[Whitecoat Wisdom Wednesday- To do a fellowship or not to do a fellowship?…] For hundreds of ophthalmology residents applying to fellowship, the deadline to submit their rank list is next week! A fellowship is an optional 1+ year(s) of additional specialized training after residency. I was so blessed to have completed my cornea and refractive surgery fellowship at Bascom Palmer in Miami, the number 1 eye hospital in the world! My fellowship was not required to perform corneal transplants or LASIK surgery. In fact, most LASIK surgeons are NOT fellowship-trained. But for me, I wanted the additional training to be able to comfortably manage complex cases and offer the most advanced surgical techniques. So how do you know if fellowship is right for you? Here are some factors to consider:
1️⃣ Do you enjoy doing a little bit of everything or are you biased towards 1 area? For me, I LOVE corneal microsurgery like placing the itsy bitsy sutures in my cornea transplants.
2️⃣ Do you want to work in a competitive area? A fellowship can give you an edge.
3️⃣ How eager are you to finish training and start paying off your loans? I was basically making minimum wage during my fellowship.
4️⃣ How comfortable are you starting practice right out of residency? A fellowship can enhance your skills and self-confidence before entering the real world.
Are you thinking about doing a fellowship? Or tell me what you chose and why! #whitecoatwisdomwednesday
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