe we can actually answer the question.

Here are some facts:
1. They are both competitive.
2. Ophtho has about 450 spots nationwide every year, radiology about (I think) 1100.
3. Ophtho is Early Match, which means that you better know pretty early on whether you want to do that or not (i.e, you have to have your heart set on it earlier). It also makes it much harder to apply for ophtho and a backup specialty at the same time.

Here some conjectures:
1. Anecdotally, it seems that ophtho is tougher. There were some definitely mediocre applcants in my class that got pretty good rads spots, whereas even the junior AOA guys did not get their first several choices in ophtho.
2. Ophtho is more "self selective" (because of #2 and #3 above), which means that people don't apply for it unless they are pretty sure they have both the desire and the goods to match.
3. More people apply for rads as a "hopefuls"; i.e, they apply to rads hoping they will get in, knowing they are a so-so applicant, and to another, backup specialty at the same time (like peds or FP). This leads to the slightly lower match rate you quoted above.