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- Sep 24, 2015
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Hey everyone. Im a MS-3 at a DO school, new to the forum. Any inputs are much appreciated.
background:
-Class rank: 3 / 230
-step 1: 251
-comlex level 1: 682
-research: 2 separate non-ophtho poster presentations at home institution during 2nd year. Presenting another poster at AMA next month. Currently working on a 9 page ophtho review article on the major ocular diseases that will hopefully be published by 2 / 2016. If it gets published, which I am fairly confident it will based on the backing of my mentor who is very well regarded in the research world, then I will present at ARVO next year.
-currently shadowing a Hopkins trained MD ophthalmologist currently so will have a letter from him, a LOR from my ophtho research mentor, and a core rotation LOR. the shadowing I do between my core rotations is helping me learn the basics of how to use the slit lamp and do a basic eye exam.
I am confused about the logistics of doing away rotations at AOA vs ACGME ophtho programs. AOA programs tend to only accept students that have rotated with them, but being a DO, rotating at ACGME programs is also critical I imagine so they can see for themselves what kind of applicant you are and can better compare you against MDs. I went to the osteopathic ophtho conference 2 weeks ago and the bottom line message I got there is that there are only 3 AOA ophtho programs that are worth applying to considering all the talks about the merger. The others may or may not make it post-merger so its not worth the risk. My specific questions:
Should i do 4 away rotations at acgme programs or split it 2 and 2 between AOA and ACGME?
and if I am to do all ACGME programs, then I am essentially choosing to forfeit any chance I may have at an AOA program, right?
If i do all acgme aways, how can i strategically choose the right programs to rotate at? I would have to consider the following:
1) which MD programs would automatically not look at my app just bc I’m a DO, regardless of how fairly competitive numbers;
2) of the programs that don’t automatically screen out DOs, which programs would I be pretty competitive for based on my numbers; and
3) should I do an away at a program that is definitely a reach for me, just so I might get a LOR from a ‘big wig’? Is it even worth it to risk an entire away at a program where u know your chances are slim to none, just for that LOR that you MAY or MAY NOT get?
And not to mention the fact that I have no idea who these ‘big wig’ people are in ophthalmology. I am not asking you all to do my research for me but I am not sure where to even start to recognize names of these big wigs.
sorry for the million questions…. should I even go for it? So complicated :/
background:
-Class rank: 3 / 230
-step 1: 251
-comlex level 1: 682
-research: 2 separate non-ophtho poster presentations at home institution during 2nd year. Presenting another poster at AMA next month. Currently working on a 9 page ophtho review article on the major ocular diseases that will hopefully be published by 2 / 2016. If it gets published, which I am fairly confident it will based on the backing of my mentor who is very well regarded in the research world, then I will present at ARVO next year.
-currently shadowing a Hopkins trained MD ophthalmologist currently so will have a letter from him, a LOR from my ophtho research mentor, and a core rotation LOR. the shadowing I do between my core rotations is helping me learn the basics of how to use the slit lamp and do a basic eye exam.
I am confused about the logistics of doing away rotations at AOA vs ACGME ophtho programs. AOA programs tend to only accept students that have rotated with them, but being a DO, rotating at ACGME programs is also critical I imagine so they can see for themselves what kind of applicant you are and can better compare you against MDs. I went to the osteopathic ophtho conference 2 weeks ago and the bottom line message I got there is that there are only 3 AOA ophtho programs that are worth applying to considering all the talks about the merger. The others may or may not make it post-merger so its not worth the risk. My specific questions:
Should i do 4 away rotations at acgme programs or split it 2 and 2 between AOA and ACGME?
and if I am to do all ACGME programs, then I am essentially choosing to forfeit any chance I may have at an AOA program, right?
If i do all acgme aways, how can i strategically choose the right programs to rotate at? I would have to consider the following:
1) which MD programs would automatically not look at my app just bc I’m a DO, regardless of how fairly competitive numbers;
2) of the programs that don’t automatically screen out DOs, which programs would I be pretty competitive for based on my numbers; and
3) should I do an away at a program that is definitely a reach for me, just so I might get a LOR from a ‘big wig’? Is it even worth it to risk an entire away at a program where u know your chances are slim to none, just for that LOR that you MAY or MAY NOT get?
And not to mention the fact that I have no idea who these ‘big wig’ people are in ophthalmology. I am not asking you all to do my research for me but I am not sure where to even start to recognize names of these big wigs.
sorry for the million questions…. should I even go for it? So complicated :/
