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    7 Tips to Help You Land the Right Ophthalmology Job

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    Your first job in ophthalmology can significantly shape your future, dictating not just the work you do, but where you settle and who forms your community. To help you winnow your choices, members of YO Info’s 2018 editorial board share the most useful job-search advice they’ve received.

    1. Be Your Own Advocate

    Ask for the things that are important to your career. Whether that’s salary, a particular benefit, contract restrictions and covenants or protected time, you have to be your own advocate. During my first job search, this approach helped my contract lawyer strategize about the things that really mattered to me.

    – James G. Chelnis, MD

    2. Identify Your Priorities

    You need an honest self-assessment to figure out your priorities, whether it be location, practice type or other variables, and you need to know which priorities you are willing to compromise on. The “perfect job” doesn't exist for most people. So identify what practices meet your top priorities and then start reaching out to them.

    – Jason D. Rupp, MD

    3. Talk, Talk, Talk

    Talk to as many people in as many different spheres as possible. This includes practice representatives, current and former employees, reps and other local physicians. The more you know, the less potential there will be for unpleasant surprises down the road.

    – Dr. Rupp

    4. Keep Your Options Open

    Don’t close off an option before you’ve even considered it. During my first experience with the job market, I interviewed for both academic and private practice positions before deciding which route best fit me.

    — Jiaxi Ding, MD

    5. Know Your Non-Competes

    Be very careful with non-compete clauses. If possible, try to minimize your restrictions, especially if you are headed to an area for family reasons. When I headed home to New Mexico to look for my first job, I was fortunate that a new law limited the potential scope of non-compete clauses. The group I joined was fantastic in their willingness to amend their contract to reflect changes in the law.

    — Nathaniel Roybal, MD, PhD

    6. Find Out What Gets You Excited

    Find an environment where you can do what you want and where people appreciate you for what you bring to the table. To accomplish that, you need to really know yourself and recognize what about ophthalmology gets you excited and energized.

    — Evan Silverstein, MD

    7. Use Your Resources

    Take advantage of the resources that the Academy offers all YOs. Post your CV to the Ophthalmology Job Center and search jobs for free. This website will put practices directly in touch with you and offers enhanced posting options to heighten the visibility of your ad.  

    — Victoria H. Yom, MD

    More Academy Resources

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    About the authors:

    James G. Chelnis, MD, is an oculoplastics and reconstructive surgery attending at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. He completed his American Society of Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery training at Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee. He has been on YO Info’s editorial board since 2012 and became chair in 2017.

    		 James G. Chelnis, MD

    Jiaxi Ding, MD, is a glaucoma specialist at Carolina Eye Associates, a large multispeciality ophthalmology group in North Carolina. She completed her glaucoma fellowship at the University of Iowa and residency training at SUNY Buffalo. She joined the YO Info editorial board in 2016.
     

    		 Jiaxi Ding, MD

    Nathaniel Roybal, MD, PhD is in practice at Eye Associates of New Mexico in Albuquerque. He completed his residency at UCLA and vitreoretinal fellowship at the University of Iowa. He joined the YO Info editorial board in 2017.
     

    		 Nathaniel Roybal, MD

    Jason D. Rupp, MD, is a glaucoma and advanced anterior segment surgeon in private practice at Clarus Vision Clinic in Salt Lake City. Dr. Rupp completed his residency and fellowship training at Washington University in St. Louis. He joined the YO Info editorial board in 2016.
     

    		 Jason D. Rupp, MD

    Evan Silverstein, MD, is an assistant professor of ophthalmology and associate residency program director at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. Dr. Silverstein completed his residency at Vanderbilt University and a pediatric and adult strabismus fellowship at Duke University. He joined the YO Info editorial board in 2017.
     

    		 Evan Silverstein, MD

    Victoria H. Yom, MD, is a cornea specialist at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Yom completed her residency at the Washington University School of Medicine. She joined the YO Info editorial board this year.

    		 Victoria H. Yom, MD