What are my chances?

[ophthoplz]

Hi everyone,

Sorry to post another thread like this but I have been really struggling with my specialty choice and am wondering if I even have a shot at ophtho.

I am an MS3 at a top 10 MD school. Got a 257 on step 1. I was thinking about peds before third year so I have research in neonatology but no ophtho research although I am willing to take a year off to do research. My big worry is that I got a high pass in both medicine and surgery, and I go to a school where about 50% of the class gets honors.

Given those clinical grades and my lack of research (so far), do you think I even have a chance?

Thank you!!

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[DrZeke]

Yes. You most definitely have a chance. I would say more than a chance. Get to know your home Ophtho department, see if you can get involved.

You have an amazing step and you go to a top 10 school, that will be huge.


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[sheartdog]

You have great stats. Just do research aways and get connected to get good letters from well known faculty who could even go to bat for you and make calls, whether that's at your call or somewhere else. Scores matter but are not the end all, be all. Ophtho is a niche field and at the end of the day, connections can make a difference and well written letters from strong faculty can propel you over the hump. People take research years or months and have awesome chances at places like Bascom or wills regardless of aoa or scores all because of connections

 

[ophthoplz]

Thank you SO much for your responses. You don't know how much i appreciate it.

Since ~half the class honors both those rotations at my school, not doing so really left me feeling like I had screwed up my application! It's nice to know that may not be the case.

 

[Trichromatic]

You're an above average applicant. Below average applicants from Top 10 schools match well, and match to higher tier programs at that, so you'll be fine. Get involved with research and anything else that can demonstrate interest.

 

[Keratogonuts]

I scored in the 90+ percentile ... do I have a chance? lol