Education · 1 of 5

The path

Twelve years after high school, and one of the harder residencies in the country to get into.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 9 to 12

   Biology, chemistry, physics and calculus. Grades matter early because medical school admissions look at your entire college record.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   Any major, as long as you finish the science prerequisites and hold a high GPA. Take the medical college admission test in your third year.

3. 3

   Medical school

   4 years

   Two years of science, two years of clinical rotations, ending in a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine degree. Ophthalmology applicants need strong scores and research to be competitive.

4. 4

   Internship year

   1 year

   A general medicine or surgery year before the specialty begins. Paid, and required.

5. 5

   Ophthalmology residency

   3 years

   Three years of eye training at a program accredited by ACGME (the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education). You will do hundreds of cataract operations before you finish.