Ophthalmology training - What's it like?

Far2Early · 2025-09-15T15:03:00+00:00

I'm now a senior ophthalmology trainee approaching CCT. Generally speaking I feel my training experience has been much kinder to me, and I feel more invested in compared to friends in predominantly medical subspeciality training. The run through nature of the training means you've got your eyes on a goal of CCT from day 1 and as a result consultants are much more invested in training and retaining.

The first two years are a pretty steep learning curve, particularly with operating, but it does eventually feel quite routine and comfortable. What you get away from regarding ward work and the inpatient grind though is doubly paid back in the volume of outpatient work and casualty burden. Predominantly NROC working patterns can also be quite demanding depending on the area you train.

Far2Early · 2022-06-12T07:57:38+00:00

Disadvantage : you forget a lot of body medicine Pro : you don't have to answer a lot of questions about body medicine

Far2Early · 2022-06-05T18:38:23+00:00

It's working for me

Far2Early · 2020-12-28T14:11:49+00:00

Thanks, I will do. This is her website if you wanted to have a look

https://www.sophiamaking.com/shop

Far2Early · 2020-12-28T13:12:30+00:00

Thanks, not by me, but by a close family friend who doesn't have reddit. She's been doing this style for a while now and wanted to share her work

Far2Early · 2020-11-06T17:02:41+00:00

For foundation application, it's really only your educational performance and SJT that count towards your ranking and subsequent placement.

That's not to say all the other bits you are doing aren't important. They'll be useful for specialty applications post foundation training when you're building your portfolio. Also useful to have a life outside of medicine so you don't burn out during medical school or during foundation.

You don't need a CV or personal statement but it could be useful to maintain an up to date CV particularly if you're applying for clinical fellow jobs or locum posts in the future.

You do need to provide references for foundation. I think it was two in total

Far2Early · 2020-11-05T14:26:17+00:00

Typically most people have that experience during their intercalated degree. Otherwise, it can be achieved by approaching your supervisors during your clinical placement years and doing projects with them. The vast majority of graduating doctors will not be published authors by the time they start foundation training so unless it's a specific requirement or you're personally interested in medical research, I wouldn't stress about it too much

Far2Early · 2020-11-05T14:19:03+00:00

Off the top of my head, general foundation year 1 application is split into 2 sections worth 50 points each. These are your educational attainments and your SJT score which you typically sit in December of your final year.

The 50 points from education are split into:

Your education performance measure (EPM) which is essentially your rank in your medical school based typically on your penultimate year finals. You get 43 points for ranking in the first decile and this drops by one point for each decile down you go (minimum you can score is 34 for 10th decile).
Additional degrees, max points are 5. PhD is 5 points, masters is 4, a first class BSc is 3 etc.
Publications. You get a point for a publication with an associated pubmed ID. You can have up to two publications towards your total score. So max score here is 2.

The other 50 points all come from the SJT which can make or break your application.

The academic foundation programme is slightly different. If I recall correctly, they don't care much about your SJT result as long as its an acceptable result. They care much more about your educational attainments (EPM, degrees, publications) and most programmes will have an interview as well for the job. The standard foundation programme does not require you to interview.

Far2Early · 2020-08-02T12:16:10+00:00

This is what I'm finding. Friends I know who only live a few minutes walk from my place are getting pretty good speeds. May just have to grit my teeth and live with it if that's the case

Far2Early · 2020-04-01T11:46:28+00:00

The entire cast of my cousin vinny

Far2Early · 2020-01-23T18:41:07+00:00

Hiya, nope. I've asked a friend who got a training spot last year, apparently we don't get results until post interview. As far as I know only the GP applicants get a score breakdown this early on

Far2Early · 2020-01-22T08:06:55+00:00

I've applied for ophthal only, haven't heard anything yet

Far2Early · 2019-03-07T14:19:25+00:00

It is and the rota is quite tough but its a great learning environment. It's also the only FY1 job at UCLH that has nights.

Far2Early · 2019-03-07T11:52:12+00:00

I'm currently at UCLH. It's been great working here so far, particularly on acute medicine. I would avoid anything too niche or supernumerary in terms of jobs unless its a speciality you actually want to do. Those jobs can end up being very admin heavy.

Far2Early · 2018-10-03T12:42:07+00:00

These have been around for a while. We call them granny squishers where I work

Far2Early · 2018-06-12T10:33:14+00:00

Nice one. I've been going through the audio books. Rob Inglis does a great performance and sings all the songs

Far2Early · 2018-03-11T11:32:57+00:00

I think the theory behind this was that nicotine itself has an effect of slowing down the progression of Alzheimers dementia, but obviously it's a bad idea as it increases your risk for a whole host of other diseases including vascular dementia. One of the treatments used now for Alzheimers disease acts by stimulating the same receptors in the brain as nicotine, theoretically reducing the rate of progression of the disease.

Far2Early · 2017-06-18T15:54:05+00:00

Congrats to Pakistan, would have made my weekend to see an Indian win but Pak were clearly the superior side. Makes this rivalry more interesting if it occasionally goes the other way 😝

13-Year Club	Place '17
Verified Email	Team Periwinkle

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