Ophthalmology FAQs

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Ophthalmology FAQ's

This page includes honest and helpful advice from three former fourth-years who successfully navigated the selection process.

4th Year Advice

Residency and Applications

1)      What made you choose Ophthalmology?

Best combination of surgery and clinic, interest in being very specialized, mostly outpatient surgeries, little interest in working in a hospital setting, like the eyeball.

 

2)      What made you choose the residency program you are attending?

in region I want, structure of residency (mostly attending clinic), VA hospital nearby, large surgical volume, inclusive refractive surgery training.

 

3)      Any advice or information you wish that you had known before applying or completing the application?

Apply early, familiarize self with SF match website.

 

4)      How many programs do you suggest applying to?

Depends totally on your level of competitiveness. Honestly, that means Step 1 score to most programs. No less than ~25 programs, regardless.

 

Preparation

1)      What electives did you take to prepare for Ophthalmology?  And when did you take them?

I took a 2 week rotation 3rd yr, then 1 month clinical rotation 4th yr at UVa, then 1 month Research ophtho elective 4th yr at UVa. I took the 4th yr rotations ~July/August, so that I would know some ophtho before my away rotation, and so that my ophtho activities would happen before my SF match application was due.

 

2)      Any significant research, clinical or basic?  Publications?  If research in Ophtho, any suggestions about who is best to work with?

If planning on doing research at UVa, it will probably be clinical.  Research at UVa is mostly chart reviews and retrospective analysis.

3)      Away rotations/audition rotations?  Helpful/harmful?

Away rotations are a good thing. Yes, there is a chance you could look bad, but if you don’t go, then you remain neutral in the eyes of the program (ie. no different than the hundreds of other applications they receive). If you’ve identified one or two programs you’d like to be at, then do an away there (and do a good job). That speaks volumes about your interest in the program, and they’ll know you’ll really want to be there. Don’t worry about it harming your chances- you’re more likely to leave a good impression than a bad one- and if you really like the program, you should take your chances with that. When they’re sorting through hundreds of applications, or putting together their rank list, the fact you invested a month of your precious early 4th yr time at their program (vs. at another ophtho program) will carry weight.

 

4)      LOR in Ophtho?

Everyone at UVa is good. I would get 2 ophtho letters (my 3rd letter was a medicine letter).

5)      Who are the most helpful residents?

UVa’s program is small enough that all the residents are close-knit and very involved. The 3rd years are the best to tag along with, since they have more time and can direct you to interesting stuff going on (ie. particular cases in the OR that day). The 2nd years are (too) busy with their attending clinics, and the 1st years are (too) busy just starting out in ophtho. Later in the year (spring) is a good time to spend with 1st years, though.

 

6)      Any general advice you would have liked to know before starting Ophtho rotations?

Be prepared to mostly shadow. There is no real defined role for a student on the rotation (vs. medicine, surgery, peds, etc). There are no notes to write, no consults you can see, nothing like the rest of 3rd year med student rotations. Be prepared to mostly hang around the clinic and pick up random bits of info/knowledge.

  

More 4th Year Advice

Residency and Applications

1)      What made you choose Ophthalmology?

I first became interested in ophtho because of a close friend of my family’s.  I realized how much I enjoyed surgery during 3rd year, but I also knew that I wanted a specialty that involved a little more long-term patient care, as well as a clinical practice.  Ophtho is also a very technologically oriented field, which can be very exciting, ie there are a lot of gadgets.  Even the clinical examination of patients is a very active, hands-on process.

                      

2)      What made you choose the residency program you are attending?

I ended up in a very clinically oriented program, not nearly as much research involved as some of the more academically oriented programs.  More than likely I’m going to go into private practice, so a strong surgical experience was important to me, as well as knowing that I would have good fellowship opportunities should I choose to do one.  Geography was a big consideration as well.

 

3)       How many programs do you suggest applying to?

The average number of apps keeps ballooning, and I think this is hurting the process on the whole.  Unfortunately, its hard to be the one person who doesn’t overapply when everyone else is.   You have to know how strong of an applicant you are, but I think sticking between 30 and 40 is more than fine.

 

Preparation

1)      What electives did you take to prepare for Ophthalmology?  And when did you take them?

I took the general ophtho elective during the first elective month, studied and took step II during the 2nd month, and took the neuro-ophtho elective during the 3rd month.  This was a great elective and I learned a ton.

                                

2)      Any significant research, clinical or basic?  Publications?  If research in Ophtho, any suggestions about who is best to work with?

I was the odd man out who didn’t participate in any ophtho research.

                   

3)      Away rotations/audition rotations?  Helpful/harmful?

Also did not do any aways, but would recommend doing so if there is a specific program of interest.

                                

4)      LOR in Ophtho? Anyone to avoid?

