When is it too late to decide to go ophtho?

[Dr.Bevo]

3rd year here.

I recently became interested in ophtho. Looking through the matched applicants database on this forum, I think my grades and board scores would be competitive to match, but I certainly lack the research within the field and other ophtho type experience that others seem to have so much of. And looking at the calender, I'll have a pretty short time to acquire much in this department.

Are there any out there who got a pretty late start on this side of their application and still did okay in the match? I'd love to hear what you did to bring up this end of your app on a short term basis.

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[babyblue_39]

I began thinking about it late March, didn't really decide till mid-April. Others did even later: early June, mid-August. Don't know how things worked out for the mid-August person, but otherwise you should be fine. Just work what you got and good luck.

 

[Paulie]

I guess you can say I'm a late bloomer.
Decided to apply in August - got my application in 1 week after the "target deadline".
Got into a great, great program. I'm very happy.

I considered taking a year to do research but under some advisement, decided to just go for it. Glad I did and at this point in the game you still have plenty of time.

Don't get me wrong though. The earlier you do decide, generally the better. Maybe I would have gotten a few more interviews if I was in an earlier "batch". I just want to make the point that even August is still not too late.

 

[IEye]

It is never too late. I've heard of residents in their 40's, residents who changed from good fields, residents who changed from lousy fields, foreign medical graduates that are already trained in ophthalmology (some of them lying and promising to go back to their home countries after ophthalmology residency then not going back), MD's who recently finished residency in another specialty (usually internal medicine), etc.