2015 Match Stats

[Newt23]

First, I want to say congratulations to everyone who matched today! I know it is an exciting day for you all, so bask in your accomplishments! Second, I wanted to start this thread as the incumbent poster, Rocketbooster, is unable to continue his/her excellent service of moderating this post. Using the previous format, which I found very helpful, I have added the previous template. Please share your experience!

The thing ppl want to do different this year is actually provide more specific details about the programs they interviewed. This will be extremely helpful for future applicants as the old Compendium list of programs doesn't get many responses. This might be asking too much, but it would be great if you could mention something about every program you interviewed at, including things like surgical numbers, fellowship match, VA, county/safety net hospital, location, opinion on faculty+residents, etc.

2014 applicants, both matched and unmatched, please fill out the template below and PM me or add your comments directly to the board. Thank you.

--Board Scores:
--AOA and class rank: if known
--Reputation of medical school: (top 10, top 25, etc)
--Research: (none, some ophtho with no publications, ophtho publications)
--Honors in clerkships: (especially surgery and medicine)
--# and where you did away rotations:
--# of programs you applied to:
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended):
--Where matched:
--Anything that helped your app: (ie: a phone call from your advisor to another program, big-wig letter of recs, MD/PhD, other degree, SDN Forum, etc)
--Comments on specific programs:

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[DrZeke]

First, I want to say congratulations to everyone who matched today! I know it is an exciting day for you all, so bask in your accomplishments! Second, I wanted to start this thread as the incumbent poster, Rocketbooster, is unable to continue his/her excellent service of moderating this post. Using the previous format, which I found very helpful, I have added the previous template. Please share your experience!

The thing ppl want to do different this year is actually provide more specific details about the programs they interviewed. This will be extremely helpful for future applicants as the old Compendium list of programs doesn't get many responses. This might be asking too much, but it would be great if you could mention something about every program you interviewed at, including things like surgical numbers, fellowship match, VA, county/safety net hospital, location, opinion on faculty+residents, etc.

2014 applicants, both matched and unmatched, please fill out the template below and PM me or add your comments directly to the board. Thank you.

--Board Scores:
--AOA and class rank: if known
--Reputation of medical school: (top 10, top 25, etc)
--Research: (none, some ophtho with no publications, ophtho publications)
--Honors in clerkships: (especially surgery and medicine)
--# and where you did away rotations:
--# of programs you applied to:
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended):
--Where matched:
--Anything that helped your app: (ie: a phone call from your advisor to another program, big-wig letter of recs, MD/PhD, other degree, SDN Forum, etc)
--Comments on specific programs:

Ideally we could add the comments to the compendium. That would build on the old comments and people could see the evolution of programs.

 

[sushichopstickz]

I like the above idea. Can't believe it has been a year since I matched last year. It's an effing awesome feeling. Welcome to the club; major accomplishments everyone!

 

[Newt23]

I think that adding the program specific data to the compendium is an excellent idea so that in the future, folks can look there for program reviews.

If it's not too much, it may be better to make program specific comments in the program compendium and on this tread. The program compendium can serve as an easy to find update on programs, while comments on this thread will keep the conversation fresh and near the top of the forum

 

[Newt23]

Lots of views, yet no bites! I would be happy to start it off, but I am a 3rd year. If you feel uncomfortable messaging me, just add your data directly. I think it is helpful to get a sense for the experience ya'll had this year

 

[Newt23]

We have our first entry!

--Board Scores: 235
--AOA and class rank: top half
--Reputation of medical school: (top 10, top 25, etc) solid mid tier
--Research: (none, some ophtho with no publications, ophtho publications): couple of posters, 1 case report
--Honors in clerkships: (especially surgery and medicine): 2 HP, rest P
--# and where you did away rotations: 2 aways- 1 at U Michigan and 1 at UCLA
--# of programs you applied to: 70
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): 10
--Where matched: 3
--Anything that helped your app: (ie: a phone call from your advisor to another program, big-wig letter of recs, MD/PhD, other degree, SDN Forum, etc): luck
--Comments on specific programs:

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: 257, 262 (but programs likely didn't get step2 in time)
--AOA and class rank: 99th percentile, no AOA
--Reputation of medical school: (top 10, top 25, etc): top 15
--Research: (none, some ophtho with no publications, ophtho publications): one abstract presented; one abstract submitted; two papers in writing (but only first was likely in time)
--Honors in clerkships: (especially surgery and medicine): my school's equivalent of honors in all but peds
--# and where you did away rotations: none
--# of programs you applied to: 42
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): attended UCSF, UCLA, UCSD, UCI, UCD, Stanford, Kresge, Baylor, Emory, MEEI, MUSC, UColorado, NYEEI, Vanderbilt. did not attend: UTSA, Oklahoma, UMinnesota, BU
--Where matched: #1
--Anything that helped your app: (ie: a phone call from your advisor to another program, big-wig letter of recs, MD/PhD, other degree, SDN Forum, etc): strong letter from a faculty member who knew me well

 

[MedApp1.1]

--Board Scores: 265+, Step 2 not known
--AOA and class rank: not AOA, top 3rd
--Reputation of medical school: middle-tier school
--Research: zero ophtho research, a lot of non-ophtho research experience but it wasn't publication fruitful, only 1 case report in the editing process
--Honors in clerkships: honors in medicine, high pass in the rest
--# and where you did away rotations: 2 aways
--# of programs you applied to: a huge number, 90+
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): I was offered 20+ and attended 15 interviews. Some programs include Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri-Columbia, LSU-oschsner, Tulane, Ohio State, University of Wisconsin, UT-San Antonio, UT-Galveston, Texas Tech, Georgia.
--Where matched: my number 1
--Anything that helped your app: good board score. My LORs were from people who knew me well, and were very personalized, I had multiple people comment on them. My impression is that having a strong, personal letter is way better than a non-personal letter from a big wig. I also had some unique extra-curricular stuff that was frequently discussed

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: 243/247
--AOA and class rank: no/top 1/2
--Reputation of medical school: (top 10, top 25, etc) mid-tier
--Research: (none, some ophtho with no publications, ophtho publications): 9 ophtho (2 1st-author papers, some middle author papers + case reports)
--Honors in clerkships: (especially surgery and medicine): H in IM
--# and where you did away rotations: none
--# of programs you applied to: 50
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): 15 offered (attended 10) interview offers: UF-Jacksonville, NYEE, Maryland, Cleveland Clinic, Dean McGee, UTSW, UT-Houston, BPEI, Wake Forest, Case Western, Temple, South Carolina, IEEI, Vanderbilt, UF
--Where matched: #3
--Anything that helped your app: (ie: a phone call from your advisor to another program, big-wig letter of recs, MD/PhD, other degree, SDN Forum, etc): good letter writers and a variety of research. However, what I talked about most (and was asked about most) were extracurricular activities. I am into art and was asked about that a bunch, same with sports. Told my top 3 I loved them/ranking them highly (and I really did love them all just about equally) and my #1 that I was ranking them #1 before rank lists were due. Very happy with the result!

