Ophthalmology residents preparing to apply for a fellowship can take a number of steps to get the best fellowship for their needs. The best ophthalmology fellowships offer an opportunity to develop advanced clinical skills in an area of interest and may also make a resume more appealing, if a program is highly ranked. Competition tends to be fierce, and it is important to have a strong academic record, as the top fellowships typically have a hard choice between a number of excellent applicants.
Throughout their educational career, medical students and later doctors should excel as much as possible in order to have access to the best opportunities. In the case of ophthalmology fellowships, it helps to have an application that includes work in research and cutting edge facilities. Residents in top-ranked programs are more likely to get the fellowships they want, especially if they also have strong letters of recommendation, a good record, and good interview skills.
Applicants for ophthalmology fellowships can start with a list of open fellowship positions and narrow them down by specialty to generate a list of programs they should apply for. Applicants might be interested in oculoplastics, pediatric ophthalmology, and neuro-ophthalmology, among other fields. Many programs participate in a common application system that allows residents to submit one application to a central database for distribution, along with letters of recommendation and other supporting materials.
Residents of interest will be offered interviews. An interview gives the applicant a chance to shine for the admissions committee, and also provides an opportunity to tour facilities, meet current fellows, and ask questions. Applicants for ophthalmology fellowships who demonstrate a lively interest in the program may be viewed more favorably than those who focus on the interview and nothing else. Tours also give residents a chance to determine if a fellowship would be a good fit for them.
After interviewing for ophthalmology fellowships and touring different programs, residents can generate a list of the programs they want to match with. It can help to seek out rankings from professional organizations to determine which programs are considered the best. The doctor can submit this ranked list to a matching program. If a fellowship doesn't use such a program, the doctor will apply directly and will also hear directly through the program, rather than through the release of match information. Good performance in interviews and a strong record will increase the chance that he will match with a fellowship he wants to be in.