What makes Dartmouth’s ophthalmology residency unique?
Dartmouth offers a close-knit, resident-centered training environment within a major academic medical center in New England. Residents benefit from early clinical responsibility and surgical exposure, hands-on faculty mentorship, and resources shared across Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the Geisel School of Medicine, and Dartmouth College.
How many residents are in each class?
The program accepts two residents per year. Coupled with no ophthalmology fellows, this small class size allows for individualized mentorship and early hands-on clinical and surgical experience.
What type of applicant is a good fit for Dartmouth?
Dartmouth is a strong fit for applicants who value collegiality, professionalism, academic curiosity and rigor, and broad clinical and surgical training. We seek residents who are collaborative, thoughtful, self-directed, and invested in their education—individuals who take initiative, embrace opportunities for growth, and work effectively with faculty, staff, and one another to provide exceptional patient care. We especially value applicants with interests beyond clinical medicine, whether through advocacy, global health, research, education, quality improvement, or broader intellectual and creative pursuits, and who are drawn to the opportunities of training in a rural academic environment.
What is resident life like in the Upper Valley?
The Upper Valley offers a high quality of life with short commutes, easy access to outdoor activities, and a strong sense of community. The main hospital is just minutes from multiple ski mountains, and it does not take long to find beautiful hiking, running, cycling, water sports, restaurants, arts, and cultural events, while also being within driving distance of metropolitan cities like Boston, New York, and Montreal, and smaller ones like Portland, North Conway, and Burlington.
Do you have a cut-off for USMLE Step 2 score?
There is no minimum USMLE score requirement. Applications are reviewed holistically.
Are residents involved in advocacy or organized medicine?
Yes. Dartmouth ophthalmology residents are encouraged to participate in advocacy and health policy efforts. Each year, a PGY-2 and PGY-3 resident attend the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Mid-Year Forum in Washington, DC. Residents have also participated in regional legislative efforts in New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont through work with the New Hampshire Eye Society.
Is there resident support for global ophthalmology?
Yes. Dartmouth has a strong interest in global ophthalmology and international experiences. An international travel grant is available to one resident every year who is interested in curating a service-oriented project. Previous residents have visited Aravind Eye Institute (Madurai, India), Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (Prasanthigram, India), and the Micronesian island of Pingelaps as part of a service and research study for patients with achromatopsia.
What kind of mentorship do residents receive?
Residents are formally assigned a faculty mentor at the start of residency to help reach personal and professional goals. The small size of the program allows faculty to know residents well and tailor guidance to each resident.
What teaching opportunities are available for residents?
Residents have opportunities to teach medical students, outside rotating residents (namely Neurology PGY-1s), junior residents in clinic and during didactics. There are many teaching events throughout the year organized by Geisel School of Medicine and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center's Graduate Medical Education (GME).
How does Dartmouth support resident wellness?
Dartmouth’s training environment emphasizes collegiality, mentorship, and quality of life. The Upper Valley offers easy access to outdoor recreation in a supportive community, where additional formal resources exist through the institution’s GME department.
Do residents have access to simulation or wet lab training?
Yes. Residents participate in a structured wet-lab curriculum with multiple on-site sessions throughout the year, using porcine eyes and procedure-specific simulation models, often with industry support. Residents also have access to the EyeSi surgical simulator for cataract surgical training. There are also opportunities with the greater New England ophthalmology community through a strabismus wet-labs and cataract surgery course hosted by Mass Eye and Ear in Boston.
What OKAP-related study resources are available to residents?
All residents are given access to the BCSC book series, the AAO online question bank, the OphthoQuestions question bank (for those interested), and formal OKAP-focused didactics given by home and visiting professors (typically in the Spring before OKAP exams).