 

[sensejae]

I think something like the surveymonkey online surveys can be helpful in this situation. Just clicking several options is much more inviting in comparison.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZoC3n__pAQOJ_1HsgrKWvgp0AS9r3V3dTHXPI5gdPM4/edit?pli=1#gid=0

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GYZ5BGZ

Kinda like what the rad onc group did.
As Dr. Gawande says, it's always the system

 

[Newt23]

I think something like the surveymonkey online surveys can be helpful in this situation. Just clicking several options is much more inviting in comparison.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZoC3n__pAQOJ_1HsgrKWvgp0AS9r3V3dTHXPI5gdPM4/edit?pli=1#gid=0

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GYZ5BGZ

Kinda like what the rad onc group did.
As Dr. Gawande says, it's always the system

good idea. Do we have anything like this for our group?

 

[Bluesclera]

good idea. Do we have anything like this for our group?

I think sesejae wanted you to make one... lol I think google forms is how you set it up!

 

[melloyelloo]

--Board Scores: 260/262
--AOA and class rank: AOA, first quartile
--Reputation of medical school: (top 10, top 25, etc): Middle-tier
--Research: (none, some ophtho with no publications, ophtho publications): 5 clinical science ophtho pubs, 1 basic science ophtho pub, 2 non-ophtho pubs, several poster presentations including ARVO X2
--Honors in clerkships: (especially surgery and medicine): no honors at our school but top 10% of all clinical clerkships
--# and where you did away rotations: 0
--# of programs you applied to: 38
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): 26 invites - some include UofR, Yale, IEEI, Cleveland Clinic, Iowa, UMich, NYEEI, Wills, MEEI, USC, UCLA, BPEI, NYU, Columbia, Emory, Vanderbilt, Brown, UF, UF-Jacksonville, UCSF, UC-Davis, UC-Irvine, UCSD, Baylor, UT-Houston; attended 13 total
--Where matched: #2
--Anything that helped your app: (ie: a phone call from your advisor to another program, big-wig letter of recs, MD/PhD, other degree, SDN Forum, etc) Did not take time off, no extra degrees, came from Ivy League undergrad, amazing letter from someone who knew me since first year, coming from a school with a top ophtho program, unique ophtho research incorporating tons of community service during medical school related to ophtho, being personable and real during interview, obtained local scholarship for research and national grant award to start leadership program, basic science research but never published in high impact factor journal
--Comments on specific programs: Do not underestimate connections and phone calls no matter how amazing you think your application is and how 'nice' of a person you are.

 

[Eye Applicant]

--Board Scores: 252/256 (Step 2 taken in October)
--AOA and class rank: AOA
--Reputation of medical school: Average Midwest school
--Research: 3 non-ophtho presentations, 1 ophtho presentation, 1 ophtho case report publication pending at time of application submission
--Honors in clerkships: 4 honors out of 6 rotations
--# and where you did away rotations: 1 Midwest, 1 International (after the match), 1 East Coast (after the match)
--# of programs you applied to: 93 (No NYC programs, very few TX and FL)
--Where invited for interviews: 42 Total Invitations; Attended (15) – CPMC, Georgia Regents, Rush, Henry Ford, Kresge, Mayo, SLU, Ohio State, Utah, UVA, MCW, Colorado, Loyola, Emory, Bascom; Did not attend (27) – Kansas, Summa Akron, Howard, Nassau, Temple, Kentucky, Louisville, UT San Antonio, UC Davis, SUNY Stony Brook, U Missouri Columbia, LSU Ochsner, U Chicago, UAB, Wake Forest, Maryland, SUNY Upstate, UTenn Memphis, Indiana, Loma Linda, Vanderbilt, Geisinger, Penn State, Beaumont, UNC Chapel Hill, Brown, Cincinnati
--Where matched: #4
--Anything that helped your app: Strong and personal letters commented on by interviewers (“You have the strongest letters of anyone I am interviewing today”), a mentor who continues to be very invested in my career, away rotation at the program I ultimately matched at, unique athletic interests to which I have dedicated a large chunk of my life, well-rounded application, grateful and humble attitude

Some advice:

Personal statement – I kept an “ophthalmology journal” during third year. I wrote about patient encounters, skills or knowledge I gained, and advice I received from mentors. I used this to write my personal statement and I started writing early. I went through many drafts.

Mentors – Find them and form strong relationships with them. Ask previously matched students which faculty members make the best mentors. A good mentor can change your whole experience. I am SO thankful for my mentor.

If you don’t have a home ophthalmology department – You will need to take initiative. Get advice from students at your school who have matched previously. Use free days and breaks to shadow and form relationships with local ophthalmologists. I cold-called many offices, requested to speak with the office manager, and then asked to spend time in clinic with the docs in the office. 90% of the time this worked and this is how I gained most of my initial exposure to the field. I asked to be taught to use the slit lamp and the indirect. I spent spring break with a local residency program near my hometown and was able to work up patients for the residents. I attended a local research day and grand rounds at a DO program. I sought ANY opportunity for exposure to ophthalmology. I kept a journal of all of my experiences in ophthalmology and what I learned from each experience, condensed these experiences into a concise page or two, and then provided a copy to both of my ophthalmology letter writers (in addition to my CV and personal statement).

Step 2 – I took the exam in late October and not a single interviewer asked me about Step 2. In general, if your Step 1 score is above a 250 you can feel comfortable waiting to take Step 2. Maybe even above a 240, but average matched scores continue to creep up.

Future Rotations – The application was due before I finished quite a few of my ophthalmology rotations. Underneath the “Specialty Electives” section I wrote:
Retina elective at X Hospital (Completed start date – end date)
--> For completed electives
Ocular pathology elective at X Hospital (Scheduled start date – end date)
--> For electives that have yet to be completed

Two of my electives are taking place after the match and they both made for good conversation during interviews. They also demonstrated that I am committed to learning ophthalmology… even AFTER the match.

Interviews I wish I could have attended – UAB and University of Tennessee. I was invited to interview at both of these places, but I was forced to make choices due to scheduling conflicts. I have heard great things about both of these programs and it would have been awesome to see them firsthand.

Regional Bias – My interview offers came from all corners of the country, but I ultimately matched within my region. I’m not sure what to think.

Be a confident interviewee – If you are there, then you are there for a reason. Be confident (but not cocky)! At a few places I psyched myself out because I convinced myself that the interview was undeserved. I displayed nervous energy instead of confidence and truly killed my chances. Convey confidence, even if you feel like a nervous wreck inside.

Variety of interviews – Even if you are God’s gift to ophthalmology, go on a variety of interviews. Do not schedule all of your interviews at Top 20 programs. I know people who did this and did not match. It is risky. I am very satisfied with the variety of places I interviewed at.

Overall – I received wayyyyy more interview invitations than I anticipated. Very thankful to be considered for a spot at many great programs! I am so, SO happy with the outcome of the match. Best wishes to future applicants!

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: 249/247 (Step 2 not known to programs. Only two interviewers asked.)
--AOA and class rank: AOA. Probably top quartile.
--Reputation of medical school: middle tier, not well known outside of the region.
--Research: 1 first-author manuscript, submitted to ophtho journal right before first interview (not ultimately published). 1 non-ophtho poster presentation.
--Honors in clerkships: Honored everything BUT surgery and medicine. Ha. High pass in medicine, pass in surgery.
--# and where you did away rotations: 1. Very highly regarded Southeast progam.
--# of programs you applied to: 65
--Where invited for interviews: 14 total. Attended (11): Virginia Commonwealth University, LSU-Ochsner, UAB, Georgia Regents, UM-Kansas City, Tulane, Wake Forrest, University of South Florida, Loma Linda, UT- Memphis, University of Cincinnati. Invited but did not attend (3): Medical College of Wisconsin, UM-Columbia, Indiana University.
--Where matched: #2
--Anything that helped your app: Didn't have a mentor, or big wig letters, or another degree. I did have very solid personal letters that were commented on by interviewers. Interesting interview fodder: I did international volunteer work for a year, have lots of musical hobbies, these things were brought up at every interview. I tried hard to craft a powerful personal statement, that wasn't cliché (a couple interviewers commented favorably on it).

