It's never too early to consider a career in pediatric ophthalmology. In this career, you'll help children see for a lifetime! Choose a specialty where you provide long-term comprehensive care for kids with great work-life balance from lower after-hours and less on-call responsibilities. Pediatric ophthalmologists are in high demand globally, by patients, academic institutions, and private practices. Have the freedom to practice how you want, where you want.
The Pediatric Ophthalmology Mentorship (POM) Program is dedicated to inspiring and supporting the next generation of pediatric ophthalmologists through comprehensive mentorship, education, and research opportunities. Our mission is to cultivate a passionate and skilled workforce committed to advancing children's eye health and adult strabismus to address the critical shortage of pediatric ophthalmologists. Our aim is to empower medical students, making them competitive applicants for the ophthalmology match by providing them with the necessary tools, knowledge, and experiences to excel in this specialty. Students receive one-on-one mentorship, valuable guidance in medical career planning, networking opportunities and access to a variety of educational resources.
The POM Program is currently taking applications until October 24th. Click the button to get started!
Apply Here
This program provides a stipend up to $1,500 to defray expenses for 4th-year medical students seeking away rotation electives in pediatric ophthalmology. This is a competitive program and there are only 6 awardees per year.
For questions regarding the Away Rotation Grant, please Email: Info@aapos.org
**The 2025 Away Rotation Grant Program is now closed. Please check back in the spring of 2026.
The first step on your pediatric ophthalmology journey is to match into ophthalmology.
If your medical school offers ophthalmology residencies, that’s a great place to start. A conversation with the residency director can yield valuable information on what they’re looking for in potential residents, as well as tips that contribute to a successful application. But if not, don’t worry – there are plenty of resources to help you!
The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers Residency Match Basics for Ophthalmology. In addition to earning high grades in medical school, students can enhance their application through activities such as research, job shadowing, and building professional contacts in ophthalmology.
American Academy of Ophthalmology Guide to the Ophthalmology Match
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