Frequently Asked Questions on Applying for Residency
How do I begin the application process?
How do I decide where to apply?
What do ophthalmology program directors look for in an applicant?
What about the PGY-1 (internship) year?
How should I schedule my interviews?
What information about residency training programs is available on the Web?
How do I begin the application process? First, register with the SF Matching Program. The SF Matching Program is administered by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology. You will receive instructions for using the Central Application Service (CAS). All applications must be processed through CAS.
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How do I decide where to apply? First, consider your own needs and priorities. (Some applicants have overriding geographic concerns that guide their application process.) Next, seek the advice of faculty and residents in your own ophthalmology department to obtain information about various programs and to help you match your own personal interests and academic strengths with the various departments. Write to those programs in which you are potentially interested and ask for descriptive information.
After reviewing this information, apply to the programs that interest you. Keep in mind that no program is necessarily beyond your reach. While it may be easier to be accepted into some programs than others, consider applying to those programs in which you have a serious interest.
The average applicant applies to 20-30 programs, resulting in an average of six or seven interviews. If the program offered you an interview, would you go? There is little statistical benefit in applying to more programs. Remember that your success in obtaining a position depends on your credentials, not on the number of interviews. On the other hand, any applicant, regardless of academic record, is unwise to apply only to a very few programs.
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What do ophthalmology program directors look for in an applicant? Each program evaluates applicants according to slightly different criteria. All residency programs are concerned with past academic performance (including results of standardized measures of achievement such as national boards), a well-founded interest in ophthalmology, and promising personal characteristics and work habits (as reflected in letters of recommendation). Some programs may place importance on additional factors, such as research experience or career goals. It is easiest to answer this question by considering the perspective of the program director. He or she will have to work with you for three years--interacting academically, professionally, and personally. If you were the director, how would you evaluate resident candidates?
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What about the PGY-1 (internship) year? All ophthalmology residency training programs require satisfactory completion of the first postgraduate clinical year (PGY-1) in an accredited program. At a minimum, six months of the year should provide a broad experience in direct patient care. In general, most future ophthalmology residents pursue PGY-1 training in internal medicine, in a transitional program, or in pediatrics. Since the results are available before the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) forms are due, you will know where you will begin your ophthalmology residency before needing to rank your PGY-1 choices. You may wish to contact the ophthalmology program to which you match regarding that program's preferences.
As long as the PGY-1 program is accredited, few ophthalmology training programs attempt to direct a student's choice. Some programs consider it advantageous to pursue the PGY-1 year at the same institution as the ophthalmology residency, permitting the future resident to learn the system before starting an ophthalmology residency. This is generally not crucial, however, and the applicant should be concerned primarily with acquiring good training.
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How should I schedule my interviews? Most ophthalmology residency programs conduct their interviews in November and December. Most programs interview only a small fraction of their total number of applicants. Some will interview candidates in large groups and some will interview only a few on a given day. Some schedule only a single short interview session and others will construct a full-day program with multiple interviews.
Ophthalmology training programs recognize and appreciate that applicants have limited time available for interviews and they also recognize the cost of the interview process to the applicant. Once a program has decided to interview an applicant, it will generally try to be flexible in scheduling. However, remember that each program has only a limited number of interview days available and will therefore have limited flexibility. After you have been called for your first interviews, contact other programs to which you applied in the same geographic area. Since travel to and from interviews can be costly, it may be possible to arrange interviews so that a minimum of expensive air travel is necessary.
Be aware, however, that some programs may be unable to accommodate your request, since interviews are often scheduled well in advance and only on certain days of the week. Do not take this as a sign of lack of interest in your candidacy. Also, since administrative errors and incomplete applications (e.g., absent letters of recommendation) can occur, call the program if you are unsure of the status of your application. If possible, when traveling to an unfamiliar city for an interview, give yourself some free time to explore the city so that you can evaluate not only the program, but its environment as well. Check to see if the program has made arrangements for discounted housing or transportation to and from housing locations.
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What information about residency training programs is available on the Web? Many universities with training programs in ophthalmology offer descriptions on their Web sites.