Advice:

Away rotations: I’d highly recommend doing at least one away rotation in a region you are interested in. I’m going to school in southern California, but home is the Southeast, so I wanted to match there (and did). As you can see, the majority of my interviews came from that region (applied all over). I did not end up sending out personal emails/make calls to programs. The only two things that were on my app that had any location tied to them were that I had done undergrad in TN, and did an away in the Southeast. I gotta think that the latter must have helped somewhat with convincing programs I was serious about coming back to the Southeast. I did not get a letter from the program (it was a little late) but even better if you can! In addition, away rotations make you a more intelligent applicant. Being able to compare/contrast your home program with at least one other program just gives you a better feel for what you are looking for in a residency.

The interview: For me, there were SO many interview encounters that had the following format:

First minute: “What got you interested in this program?” Next ten minutes: shoot the breeze about random stuff. (hobbies/traffic in the city/airport travel/Monday night football). Last couple minutes: “do you have any questions?”.

You must become a good small-talker! You must have LOTS of questions ready! At the program I ultimately matched at, a couple interviewers specifically said after the interview “you were so easy to talk to! We’d love to see you back!” Make the time in the interview fly, by keeping the conversation flowing.

AOA: This probably goes without saying….. but try your darndest to get AOA. At many interviews, I noticed “AOA” written in big letters on the outside of the manila folder they used to keep my application, or I saw “AOA” circled on my application with a red sharpie, ect. People commented on it too. It immediately sets you apart from the other applicants (unless you’re at Bascom, and errrrbody’s got it. Ha).

Regional ties: Regional ties to an area (family, origin, undergrad), seem to go a long way. Apply to regions that you have them, and “milk it” for all its worth at the interview.

 

[DrZeke]

.

 

[EyeSee1]

Reapplicant

--Board Scores: Step 1 212, Step 2 237
--AOA and class rank: if known
--Reputation of medical school: (top 10, top 25, etc): solid middle tier
--Research: (none, some ophtho with no publications, ophtho publications): 1 ophtho publication (first author in peer reviewed journal), 3 research projects in process, 1 poster competition 2nd place award, 2 abstracts
--Honors in clerkships: Honors in Psych, Family Med, OB/GYN. High pass in surg and peds, pass in medicine and neuro.
--# and where you did away rotations: Utah
--# of programs you applied to: 90
--Where invited for interviews (Four interviews for both the match and vacancies outside of the match, the rest just the match) : Offered 15, attended 8 (in bold): NYMC, Brown, Penn State, Baltimore, Akron, Albany, Drexel, Colorado, Buffalo, Minnesota, South Carolina, Washington, Yale, Michigan, MCW.
--Where matched: Found a spot outside of the match right before I submitted my rank list, at a solid middle tier program.
--Anything that helped your app: A great mentor, aggressive in taking on research projects, seeing them through to the end and making good connections. Doing an interesting prelim year and having lots of good extracurriculars, so I had lots to talk about at interviews. Not giving up hope.

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: 263, still waiting on Step 2
--AOA and class rank: Junior AOA, in top 5
--Reputation of medical school: top 25ish (I think; depends on the list)
--Research: 1 1st-author ophtho paper, 1 ophtho poster (ARVO), 2 ophtho podium presentations (AAO and AMIA), and one rad onc poster by the time I submitted my application. I had a few 1st, 2nd, and 3rd author papers that I was submitting during interviews
--Honors in clerkships: Honors in everything but OB/GYN (Near Honors, which I assume is equivalent to HP)
--# and where you did away rotations: 0
--# of programs you applied to: 46
--Where invited for interviews: 28 offers, attended 13 - Iowa, MEEI, BPEI, UCSF, Casey, DMEI, Cole Eye, Wilmer, IEEI/UIC, U Michigan, Utah, Scheie, Emory
--Where matched: #1
--Anything that helped your app: Strong home program. I had a really strong letter from my ophtho mentor, who is relatively well-known, and a very strong letter from my IM rotation. Both were mentioned often during my interviews. I also have an MPH, which was discussed often. A fellow I had worked with and recently graduated from the program I was interested in made a call to the PD for me. I think this helped a ton. I definitely agree with others that you should be yourself on interviews. In my application I mentioned that I am a beer and bourbon enthusiast and I was a little concerned with how this would be interpreted. However, there were at least 5 or so interviews were this was all we talked about!
--Comments on specific programs: I’ll do my best to go into the compendium thread and update those programs I interviewed at.

 

[Newt23]

Also, another SDN member suggested I be open to posting anonymous program reviews, which I think is a great idea. If you want to send along your program reviews to me too, please go ahead and do so

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: Step 1 - 249, Step 2 - 257 (available to programs)
--AOA and class rank: not AOA, middle third
--Reputation of medical school: middle tier
--Research: some ophtho with one case report
--Honors in clerkships: gen surg, ophtho
--# and where you did away rotations: 0
--# of programs you applied to: 61
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): 9 - GRU, Temple, Drexel, Wills, Rutgers, Geisinger, GWU, U Cinci, Nassau; wait listed at Emory, Vanderbilt, Stanford
--Where matched: #3
--Anything that helped your app: Would have done a few things differently:

Away rotation outside of region - majority of my interviews were regional.

Kiss more ass - difference between honoring and not honoring rotations which hurt my class rank and ultimately AOA. Was asked why my rank was so low as well as why I didn't get AOA with my board scores.

Don't worry too much about research. Kill the boards, honor everything, rank high, and get AOA.

Big wig letter and/or coming from a top medical school not needed.

 

[sjm5104]

--Board Scores: Step 1 = 251 Step 2 = 251
--AOA and class rank: if known AOA, top third of class
--Reputation of medical school: (top 10, top 25, etc) Middle tier school in northeast
--Research: (none, some ophtho with no publications, ophtho publications) 5 ophtho publications (mostly case reports)
--Honors in clerkships: (especially surgery and medicine) Honors in Medicine, Psych, OBGYN, Neurosurgery and Ophtho.
--# and where you did away rotations: None
--# of programs you applied to: 53
--Where invited for interviews: Was offered 30 interviews, attended 13 including, Iowa, Wills, Utah, Oklahoma, Upenn/Scheie, Baylor, UNC, Ohio State, Yale, Wash-U, Brown, WVU, Wake Forest. Did not attend list included: UCSD, IEEI, UTSW, UVA, MUSC, NYU, Georgetown etc.
--Where matched: My #1 Iowa!
--Anything that helped your app: Big-wig letter from the chairman of my home program which is very well respected, Gold Humanism Honor Society was actually talked about a lot more than I expected, AOA status always helps, and sending emails of interest to several programs where I really desired an interview. I also sent an email to my #1 program letting them know that I would be ranking them #1 and I think that really helped as well. Don't hesitate to PM me if you have any questions. Best of luck!

