Application Process

Application Process

The Ophthalmology Residency program is an ACGME accredited program that currently accepts two residents per academic year.

Our residency participates in the SF Match Central Application Process.  Our program is a 'joint' match.  The residents who match with us will spend one (1) year with our Internal Medicine residency program and three (3) years after with the ophthalmology residency.  Candidates interviewing during 2021-2022 do not need to apply to the Internal Medicine residency thru ERAS until after the San Fransico Match Process. Once the SF Match is complete, our matched candidates will be advised how to apply to Internal Medicine thru ERAS and the NRMP. Candidates interviewing during 2021-2022 interview season will have a July 1, 2022 start date with the Internal Medicine residency and a July 1, 2023 start date with Ophthalmology.

Eligible applicants must have:

  • Received their MD or DO degree from a program accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education or American Osteopathic Association
  • Graduates of medical schools outside of the U.S. or Canada must hold a valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate.

Applicants must include the following materials with their application:

  • Photo
  • Curriculum vitae (CV)
  • Three (3) letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement (including short essay questions, new in 2021)
  • United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores
  • ECFMG report (if applicable)
  • Transcripts
  • Medical Student Performance Evaluations (MSPE)

We practice a holistic interview approach to application review.  We recommend the following things be included in your CV.

  • Employment/extracurricular accomplishments
  • Leadership experience:  community or medical school
  • Public Service: volunteerism in your community or medical school
  • Research/Scholarly Activity Experience & Interests
    • Published in ophthalmology, national meetings, regional meetings, poster presentations, works in progress, etc
  • Honors, awards, accomplishments, achievements, experience
  • Relative experience and interest in the field of Ophthalmology (including electives)

Applications are due October 10th.

Interview Process

Interview Process 

The first wave of offers to interview will be sent on or after October 18th.  As spots fill or do not fill, additional offers to interview will take place,  After interview opportunities are filled, offers to waitlist will be extended.  All interviews will be hosted virtually. 

 The Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) does not allow programs to interview applicants before November 1st.  No Interviews will be offered after January 7th.  

Interview dates for 2022-2023 Interview season:

Saturday, December 3rd

Saturday, December 10th

Before your interview date, each applicant will receive a virtual itinerary of their interview.  This will include an arrival time, followed by interviews with up to 3 faculty and 1 resident set up as a panel over two (2), 20-30 minute interviews.  These interviews will be 'back to back'.  Your panel interviews should take just over an hour with arrival, interview, and changing of interview rooms. 

A virtual lounge area will be set up for candidates to chat with our first-year residents, who were also our inaugural joint preliminary class.  Candidates are encouraged to arrive before your scheduled arrival time or stay after your interviews to get to know our first-year residents Drs. Bird and Bhargava.  Questions about the area and program are encouraged!  Any on-campus open house visits will be hosted on or after January 13th.

Post-Interview

Post-Interview and Match Day

 If you are not familiar with Hampton Roads, questions about the area are encouraged at any time during the interview process.  Our rank list will be submitted on or before January 12th, 2023. 

After match results are announced, our matched applicants will receive a welcome phone call from our Program Director, Dr. Giovanni DiSandro. They will also receive a welcome email, with instructions, from our residency coordinator on applying to NRMP/ERAS for EVMS Internal Medicine and contact information for the program coordinators.  Please do not apply to Internal Medicine thru ERAS, for the NRMP, before the San Fransico Match is complete.

Once the NRMP match is complete, you will begin to receive emails and notifications regarding onboarding at EVMS.  If you have questions during the post-interview and post-match process, please reach out to our residency coordinator at ratclisl@evms.edu