ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Med.
Sec. Healthcare Professions Education
Financial Barriers to Medical Students Attending Ophthalmology Conferences: Analysis of Registration Fees
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, United States
- 2The Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, United States
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ABSTRACT PURPOSE: Ophthalmology conferences are vital for knowledge exchange, networking, and professional development in ophthalmology. However, financial barriers may limit medical student participation. This study assesses the costs associated with attending major United States conferences and examines disparities in funding availability based on institutional and conference-specific factors. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional analysis was conducted using publicly available data. SUBJECTS, PARTICIPANTS, OR CONTROLS: Not applicable; this study analyzed publicly available data on conferences and institutions. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted to assess conference-related expenses from January to December 2024. Data on registration fees, travel and accommodation costs, and available travel grants were collected from official conference websites and the publicly available websites of U.S. allopathic medical schools. Data were organized and analyzed descriptively using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA), with comparisons made between general and subspecialty conferences and between virtual and in-person participation to illustrate cost variability. RESULTS: 2 5 February 2025 Conference registration fees varied substantially, with a mean in-person registration cost of $670.83 (SD = $391.65), ranging from $0 to $1,100. Virtual fees averaged $541.67 (SD = $166.46), ranging from $400-$725. Student discounts were inconsistently offered, and some conferences provided no financial relief. Travel and lodging added significant expense. Institutional travel stipends ranged from $0 to $2,500 (mean = $428.33, SD = $144.83), often falling short of total costs. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students encounter considerable out-of-pocket costs when participating in ophthalmology conferences. Addressing these financial barriers through expanded travel funding, standardized student discounts, and reduced registration fees could enhance equity in access to professional development and foster greater inclusion within the field.
Keywords: Medical students, Ophthalmology education, Conference participation, Financial barriers, equity and access, Ophthalmology, Professional Development, Academic ophthalmology
Received: 19 Sep 2025; Accepted: 03 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 HUTCHINS and Berkenstock. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
David HUTCHINS, dh3264@drexel.edu
Meghan K. Berkenstock, mberken2@jhmi.edu
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