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: 247 Step1; Step 2CK not released to programs
--AOA and class rank: not AOA, top 20%
--Reputation of medical school: Top 50
--Research: 5 first author publications (1 of which was Ophtho related), 2 first author textbook chapters, 1 co-authored textbook chapter, 15 co-authored publications, several poster/oral platform presentations at national meetings.
--Honors in clerkships: honors in everything except high pass in medicine and OB-Gyn
--# and where you did away rotations: UW--I wanted to explore Seattle and also show programs that I was willing to leave my region.
--# of programs you applied to: 60
--Where invited for interviews: received 33 invites, accepted 16. Attended: Bascom, Baylor, Duke, GRU/MCG, Illinois Eye and Ear, Iowa, LSU-Ochsner and Shreveport, Oklahoma, Texas A&M/Scott&White, Tulane, UCLA/EyeSTAR, UT-San Antonio, UT Southwestern, Utah, Wilmer. Did not attend: UF-Jax, University of Minnesota, Yale, University of Mississippi, UPMC, Penn State, UNC, SLU, New York Eye and Ear, Arkansas, NYU, UT Houston, Brown, UT Memphis, UF Gainesville, UW
--Where matched: #2 (but had been my #1 for weeks leading up to the match, so I am thrilled!!!!)
--Anything that helped your app: MD/PhD (dissertation not related to Ophtho); three strong letters that were read to me on several interviews (one from my Ph.D. PI and two from well known ophthalmologists); a lot of leadership activities throughout med school (e.g., clinic coordinator, Ophtho club president, etc.); fun hobbies that were discussed at every program; strong desire to have a lab and continue basic science research; a lot of international mission experience (some in ophthalmology). I enjoy interviewing very much and just tried to be myself without the pressure to cater my goals to the program. In the end my rank list was fairly easy to make because certain programs seemed like excellent fits. I probably would have been really happy at any of my top 8.
--Comments on specific programs: I will update the compendium separately, I promise!

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: Step 1: 238 Step 2: Haven't taken it yet
--AOA and class rank: Top half, No AOA
--Reputation of medical school: Middle tier in Texas
--Research: 1 ophtho poster presentation, one research paper submitted to ophtho journal, several other projects in progress ( all ophtho)
--Honors in clerkships: All HP and P, no honors
--# and where you did away rotations: 2
--# of programs you applied to: 112
--Where invited for interviews: UT-San Antonio, UT- Houston, UTMB, Texas Tech, EVMS, Mississippi, LSU-Shreveport, Utah
--Anything that helped your app: I worked very hard to network well and to work a lot with my letter writers. I also did some away rotations and busted my butt. I took call 6-7 times with the residents. One program offered me an interview and I ultimately matched there. The other program didn't offer an interview.

 

[frezz219]

Huge thank you to everyone who already posted above. This info is very helpful for future applicants. If you recently matched please consider posting!

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: Step 1 256, Step 2 262 (available to programs in Nov)
--AOA and class rank: AOA
--Reputation of medical school: Top 25
-- Research: 1 ophtho oral presentation, 1 ophtho poster, 1 non-ophtho pub, 2 non-ophtho submitted, 4 non-ophtho presentations
--Honors in clerkships: Honors in FM, Med, Surgery, Psych. Pass in Neuro, OB, Peds
--# and where you did away rotations: 1 Middle Tier program in region
--# of programs you applied to: 75
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): Attended: UAB, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, LSU-Oschner, LSU-Shreveport, Mayo, Mississippi, Wake Forest, Ohio State, UTSW, UVA, WVU.
Did not attend: UF-Jacksonville, Kansas, Tulane, UMKC, SLU, Case Western, South Carolina, Texas Tech, UT San Antonio, UTMB, MCW, Oklahoma, MUSC
--Where matched: #2
--Anything that helped your app: Good scores, applying broadly. Doing an away at a program that was not a reach helped me feel more secure with matching and hopefully would have kept me from falling below that point on my list.

I would recommend doing your ophtho rotation as early as possible in the spring/early summer. I was able to push back one of my 3rd year rotations to do my ophtho rotation in May, and this allowed me to request letters early and turn in app in late July. Being in the first batch of applications released to programs is a big advantage but not disastrous if you don't make it in time.

 

[cms5423]

--Board Scores: 238, 251 (step 2 taken in September and distributed scores in time for programs to see)
--AOA and class rank: Not AOA, class rank-- Middle 1/3
--Reputation of medical school: (top 10, top 25, etc) solid middle tier
--Research: 1 ophtho abstract accepted but not presented at time of application, 2 non-ophtho publications, 2 non-ophtho abstracts/posters
--Honors in clerkships: Honors in Surgery, ophtho, psych, neurology, High pass (excellent) in the rest
--# and where you did away rotations: 0
--# of programs you applied to: 85
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): Wills, Wisconsin, Beaumont, Brown, WVU, Rutgers, Penn State, Sinai Baltimore, SUNY Upstate, SUNY Downstate, GRU (MCG), Geisinger. Did not attend: Stony Brook, Drexel
--Where matched: #2!
--Anything that helped your app: Gold Humanism, plenty of research, I was told multiple times on the trail that I had excellent letters of recommendation (letters from ophtho, peds, and IM),
--Comments on specific programs: please feel free to pm me if you have any questions about anything at all. Good luck everyone!

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: 262 / took Step 2 CK after the interview season
--AOA and class rank: Junior AOA, top quartile
--Reputation of medical school: Middle tier
--Research: 2 first-author basic science papers (non-ophthalmology), 8 abstracts/oral/poster presentations at national conferences (non-ophthalmology), 2 ophthalmology manuscripts submitted during the interview season, 3 manuscripts still in progress (1 ophtho, 2 non-ophtho)
--Honors in clerkships: Honors in all clerkships/electives
--# and where you did away rotations: 0
--# of programs you applied to: 53
--Where invited for interviews: Attended 15 (BPEI, UMichigan, UCSF, Casey, Emory, WashU, IEEI/UIC, Cole Eye, UCSD, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Colorado, Rush, Minnesota, Kresge). Declined 10 (UC Davis, DMEI, UTSW, UT Houston, UTennessee Memphis, Wisconsin, Indiana, Rutgers, UVirginia).
--Where matched: #1
--Anything that helped your app: Step 1 and AOA opened the most doors. Strong, personal letters of recommendation (2 ophtho, 1 IM) were nearly as important. Multiple people told me that I had great letters, so in retrospect I’m glad that I decided to ask letter writers who knew me well rather than the “big wig” faculty who probably didn’t know my name. I also had interesting hobbies and related life experiences that I highlighted in my personal statement. These hobbies ended up being the focus of most interviews (note: if you can bring in proof of your hobby, e.g. a picture, audio clip, website link, etc, I think it’s a tremendous boon). Finally, I spent 2 hours with a professional interview coach. In the past, I never considered myself a strong interviewer. But I think it’s important to learn how to sell yourself (while still being yourself). Many interviews told me “that was a great answer,” especially in response to classic interview questions.
--Comments on specific programs: I’ll get around to the school specific threads

And finally some quick (subjective) answers to questions I wanted to know during the application process:
—Should I take Step 2 CK so that it’s available for the application season? If your Step 1 is strong (>250-255), probably not. None of my schools required Step 2 CK to rank (I explicitly asked UCSF, and they said no). Nobody asked me about Step 2 (CK or CS) during interviews.
—Should I do away rotations to increase my marketability coast-to-coast? I’m based in the midwest, but I got plenty of love from the west and south. Not as much love from the east coast. Maybe an away could have helped, but I’ll never know.
—Do thank you notes matter? In my opinion, they don’t influence your rank at all. I sent a few at the beginning of the interview season and then stopped. Most schools will rank you directly after the interview day. Some schools tell you not to send notes.
—Do the interview dinners matter? While I was never under the impression that any of them influenced my rank, a few program directors made brief appearances. At other dinners, “attendance” was taken (either by pre-made name tags or the program coordinator being there). So I wouldn’t RSVP for a dinner and then decide that your hotel bed is too comfy to leave. Go and ask the residents all the taboo questions you can’t ask during interview day.

