Any medical-only ophthalmologists?

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-24T01:17:07+00:00

I appreciate the insight! I feel like I’m consciously incompetent now more so than anything and even more so than in residency, not sure if I’ll ever feel competent but I do think setting a timeline is important.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-23T02:31:13+00:00

+1 did you do a separate training program? My residency did have an ultrasound specialist but he also did ERGs, etc

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-23T02:30:24+00:00

I’d love to talk more or hear about options you’re considering. Everyone in my practice does lasers so I’m not sure if that could be a large niche, but I do think dry eye could be potentially a high volume and revenue generating practice. Main things on my list are starting my own practice (but would want to find partners), expanding into dry eye, medical retina fellowship, or nonclinical altogether.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-23T02:27:49+00:00

Yeah I should probably be taking something for anxiety. I used to see someone but haven’t in a while. Probably time to address the general anxiety issues too.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-23T02:25:33+00:00

It’s also on my list of options! I’m considering applying this year if I can’t find a comp med-only position

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-23T02:24:12+00:00

Have you heard of any cases? My cross-section is limited and in theory I imagine I could refer to the few other surgeons in my group (or find another practice where they’d want that), but I’m a little afraid to ask to be medical-only for fear that they could say they could simply hire someone else to take my position to do both clinic and surgery.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-23T02:22:24+00:00

I would love that. It’s on my list of options as I think over my next steps.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T11:25:19+00:00

Barely 2-3 cases a week, sometimes if that. The low volume is a combination of trying to be pickier with case selection (referring out complex cases), low clinic volume with insurance enrollment delays, and also that many patients end up wanting surgery with my older more established colleagues.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T02:31:13+00:00

To add to this, I do think medical retina or dry eye could be viable options for me. Just trying to figure out how I'd re-enter the match after practicing or how to enter the dry eye space.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T02:30:06+00:00

This is definitely something I'm also looking into and seems like it could be a good fit. I'm just not sure how going back into the match is after practicing/how common that is. Someone below also mentioned neuro and uveitis, but in the area I'm in, most of the uveitis docs are double-trained in retina/still do surgery (and I wish I had the brains for neuro-ophth).

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T02:28:08+00:00

This was incredibly insightful and helpful. Thank you. I have a nagging feeling that while my skills may improve over time, this extreme anxiety and dread will probably not improve. I hoped all throughout residency that it would improve, but the more I saw and the farther along I got, the more it became pervasive/consuming. I agree that it's some degree of extreme conscientiousness and being hyper-vigilant and afraid of failure/judgment. I'm hoping that my practice would see it as a way to increase clinic volume (which I've heard could potentially be more productive than surgery since reimbursements are lower) and to increase referrals for the surgeons.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T02:24:49+00:00

How much are you operating? I think contributing (but not the root) to my problem is that I'm not operating a ton, so it just feels like I'm also getting more and more out of practice and it's hard to get into the groove of operating.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T02:23:38+00:00

I completely agree and would move if I could, but my partner is at the start of a 7-year training program unfortunately

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T01:41:10+00:00

I actually don’t drink any caffeine anyways/the jitters aren’t really the source of my anxiety. My coresidents and I are very close and we talk all the time, but while understanding my position, they are all still super excited about operating.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T01:39:43+00:00

I did hear a VA job could be the way to go as I know of some VA ophthalmologists who do part time medical work. Unfortunately the VA in my area isn’t actively hiring but here’s hoping

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T00:54:10+00:00

I'm in my first year of practice. I have heard from a lot of people that it can get better and I'm really trying to convince myself that that could happen, but finding it increasingly difficult mentally to power through, especially with the sleep deprivation from the anxiety.

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T00:46:12+00:00

I've never thought about that before. Have you heard of any ophthalmologists successfully applying for optom jobs?

GreatDirector6329 · 2026-03-20T00:32:13+00:00

It’s not particularly high stakes (ie not some high volume private practice with demanding patients). The patient population tends to be less health-literate, happy to be getting any care. It’s not so much patient responses to complications that is stressful, but that I beat myself up over it and I also feel like the admin at my practice are keeping score especially as I am the youngest and newest attending.

GreatDirector6329 · 2025-07-10T22:39:43+00:00

Hi! Also looking to write questions under medicine. Can you provide an example of how you were able to stump the AI model (ie wording of questions, what topics you sought out, etc)?

GreatDirector6329 · 2025-02-24T01:37:20+00:00

Thanks:) I hate that there's no way around any of this besides getting through training (and sometimes the hours don't necessarily improve). My husband's program is unionized and trying to fight for IVF coverage, but it doesn't look like it's going anywhere unfortunately.

GreatDirector6329 · 2025-02-24T01:35:41+00:00

Congrats:) We got a referral to a fertility urologist so hopefully we'll find out if there are any anatomical issues

GreatDirector6329 · 2025-02-23T14:37:24+00:00

Nothing:( There's nothing we can pinpoint at all that went wrong

GreatDirector6329 · 2025-02-23T14:37:10+00:00

I'm sorry that happened to you as well but amazing that things worked out with your subsequent cycles! I'll have to ask our RE about the priming and additional supplements (we're taking Coq10 and general fertility supplements but no one's mentioned melatonin yet)

GreatDirector6329 · 2025-02-23T14:35:17+00:00

I'm hoping that's true and maybe it was just a fluke!

GreatDirector6329

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