Refractive Surgery Blog

Earlier this year, "Match Day" was held for the almost 20,000 medical students across the country. This was the day when graduating fourth year medical students chose and were chosen for one of the various medical specialty residencies programs. In the past, ophthalmology was always the first or second most difficult residencies to obtain but that position was supplanted by dermatology in recent years. Well, history is repeating itself with a resurgence of interest in ophthalmology.

According to Wired magazine, ophthalmology has become one of the most popular medical specialties. Residency choices broke down like this: 23% chose internal medicine followed by pediatrics with 12%. Radiology was chosen 8% of the time and ophthalmology and emergency room programs weighed in at 7%.

While it seems to me that primary care specialties like internal medicine, family practice, pediatrics and obgyn would best serve our growing population's medical needs, sub-specialty programs are growing in popularity.

Stuart Lewis, MD

Labels: Ophthalmology Residencies