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: Step 1 250ish, Step 2 CK 260ish, Step 2 CS Pass (all done before submitting SFMatch)
--AOA and class rank: AOA
--Reputation of medical school: top 10
--Research: MD/PhD basic science, not in ophtho. Exceptional by straight MD applicant standards, but mediocre to good by most PhD standards. No ophtho anything.
--Honors in clerkships: almost all
--# and where you did away rotations: none
--# of programs you applied to: 23
--Where invited for interviews: attended BPEI, Cole Eye, Iowa, MEEI, Michigan, OHSU, WashU, Wilmer, UCSD, UCSF. Declined Duke, Penn, UC Davis, UCLA, Utah. Not invited to Emory, Wills, and the 5 or so mid-tier programs I applied to as backup.
--Where matched: my #1
--Anything that helped your app:
Very strong academic record from a name-brand school is really all you need. I had no big-wig letters, no ophtho research or away rotations. Everybody on here says they have "strong letters", I personally doubt this matters much (though of course people told me the same thing).Most important is that you have an all star academic record and can clearly articulate what you can contribute to the field. This will be the most reliable way of getting in the door for the interview.

Everybody on here says they "interview well", I personally do think this matters but that most people are wildly out of touch with how well they interview. I saw the most embarrassing behavior and conversations on the trail, so if people feel that that is appropriate for the down-time during interview day, God help them during the interview itself. Have interesting hobbies and be able to talk about them for 20 minutes, or to make small talk about your flights, the weather, the faculty office decor, whatever. But also be able to rapidly shift into answering the same 100 generic questions. Be consistent, you want everybody to feel strongly about you and get the same message so that when the committee convenes, there is a coherent picture of who you are as an applicant.

Please do yourself a favor and buy a well-tailored suit and a 300 dollar pair of real leather shoes. No penny loafers, no brown shoes with a black suit. Women, wear leggings if you are going to wear a skirt; one pair of earrings and no more. Don't bring those portfolios--they telegraph a lack of confidence. Plus they give you a folder the moment you arrive.

Go to the socials, each and every one. This matters, and if they don't actually keep track, you want to be able to say during the interview day "yep, I'll definitely make it tonight".

Thank you maybe matter if you're borderline, but I never sent a one.

Programs are playing the same game you are. Mediocre programs didn't even bother giving me interviews because they knew that they had no chance. So don't feel bad when you have to turn down interviews. Try to get a range of programs to play the odds. Similarly, send post-interview correspondence to one or two programs, but know that you may not be able to really take what they say at face value.

Have fun.

 

[DrZeke]

--Board Scores: Step 1 250ish, Step 2 CK 260ish, Step 2 CS Pass (all done before submitting SFMatch)
--AOA and class rank: AOA
--Reputation of medical school: top 10
--Research: MD/PhD basic science, not in ophtho. Exceptional by straight MD applicant standards, but mediocre to good by most PhD standards. No ophtho anything.
--Honors in clerkships: almost all
--# and where you did away rotations: none
--# of programs you applied to: 23
--Where invited for interviews: attended BPEI, Cole Eye, Iowa, MEEI, Michigan, OHSU, WashU, Wilmer, UCSD, UCSF. Declined Duke, Penn, UC Davis, UCLA, Utah. Not invited to Emory, Wills, and the 5 or so mid-tier programs I applied to as backup.
--Where matched: my #1
--Anything that helped your app:
Very strong academic record from a name-brand school is really all you need. I had no big-wig letters, no ophtho research or away rotations. Everybody on here says they have "strong letters", I personally doubt this matters much (though of course people told me the same thing).Most important is that you have an all star academic record and can clearly articulate what you can contribute to the field. This will be the most reliable way of getting in the door for the interview.

Everybody on here says they "interview well", I personally do think this matters but that most people are wildly out of touch with how well they interview. I saw the most embarrassing behavior and conversations on the trail, so if people feel that that is appropriate for the down-time during interview day, God help them during the interview itself. Have interesting hobbies and be able to talk about them for 20 minutes, or to make small talk about your flights, the weather, the faculty office decor, whatever. But also be able to rapidly shift into answering the same 100 generic questions. Be consistent, you want everybody to feel strongly about you and get the same message so that when the committee convenes, there is a coherent picture of who you are as an applicant.

Please do yourself a favor and buy a well-tailored suit and a 300 dollar pair of real leather shoes. No penny loafers, no brown shoes with a black suit. Women, wear leggings if you are going to wear a skirt; one pair of earrings and no more. Don't bring those portfolios--they telegraph a lack of confidence. Plus they give you a folder the moment you arrive.

Go to the socials, each and every one. This matters, and if they don't actually keep track, you want to be able to say during the interview day "yep, I'll definitely make it tonight".

Thank you maybe matter if you're borderline, but I never sent a one.

Programs are playing the same game you are. Mediocre programs didn't even bother giving me interviews because they knew that they had no chance. So don't feel bad when you have to turn down interviews. Try to get a range of programs to play the odds. Similarly, send post-interview correspondence to one or two programs, but know that you may not be able to really take what they say at face value.

Have fun.

Your story may be entirely true and you bring up some great points. It's true that many of us probably don't have a clue how we come off in an interview. Some people don't realize that their every move and conversation outside the interview can make an impression. These are excellent things to keep in mind.

Unfortunately your entire post is dripping with a condescending douche-mode tone that needs to be checked at the door. The reality is that most applicants will not have a perfect academic record like you, but they can still succeed and match at a top 20 program. I know that newt is posting this so people will be anonymous, but you know who you are....

 

[EyeSee1]

Your story may be entirely true and you bring up some great points. It's true that many of us probably don't have a clue how we come off in an interview. Some people don't realize that their every move and conversation outside the interview can make an impression. These are excellent things to keep in mind.

Unfortunately your entire post is dripping with a condescending douche-mode tone that needs to be checked at the door. The reality is that most applicants will not have a perfect academic record like you, but they can still succeed and match at a top 20 program. I know that newt is posting this so people will be anonymous, but you know who you are....

I was hoping I wasn't alone in this camp... thank you for saying this. Most people will not be in the boat of just needing $300 shoes and a name brand MD/PhD to get in at a program because their stats are flawless. And though you matched, there are plenty of stellar applicants who should not be advised to turn down interviews from mediocre programs that "don't stand a chance". Plenty of people posting stories of going on 15 interviews at top programs and not matching, matching at #15, etc. Things like good letters, research, and a well-rounded personality will play a strong part in the process for most (nearly all) applicants. You did bring up a few good points (albeit in a completely condescending manner), but for the love of god I hope no one tries to read your post as the road map to SF match success.

