Need to dual apply for upcoming ophtho match?
Hi everyone, just wanted to get advice on whether a dual application would be advisable given my ophthalmology application this upcoming cycle. Here is what my application is looking like:
Step 2 score: 254. Clinical grades: 2 honors, the rest passes including my internal medicine and surgery rotations, which I know are important for ophtho (school is graded H/P/F). Will not get AOA.
Publications: 8 peer-reviewed publications (non-ophthalmology related), 6 accepted abstracts (2 ophthalmology related), 2 ophthalmology manuscripts in submission, 1 manuscript from a different surgical subspecialty just submitted. Unsure if I will have the manuscripts accepted in time for application submission.
LORs: 2 ophthalmologists from my home program (1 of which is a big name, if that matters for competitiveness), 1 non-ophthalmology research mentor who I have been working longitudinally with throughout medical school.
Aways: About to go on 2 away rotations, both at mid-tier academic programs.
My question is, would it be advisable for me to dual apply? To be honest, im not sure how much a research year would help my application with the research numbers I have currently and though I love ophthalmology I would much rather start residency next year than commit myself to a full year of research.