It’s no secret that the ophthalmology match is competitive. In response, more medical students are taking research gap years: According to 2023 data from Texas STAR, 17% of respondents took some form of a research gap year before applying to ophthalmology residency. So, how do you know if this approach is right for you? This article breaks down some of the top reasons I chose to pursue a gap year between my third and fourth year of medical school.

1. TO BUILD CONNECTIONS

As is the case for most medical students, I wasn’t exposed to ophthalmology until my third year of medical school. Furthermore, my institution did not have an ophthalmology program. Ophthalmology is a small field, so matching into residency relies heavily on your connections and mentors who can vouch for you. If you choose to take a gap year at an institution with an ophthalmology residency program, this would be a great opportunity to make a positive impression and build relationships with people who may interview you in the future. This could also lead to a strong letter of recommendation from an ophthalmologist who worked with you for the year and knows you well.

Networking is not limited to your relationships with attendings but also includes the connections you make with other trainees. During my gap year, I had the opportunity to present my research at multiple conferences where I met many medical students and ophthalmology residents. I found that peer mentorship was so valuable, especially since I had no alumni at my school who matched into ophthalmology to give me advice, and I picked up so many pearls about the ophthalmology match that I would not have known otherwise.

2. TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Ophthalmology is a highly specialized field with many foundational skills not taught in the traditional medical school curriculum. Depending on the amount of clinical exposure your research gap year includes, an extra year of practice using the slit lamp and indirect ophthalmoscope could make a huge difference during your fourth-year audition rotations. You want to make sure you put your best foot forward during away rotations, as many programs use them to assess how you would be as a future resident; a year of prior experience and knowledge can really help distinguish you from the crowd.

3. TO PUBLISH RESEARCH

Because of my late exposure to ophthalmology, I had no related experiences by my third year, and, with no home program, it was difficult to access ophthalmology research projects. My research gap year gave me ample opportunities to create my own investigations and join other ongoing projects. Programs want to see some research experience on your application, even if you don’t plan on going into academic medicine, more so because it demonstrates work ethic and critical thinking skills. Applicants from the class of 2022 who matched into ophthalmology had an average of three research publications each, with an average of only one published in an ophthalmology journal.¹ It’s not necessary to publish a lot, but showing interest in ophthalmology through research doesn’t go unnoticed.

4. TO DETERMINE FIT

In the time leading up to my research gap year, one question in the back of my mind was: How do I know that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life based on a 2-week rotation? I worried I might delay graduation by a year only to realize that I didn’t like ophthalmology as much as I thought. Although scary in the moment, a research gap year allows you to immerse yourself in ophthalmology for a whole year without the 4-year commitment of residency. Do you still love ophthalmology after the year is done? Great! If not, at least you discovered this early. The personal development and skills you gain from a research year will help you in the future regardless.

CONCLUSION

A research gap year may be a great option for someone who lacks a home ophthalmology program and was introduced to ophthalmology late. Personally, the research year helped me feel much more confident entering my ophthalmology away rotations and the residency application cycle. That said, a gap year is by no means necessary to successfully match into ophthalmology. Plenty of students match without one, even those with many of the same disadvantages I had. The match can be unpredictable, so gauge your own situation and identify which specific goals you would want to achieve from your gap year. Good luck! 

1. Zhou B, Srinivasan N, Nadkarni S, et al. Current trends of research productivity among students matching at top ophthalmology programs. J Acad Ophthalmol (2017). 2022;14(1):e133-e140.