 

[dri]

Your story may be entirely true and you bring up some great points. It's true that many of us probably don't have a clue how we come off in an interview. Some people don't realize that their every move and conversation outside the interview can make an impression. These are excellent things to keep in mind.

Unfortunately your entire post is dripping with a condescending douche-mode tone that needs to be checked at the door. The reality is that most applicants will not have a perfect academic record like you, but they can still succeed and match at a top 20 program. I know that newt is posting this so people will be anonymous, but you know who you are....

I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with Dr. Zeke. Perhaps your post was some type of performance art to illustrate how "people are wildly out of touch with how well they interview?" There were a few situations on the interview trail where I had to do a double take regarding something another applicant had said, but it was fairly uncommon. I could count all such instances on one hand. In general, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet and make friends my fellow applicants... all-in-all it was an impressive group.

Very strong academic record from a name-brand school is really all you need. I had no big-wig letters, no ophtho research or away rotations. Everybody on here says they have "strong letters", I personally doubt this matters much (though of course people told me the same thing).

I strongly disagree with this. The bottom line is there are many paths one can take to match in ophtho. One path is to crush it academically at a big name school. Another path is to be involved with community outreach, extracurriculars, and research and to make sure you have letters from people who know you well. Just look at the various match documents that are circulating and you can see that there are tons of folks from "lesser known" med schools who did very well in the match this year. Also, letters definitely matter! That's why in every survey of PDs they are always in the top three to four most important parts of an application.

Please do yourself a favor and buy a well-tailored suit and a 300 dollar pair of real leather shoes.

This is silly/offensive. I ended up with a $350 suit from Men's Wearhouse, which they tailored for me, and a $80 pair of shoes from DSW... I matched at my number #1. A buddy of mine wore his med school interview suit... he matched at his #1. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident in what you wear. Have you seen how most academic faculty dress?! Not exactly what I would call fashionable. Most of my male interviewers were wearing their 10+ year old loafers on interview day... they don't give a #*!$ what you wear.

Go to the socials, each and every one. This matters, and if they don't actually keep track, you want to be able to say during the interview day "yep, I'll definitely make it tonight".

I would definitely try to make it to all of the socials if you can, but that will not be possible. I ended up missing two. The programs are well aware of the time constraints during interview season. That being said, they are a wonderful opportunity to mingle with the residents and to get a sense of the personality of the program. I also think that the very busy programs (e.g., Emory and BPEI) tend to weigh resident opinion more than some other places (this is an assumption on my part) and so these socials MAY be more important to attend. DO NOT LIE and say you are going to the social if you know you can't make it. DO NOT EVER LIE to a program.

Anyway, I'll stop ranting now.

 

[Corn Dog]

I would also have to agree. The anonymous poster mentioned above trivializes the match process. He might have matched at his top choice program, but I would not advise anyone to follow his recommendations for a successful match, especially if you are aiming for a "top" program.

Letters are crucial. In a small field like ophthalmology, stellar letters from big wigs can carry a lot of weight. This is not to say that these types of letters are necessary, however. Many people match well without big big letters, but nevertheless, they usually have stellar letters.

About the interview attire... It's really more about who you are than what you wear. Buy comfortable shoes, as you will be walking a lot. One advice that I do have about the interview attire is to wear a suit that fits. It doesn't necessarily have to be an expensive one. Just one that fits, as you don't want to stand out as the guy/girl with an ill-fitting suit. The interview is really about finding a "fit," and this has more to do with personality, personal interests, and vision.

 

[EyeSee1]

Does anyone know if there were any unfilled positions at the end of the match? Just curious, last year was only one and it lasted all of a few hours.

 

[Eyelovesurgery]

I wasn't going to post but I just feel the need to say a few things about the above post....

Thank you [notes] [may] matter if you're borderline, but I never sent a one.

First, I sent thank you notes to most interviewers, not because I was borderline but because I was genuinely grateful. What an honor it is to get an interview...even/especially if you only apply to 23 programs! The time and effort the interviewers give to you is definitely a gift, and, in my opinion, at least deserves a short thank you via email. Most interviewers responded to me quickly, and I felt like this helped me make a meaningful connection for future correspondence. It isn't necessary...but it's also not just for those who are "borderline."

Everybody on here says they "interview well", I personally do think this matters but that most people are wildly out of touch with how well they interview.

Correct me if I am wrong, but you never actually were in a room while another applicant was interviewing. Right? So, please stop making these generalizations based on a few judgmental observations while in an awkward pre-interview holding area. I am good at interviewing. Fact. Most people who got this far are. We work hard, and we know how to make conversation. I made so many great friends on the trail and I know most people probably were amazing under pressure.

So, overall....I'd like to tell future applicants that they should be kind. Be kind to others. Be kind to your interviewers. Be professional in all aspects of the process. Be yourself. Get good letters because you can, you've worked hard. Do an away if you 1. want to, 2. want to break out of a region that you've been in for a while, or 3. have an interest in a specific program. If you don't have stellar scores or aren't a good interviewer or don't have an awesome suit, just breathe. You can do it! Study hard for Step 2, get an interview coach or buddy, save up a little money to buy a suit that fits.

 

[Eye Applicant]

Mediocre programs didn't even bother giving me interviews because they knew that they had no chance. So don't feel bad when you have to turn down interviews.

Erm, I'm happy that my "mediocre" program is not anywhere on your list because it means there is no chance that we are co-residents.

So, overall....I'd like to tell future applicants that they should be kind. Be kind to others. Be kind to your interviewers. Be professional in all aspects of the process. Be yourself. Get good letters because you can, you've worked hard. Do an away if you 1. want to, 2. want to break out of a region that you've been in for a while, or 3. have an interest in a specific program. If you don't have stellar scores or aren't a good interviewer or don't have an awesome suit, just breathe. You can do it! Study hard for Step 2, get an interview coach or buddy, save up a little money to buy a suit that fits.

*Totally serious, non-sarcastic slow clap*

 

[North meets South]

Is it really necessary to have 6 separate posts jumping down the guy's throat? Just let people post their experiences through Newt (thanks by the way!). I personally find honest posts much more informative than some PC post the OP doesn't actually believe, regardless of whether or not I agree with everything he/she said. Cut the indignation and put away the pitch forks please. As "dr bacon" reiterated, "there are many paths one can take to match in ophtho."

 

[DennyCrane MD]

At the end of the day, the goal of this forum is to provide as thorough spectrum of information as possible. Each person can come to his or her conclusion. Regardless of the tone of the message, the anonymous poster still posted, and thus contributed to the website. He/she could have decided to just stay idle and rejoice the success of matching at his/her #1 program. That's better than 100's of by-standers. While this particular message may not help most applicants, another md/phd student from top 10 medical school with impeccable academic records can see the anonymous post and get something out of it.

There are 99 other messages talking about the importance of letters and publications, so people can see that and draw a conclusion for themselves.

