How Difficult Is It for a D.O. to Get into a Strong Opthal Residency Program?

[jl lin]

As cool as ophthalmology is, I genuinely am not asking this for me in terms of a future field. I am asking it as a general question for my own curiosity and that of some others.

I mean, if it is difficult for MDs to get into such programs, how much more competitive is it for DOs, and is it more competitive now than say, 20 years ago?

Thank you in advance.

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[docta9]

It is impossible, not merely nearly impossible, for a MD to get into a DO ophthalmology program. There are a number of DO's every year that get into ophthalmology programs affiliated with MD medical schools. Not all of those programs are weak.

The strongest programs do eliminate people because of their medical school. I have a MD. I interviewed at a top program and one faculty member questioned why I had even been invited coming from my medical school, which is very decent, just not famous. That faculty member said that usually they only pick people from top medical schools.

 

[jl lin]

Thanks. So it is pretty much having to do with the strength/exclusivity (top) of the program, which is really an issue for everyone interested, unless they went to a top school and got top scores--both, not one or the other?

 

[ophthope]

It's extremely difficult for a DO to match into an MD/ACGME Ophthalmology program. It's kind of an open secret that a lot of programs just throw out all the D.O. applications with the IMG applications. Others might look at DOs only if they meet a high cut off level for Step 1. Search this forum for the myriad of threads started by D.O.s who tried to match for more examples.

Stinks, but that's the cold hard truth of it.

 

[EyeDR_oo]

It's extremely difficult for a DO to match into an MD/ACGME Ophthalmology program. It's kind of an open secret that a lot of programs just throw out all the D.O. applications with the IMG applications. Others might look at DOs only if they meet a high cut off level for Step 1. Search this forum for the myriad of threads started by D.O.s who tried to match for more examples.

Stinks, but that's the cold hard truth of it.

Silliness, anyone who matches allopathic needs a decent step 1. There is a myriad of all types who tried and failed. D.O. or no D.O. go for what you love. I never listened to people like this, and it did me just fine.

- Eric, D.O.