Be sure to get your letters of rec from some combination of Drs. Conway, Tiedeman, and Newman.  These guys know people everywhere and their letters will have the most impact. 

5)      Who are the most helpful residents?

Just kind of have to judge this on your own.  There really isn’t any one to avoid, although some can be a little less interactive than others. 

6)      Any general advice you would have liked to know before starting Ophtho rotations?Be as active as you can, its very easy to slip through the cracks because unless other med student rotations, there is not a lot of independence.  Due to logistics, it is hard to have much opportunity to exam patients yourself, and you rarely get to scrub in in the OR, but always be prepared.  Sometimes, with the microscopic cases, the attendings will let you scrub and just watch under the scope, which can be very worthwhile.  Don’t be afraid to ask. 

 

More 4th Year Advice

Residency and Applications

1)      What made you choose Ophthalmology?

I’ve been around ophthalmology since my earliest memories. I will be the third generation and seventh ophthalmologist in my family. Family did have a large influence for me. Additionally, ophthalmology is a specialty that combines continued medical care, precise microsurgery, and a plethora of fun gadgets. It’s also a specialty that is all right in front of you; you actually see what the problem is, and there are often great treatment options to help the patient. In short, there is no other specialty that can be more gratifying.

                               

2)      What made you choose the residency program you are attending?

I wanted a program that would give me a lot of hands on clinical experience, at the program I matched, residents often serve as the primary surgeon in over 300 cataract surgeries, 50+ vitrectomies, and up to 15 PKs. They are the only academic center in the state and do not have fellows, so residents see a plethora of severe eye disease and have the opportunity to be involved in the care of patients to a greater extent than in most residencies. I liked that the VA was literally across the street from the University medical center making it easy for me to work at both without any commutes or three month aways. The faculty was the most friendly of any at which I interviewed; I could see myself enjoying learning from and working with these people.

            

3)      Any advice or information you wish that you had known before applying or completing the application?

I did not ever feel uninformed, but I would caution students to make sure they are fully aware of the program accreditation status. This helped me in my ranking process of residency programs, one program I interviewed at could have not existed by match day if they were not able to get off probation (they were of course dropped from my rank list once I found that out). Also, it is nice to know that you will get decent surgical experience, over 100 cataracts etc. Some programs particularly in larger cities or nicer locations (a couple in Chicago, one in Minnesota, and a few others around the country) are not able to offer their residents much more than 55-60 cataract surgeries, or if they are they do so by making you move half way across the country for 4-6 months.

                        

4)      How many programs do you suggest applying to?

I applied to about the average nationally, ~40.

                       

Preparation

1)      What electives did you take to prepare for Ophthalmology?  And when did you take them?

 Some areas outside ophthalmology that are important to get some exposure to are Endocrinology (October), Anesthesia (March/April), Rheumatology (did not take), Neurology (January), Neurosurgery (third year), Radiology (did not take), general medicine (September). A smattering of the list above and exploring other personal interests is valuable for your fourth year experience.

                          

2)      Any significant research, clinical or basic?  Publications?  If research in Ophtho, any suggestions about who is best to work with?

Ghazi always has projects going. Newman always has a project he could use help with, and Dr. Prum may have a few things going too. Just ask around, most of the faculty have research interests they would pursue if they were to have an interested and committed student to help.

                 

3)      Away rotations/audition rotations?  Helpful/harmful?

The only way an away will really impact your application is if you go to a program where you do a meaningful research project that you get published or present at a meeting.  As long as you don’t turn the people off, it can’t hurt to rotate at a program that you have a particular interest in for your residency.

I loved my away rotation at Utah, it’s an incredible program, very different in size and structure compared with UVA, and it was beneficial for me to see something different, and learn from some great teachers. Honestly, it did not help at getting me an interview with them or anyone else, but it was my favorite rotation and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

                   

4)      LOR in Ophtho?

I would avoid people who don’t know you well. It is not harmful to have LORs from people not well known in the field, but they certainly do not carry as far. Programs receive 400 nearly identical applications for around 40 interview spots and sometimes the thing that gets you an interview over that other qualified candidate is that they know Dr. Tiedeman, Dr. Conway, Dr. Newman, etc.

                   

5)      Who are the most helpful residents?

I like all the folks that will be chiefs for you all. I would stick with the chiefs, and work with Ghazi when you can. If your working on getting a letter from a more senior faculty member, make sure you work with them enough that they know you before you ask for a letter.

          

6)      Any general advice you would have liked to know before starting Ophtho rotations?

Get yourself a book to let you know the basics and really know it. The one they give out with the course from the AAO is fine and takes about two sittings to get through, or go and get a good quick read from the bookstore, Ophtho made ridiculously simple. If you know the stuff in those you’ll come across as interested in ophthalmology and you won’t make a complete fool of yourself. The residents and attendings are reasonable people, and they don’t expect much more than that.