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: Step 1: 258, Step 2: not available
--AOA and class rank: AOA, top quartile
--Reputation of medical school: top 30ish
--Research: 1 ARVO poster, 1 non-first author ophtho paper, 1 first author ophtho paper submission, 2nd authorship on many posters/presentations. 1 non ophtho 1st author paper.
--Honors in clerkships: all except surgery (P), peds (HP), and OBGYN (HP)
--# and where you did away rotations: 1
--# of programs you applied to: 48
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): Invited to 18: Arizona, Baylor, BU, Indiana, Loma Linda, Maryland, OHSU, Rochester, Stanford, UC Davis, UCSF, UIC, U Washington, Vanderbilt, Wayne State, WashU, Wilmer, Wisconsin
--Where matched: my #1
--Anything that helped your app: I really didn't have anything particularly special going for me (no extra degrees, no research year, etc), but had done pretty well academically and tried to be a well-rounded person. I had done lots of community work in addition to a decent amount of research, and it was nice to have a lot of different aspects of my application to talk about to different types of interviewers. Since I said I wanted to go into academics, I felt that my interviewers appreciated it when I was able to clearly articulate my role in my research projects and to explain the relevance and impact of my research area on the field. Other than that, interviews seemed pretty unremarkable--lots of smiling and small talk about your hobbies/activities section, so put something unique there for them to remember you by if you can. And think of lots of patient stories ahead of time to plug into behavioral questions "Tell me about a time when you had a _____ patient." Sometimes they throw 3-4 of those at you in a row and it gets challenging to come up with anything.

The process of getting interviews seems very random, but there were often (but not always) some connection with the places I interviewed at--they had labs with similar research, faculty who knew my letter writers, regional ties, etc. At some programs, it was obvious that they had already rated my application in categories like academics, letters, service, leadership, awards, research, etc, and I'm assuming they had invited me based on those ratings. So apply broadly to many programs, but you're more likely to get interviews at the places you have some connection to or if you have done well in the categories they value most.

As for Step 2, I would just recommend taking it whenever convenient. Even if you did really well on step 1, your step 2 score in unlikely to go down, so I wouldn't be afraid of taking it earlier if that's what is convenient. I ended up doing better with a lot less studying, so I almost wish I had gotten it out of the way earlier and not had to worry about it during interviews.

 

[guitarguy23]

Does having an extra degree help? I didn't really plan on trying to use this to my advantage in any way, I was just wondering if it makes a difference when applying.

My program was a MS research degree and I did well academically.

 

[JCallday]

--Board Scores: Step 1: 243, Step 2: 269 (took in early July)
--AOA and class rank: AOA
--Reputation of medical school: middle of the road (50-75ish)
--Research: 1 first author AAO abstract, multiple posters (3-5 I) not related to ophtho, 2 non-ophtho 3rd author papers, 2 ophtho projects in works during interview season which were brought up at every interview
--Honors in clerkships: all
--# and where you did away rotations: 2
--# of programs you applied to: 60
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): Invited to 27: BU, Indiana, UIC, WashU, Wisconsin, DMEI, Mayo, Emory, Utah, SLU, Rush, Loyola, Arkansas, BPEI, Brown, Yale, NYMC, GRU, WIlls, MEEI, MCW, UAB, Minnesota, Ohio state, UTSW, MUSC, Colorado. Went on 14 interviews.
--Where matched: my #5
--Anything that helped your app: I met a ton of great people on the interview trail and one thing we always talked about was that no one had any idea how interviews were handed out. Some great applicants did not get interviews at some programs and it just seemed like a mystery. So if you're really interested in a program do an away there, or send them an email stating your interest and asking if they accept supplemental materials. A few programs I got interviews at accepted a 4th LOR and all gave me an interview later down the road. I also had one extra curricular activity that was brought up at every interview. So I think it definitely helps when there is something else you are passionate about that doesn't involve ophtho and is something you can just talk about. Matching is a different story, I think LORs, who you know, and what program you are coming from are the most important criteria (after meeting the initial board scores, grades, etc. that got you the interview). I got a lot of great interviews that I had no geographic ties to and seemed a bit harder to break into those programs. I ended up matching at a program in my geographic region, but I know a ton of applicants that matched at programs outside of their region. PM me with any questions.

 

[Newt23]

Thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread! Two ideas. 1. If there are any "underdogs" lurking, please let us know your story, so we have hope in this process. 2. There hasn't been much movement in updating program specific reviews. If you have reviews of programs, please let us know!

 

[Newt23]

Shout out to Eye Applicant...you're killing it

 

[RasheedMD]

2015 stats updated on sfmatch

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: Step 1 - 204 Step 2 - 195 Step 3 - 192 (Ya...worsening trend...trust me I know haha)
--AOA and class rank: Not AOA...rank about top 40% of class
--Reputation of medical school: - average in-state MD medical school
--Research: 2 published ophthalmology case reports, one ongoing research study that wasn't published before application was submitted
--Honors in clerkships: none
--# and where you did away rotations: 1 away at school I matched at
--# of programs you applied to: 113 (every program)
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): only offered one interview at the program I rotated at
--Where matched: #1 (obviously, since I only had 1 interview haha)
--Anything that helped your app:

At the end of the day, I am a fairly good example that anybody can match into ophthalmology if you truly are passionate about the field and can demonstrate that to programs.

In medical school, I was the classic student who had no idea what I wanted to do. At first I thought, "I want nothing to do with surgery" and I was heavily leaning towards primary care since I really wanted clinic time, continuity of care, and to truly get to know my patients. However, after doing my gen surg rotation I realized that I actually loved surgery...and just wanted a good balance between that and clinic. At that point I started trying out all surgical subspecialties in medical school. Not having fit in ophtho into my 4th year schedule, I still had no idea what I wanted to do. Luckily, I had already committed myself to joining the military, so I decided to not apply to a categorical residency and just do a GMO tour...that way I could take more time to figure out what I wanted to specialize in while serving my commitment to the armed forces...This was the best thing I could have ever done.

While in my internship after medical school (required to be a GMO) I was able to do an ophthalmology rotation and absolutely fell in love with the field. At this point I knew that I wasn't even remotely competitive to match, so figured..."I have about 2 years to prepare for the match, so I better start working my tail off now." Which is exactly what I did and I think can be emulated by many other future applicants even if you aren't taking extra time (e.g. military service).

From the start you have to be honest with yourself about where you can match...sure I might have been able to match at Wills if I absolutely killed the rotation and became best friends with the PD/Chair...but let's be serious...everyone rotating there is probably killing it so it once again makes me less competitive. So I looked at a region/state I wanted to match at and found an average program (which I now feel is a hidden gem after rotating/matching with them) and put all my effort into them. (At the same time, we need to all realize that there are truly no ''bad'' ophtho programs...e.g. i have friends at top programs that left because they felt there wasn't enough volume or that they were being treated like trash and on the flipside I have friends at average programs that wouldn't trade it for a top tiered program based on how well they have fit in and excelled).

So, after finding the program I felt I would excel in and also gave me a decent chance to match into, I stated right up. I would email the PD/Chair (as far out as 2 years before the match) and express my interest in the program and even would stop in and meet/catch up with them every time I was in the area (my family lives around there so it was fairly easy). Knowing that just being friendly with the program wouldn't be enough I already had plans to rotate there during the app season so I could solidify my relationship with them. So I started working on that end of things...

I started working with ophthalmologists in the area during my free time, which wasn't very often. My job with the military at the time required me to be away for training or deployments about 200 days/year or more. So keep in mind, being busy medical students, you can find the time too. I would seek out as much hands on experience with local ophthalmologists as I could knowing that I needed to shine when I went on my away rotation. This at times was only one half day every 2 weeks. On top of that, my ''pleasure reading'' became ophtho reading...my car music turned into ophtho podcasts...I was 100% dedicated to the future away rotation I hadn't even booked yet.

