US Ophtho Residency for CAD

[Guest zonule66]

Does anyone have specific information about Canadians applying to the US for ophtho residencies? e.g.

 

1. Which schools look favorably on Canadians, how many spots are offered, will they do the visa paperwork?

2. Since in the US, you do a PGY-1 year before you start the 3 yr. ophtho programs, does it matter where that year is done (same school in the US where you are doing ophtho?)

3. How does Canada look @ students completing 36 mos. of ophtho in the US vs the 5 yrs here if they decide to return after residency in the US?

 

Lastly...has anyone done this or knows of someone who did ophtho in the US and either stayed there or came back to Canada to practice?

 

Thanx!

[Guest Ian Wong]

1. I don't know the answer to this question. The best way to do this is to contact each program individually and ask them. Ophtho is a pretty competitive specialty in the US, although not as bad as in Canada. A U of T graduate in 2004 is starting Ophtho this year at a very strong US program in New York, so it's definitely doable.

 

2. The PGY-1 does not need to be done in the same location. When you submit your rank list for the ophtho residencies, you submit a sub-rank list for your PGY-1 years for each ophtho residency.

 

ie.

1. Ophtho at Mass Eye and Ear.

a. PGY-1 in Boston

b. PGY-1 in New York

c. PGY-1 in Seattle

2. Ophtho at U of Washington.

a. PGY-1 in Seattle

b. PGY-1 in New York

c. PGY-1 in Boston

 

3. As far as I am aware, you will need to do a fifth PGY year in order to be eligible to do the Royal College exam; this fifth year will typically be a fellowship year. It's best to contact them directly.

 

You will most likely be heading to the US on a J-1 visa since few US ophtho programs sponsor an H1B visa, and part of the J-1 visa's stipulations is that you need to come back to Canada for 2 years following your residency/fellowship (there are some waiver conditions where you are exempted from this requirement). As such if you can't practice in Canada for those 2 years, you will be wasting those two years by not being licensed to practise in Canada, but are also prohibited from living in the US.

 

Ian