Application Process
Matching Program
Our residency positions are filled through the Ophthalmology Matching Program. Since we have an integrated internship, matched applicants will NOT need to apply through the NMRP. The next available positions will start internship July 1, 2026 and residency July 1, 2027. These positions will be filled through the Ophthalmology Matching Program process in the Fall of 2025. Please have your application submitted by the suggested SF Match deadline of Tuesday, September 2, 2025. We have a short, 400 word secondary essay on “Why do you want to come to UK?” that will be due Friday, September 9, 2025. This short secondary application is the best opportunity to signal interest in our program. The completed statement can be sent in the text of an email or as an attachment to: madison.seward@uky.edu. Please include your name at the top of the statement. While we hope to have a masked review process in the future, the current SF Match system does not allow this, and being able to sort through and track these statements is greatly aided by attaching a name.
We plan on sending email reminders to those that submitted applications to our program. The SF Match has instituted a series of coordinated interview release dates this year. We will likely release our interviews on one of the later dates to allow our review committee enough time to holistically review applications after the MSPEs are available. Updates and specific dates will be provided.
During the 2024-2025 interview cycle, 433 applicants submitted a secondary application to our program and were all individually and holistically reviewed. Step 1 score mean was 239 (range 194-269), and Step 2 mean was 252 (range 192-283). We extended invitations to interview and alternate selections to a total of 57 candidates, 20 of which signaled, and an additional 18 rotated in our department. 50 percent were female and 16 percent URiM. Regionally, 42 percent were from medical schools in the south, 28 percent from the midwest, 21 percent from the west, 13 percent from the northeast, 1 percent international. The mean USMLE Step 2 score was 253, with a range of 222 to 282. We do not have a minimum score to consider an applicant for an interview.
We attempt to review applications holistically, with particular attention to personal characteristics and life distance traveled. We are also a state institution and have a mission of identifying and training a subset of residents that will likely remain in the state to provide needed care for the patients in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Importantly: please utilize the secondary application essay (see more below) to provide any personal information you feel comfortable sharing that will aid in our identification of these characteristics.
Interview Process
Interviews will again be virtual this year, which we feel is of great benefit to applicants. Similar to the past three virtual recruitment cycles, the interview day will likely be a morning only session split into two groups that will either interview with faculty or interact more informally with our residents. There will be a few short presentations from the program director and chief resident. Interviewees will be sent additional content about our program prior to the interview, including a tour of our facilities. We are also planning a virtual hang-out during the summer and continuing to enhance our social media content.
Our virtual hang-out will be held on August 5th, 2025 at 8pm est. We set the time later in the evening to accommodate for multiple time zones. You can register for this virtual event using the link below. We look forward to seeing you there!
- We must receive the San Francisco Match Application file and a short secondary application to be completed once you have applied to our program by Sept. 2, 2025 for you to be considered for an interview. This secondary application consists of a maximum 400 word statement describing why you wish to pursue your residency education at the University of Kentucky, which will be due on Friday, Sept. 9, 2025. Please utilize this essay to provide any personal information you feel comfortable sharing that will aid in our identification of characteristics important in considering your application holistically. This statement can be submitted to our program coordinator. Please view our program description on SF Match for more details regarding the secondary application.
- We will utilize one of the later coordinated interview release dates. There are four positions available.
- Ophthalmology resident interviews for Fall 2025 will be held on three dates:
- Friday, Nov. 21
- Friday, Dec. 5
- Friday, Dec. 12
- Invitations will be initially sent to a list of applicants the exact size of the number of interview slots available. We also have a small list of alternate applicants that we expect to interview at our program as interviews are dropped/added during the process. These applicants therefore are screened and considered the same as those initially invited for interviews, and will be notified of openings per the SF Match interview process.
- While we understand and appreciate that applicants may need to change or cancel interviews, we prohibit changes within a week of the scheduled interview date out of respect for our staff and fellow applicants.
Please note all applicants must be a graduate from an LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education) or an ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) accredited medical institution. We will only accept a J-1 Visa – trainee program. We do not sponsor an H-1B Visa.
Questions by phone or email may be directed to the residency program coordinator, Madison Seward at madison.seward@uky.edu.