By the time my away rotation happened, I hit the ground running. Even though I wasn't remotely the best applicant on paper, the PD/Chair and faculty all let me know that I was by far the hardest working, most mature, and most prepared person that has rotated through their service and that it showed I would excel at their program despite my academic record.

I ended up only receiving one interview...not surprisingly due to my low board scores. I am fortunate to have been able to rotate at the one program I got an interview at, because otherwise I would not have matched at all.

I know this was long and drawn out, but hopefully it is of benefit to somebody who wants a little bit of reassurance during the app process in the future if you are not an average or above average applicant. Feel free to message me if you want to talk further. I would be happy to discuss the process in further detai

 

[Newt23]

--Board Scores: Step 1 - 224, Step 2 - 244 (must mention that I don't think any programs actually saw my Step II by the time it was in, but I had it in my back pocket in case it was brought up .. no one asked; Step I was a true block to getting the interview numbers, and I am sure it may have effected my ranking at some programs. I don't quite believe that it is a level playing field once you get the interview based on some insight from PDs, most programs still care and take it into consideration when rankingunless you give them a reason to love you otherwise, and I don't just mean bt interviewing well. I think it is fair to say that once you get the interview you do indeed have a legitimate shot if you are able to show a specific interest in the program in other ways that can get them to overlook a score; not sure a 240 applicant will be discriminated over a 250, etc, but once you get in 220's and lower I think it is a concern)
--AOA and class rank: not even close to AOA, probably about middle of the road in class rank
--Reputation of medical school: average/mid tier med school, ophtho program with strong reputation locally which is fortunately what I was aiming for = med school rank does not always parallel the quality of the respective ophtho program and the ophtho guys care about the ophtho stuff (jefferson, bascom, etc)
--Research: 1 pub, strong research history with countless submissions and projects in progress, but I am not sure if anyone actually cared about it beyond me being able to speak about my research intelligently (most did not even ask), but to be fair I did not have any invites from strong research institutions to begin with
--Honors in clerkships: majority of grades in clinical rotations and core sciences were high passes, my peers are too smart and I couldn't quite get on their level and make the honors cutooffs but wasn't just getting by on passes either
--# and where you did away rotations: 2 aways and 1 home school rotation
--# of programs you applied to: 60-70
--Where invited for interviews (both offers and the ones you actually attended): only 5, only 1/5 was truly a "random" invite
--Where matched: #1
--Anything that helped your app: Away rotations = bottom line. Being an ‘underdog’ candidate per my USMLE score, it was about where and how I did my aways. I did not aim for top tier impossible to crack programs, I picked two middle tier programs with an excellent clinical training (who give preference to their rotaters) and where I knew I would be very happy. I mean this in the most humble way possible because of had conversations, without going into detail, I believe I could of matched at either program and want to point this out because I think this (perhaps false) confidence was strictly as a result of my rotations. Without the rotations I may have not even been invited to interview at these programs otherwise based on how the season went for me and my peers. Be likable, rotate well (work hard, but don't overdo it, no one likes an over eager gunner who will drive you up the walls and people can smell that quickly), get to know the decision makers at the programs you are rotating at without being a sleaze bag (this also involves finding out who is involved in the interview process, it is often not all the faculty); just be a normal interested student and target your time during the rotations effectively. Be on your A game all day every day (residents talk, seemingly unimportant faculty just might be, the nurse is married to so and so -- well, half kidding, but the point stands), there is no such thing as a safety program in ophtho for even a 260+/AOA/PhD rockstar. Every single program wants a humble and highly likable student who is teachable, pleasant, and will work hard and make them proud, in addition to this student also being someone who has shown a specific interest in their program … this is key, key, key, especially with ophtho's competitiveness creeping up every year, it is getting more rare to blindly match in a program without having some sort of tie and there are many ways to go about creating a connection for yourself (letter writers & mentors, nepotism , away rotations, etc). To be fair, not everyone can show well on a rotation, so if that is you but you have killer stats, be honest with yourself on this point and don't rotate, but don't underestimate the importance of the interview and make sure you kill it on interview day at the very least = your scores will get you the interviews, but they won't match you. Bottom line: you can have a 210 Step I and play your cards right and match, you can be a 260+/AOA and not match, I think many of us personally witnessed that this year, each applicant will have their own respective challenges in the process and it is about being honest with yourself, identifying your own challenges, and then just killing it from that point on. Good Luck, never settle for anything short of your dreams, we have all worked too hard to get to where we are to give up now, be passionate about ophtho and life (but stay humble) and make sure the programs can see it, that has been my motto and I think it worked out pretty well

 

[DrZeke]

Step I was a true block to getting the interview numbers, and I am sure it may have effected my ranking at some programs. I don't quite believe that it is a level playing field once you get the interview based on some insight from PD

I agree that it is not a level playing field once you get the interview. Programs are playing the game just like you and if they have a scoring system, the interview is not the ONLY thing they score. I think it's important to realize that a bad interview can break your application no matter how competitive. A good or amazing interview can bump you up, but depending how the committee operates, how they score applicants and how many people sit on the committee, it may not be enough to put you in the "ranked to match" category if you have a sub 220 step score. Therefore for those with lower scores, I agree the away rotations are incredibly helpful. It's not just a "long interview" it's a true audition where they get to see how you function within their program.

 

[ocularis]

I think this whole ranked to match concept is important to touch on. Talking to several people from programs I interviewed at, essentially all the schools are matching higher and higher on their own rank lists. The program may love you, and even rank you based on their love, but this may be just short of being high enough to match ("we loved you, ranked you very highly, but there is someone else we loved a tad more"). At some point, they would be happy with any of their top 5 or top 10 candidates equally, yet the program still needs to figure out how to order them on the rank list, so when all else becomes equal (and lets even say all of the top 5 or 10 rotated at this program or have shown a specific interest in some way, in addition to killing the interview -- and this is reality, not a far fetched hypothesis) .. sure, one can start looking at board scores, extra effort made by a specific student, extra strong rotation, special research, PhD, something that stands out, etc, etc. So these things still do count even once the interview is locked down, and you need to go the extra mile if you really care about that specific school or are nervous to match all together (which frankly, I think everyone should be to some extent). If a school has say 3 spots, they are often matching in the top 5 or even 4 on their rank list nowadays, this is becoming the norm, so they need to more than just love you ... they need to have a reason to place you at the very very top if you want a spot there. I know this doesn't apply to every single program, and I am making a generalization, but I think ophtho is becoming so competitive that it is applying to most programs nowadays, even the perceived 'lower tier' ones or the ones that don't get bragging rights on SDN. So be careful, every single program went completely matched this year and it is not a market in favor of the applicants ... these programs can mostly get who they want, and every single program is looking for the same qualities in a student. Give them a reason to want you, and you specifically.

 

[Eye Applicant]

Total number of rank lists (i.e. total number of people trying to match) = 644
Total number of matched applicants = 464
Total number of unmatched applicants = 180
Overall match rate = 464/644 = 72%

Average matched Step 1 = 243

 

[Newt23]

Does anyone have an idea how to determine what percentage of US seniors matched? (not what percentage of the matched were US seniors, as we can find that on SF Match)

 

[ophtho_applicant15]

they don't give you the data to calculate that unfortunately