Ophthalmic Education:

Principles and Guidelines of a Curriculum for Education of the Ophthalmic Specialist: Abstract

International Task Force on Resident and Specialists Education in Ophthalmology - On Behalf of the ICO

Major Contributors:

Morton F. Goldberg, MD (USA)

Andrew G. Lee, MD (USA)

And Other Members of the International Task Force

On this page:

• Purpose
  
  
• Methods
  
  
• Results
  
  
• Conclusion
  
  
• Key to levels of training

Purpose

To describe a broad-based curriculum for basic, standard, and advanced levels of ophthalmic training.

Methods

An international request for existing residency and training curricula in ophthalmology was made to members of the International Council of Ophthalmology in multiple countries.

A systematic review was performed of the available curricular materials, and a set of learning objectives was created, based upon the review. A systematic review and revision of the draft curriculum were performed by experts from several countries.

Results

An ophthalmology curriculum was developed based upon levels of training (basic, standard, and advanced).

The following curricula and content outlines, among others, were reviewed:

• American (USA) Board of Ophthalmology, website: www.abop.org;
  
  
• European Board of Ophthalmology, website: www.ebo-online.org
  
  
• European Union of Medical Specialists, website: www.UEMS.be
  
  
• Residency curriculum of Baylor College of Medicine (Residency Progress Notebook), Houston, Texas, USA
  
  
• Basic and Clinical Science Series. American Academy of Ophthalmology, San Francisco, CA., USA
  
  
• Residency curriculum of the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO), USA
  
  
• Fundamental Standards of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists
  
  
• Training curricula of Poland and Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Russia, Bulgaria, Belarus, India, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand
  
  
• Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness (VISION 2020-The Right to Sight). www.who.int/pbd/Vision2020/vision-index.htm
  
  
• Lions Sightfirst Eye Hospital Training Programme for cataract surgeons, Lilongwe Central Hospital, Malawi
  
  
• Curriculum for advanced diploma in surgical ophthalmic nursing and for post-basic and community ophthalmic nursing programme in West Africa
  
  
• Report of the Workshop on "VISION 2020" and undergraduate medical education in West Africa (including Ghambia, Ghana, and Nigeria)
  
  
• Reports to the International Council of Ophthalmology regarding training requirements summary of South Africa, Australia, Portugal, Asia-Pacific Rim.

Conclusion

A curriculum for ophthalmic training stratified by level of expertise may be helpful in the education of ophthalmic specialists (e.g., "residents, house officers, trainees").

Key to levels of training

• Basic level =(Corresponding to United States Post-Graduate Year [PGY]-2)*
  
  
• Standard level = (Corresponding to US Post-Graduate Year [PGY-3])
  
  
• Advanced level (Corresponding to US Post-Graduate Year [PGY-4])

*In the United States, the post-graduate year 1 (after medical school) is a one year general training year (i.e., "internship", "preliminary medicine, surgery, transitional year," etc.).

Next: Chapter 1. Preamble to the Principles and Guidelines of a Curriculum for Education of the Ophthalmic Specialist

Also see:

• Chapter 2. Optics
  
  
• Contents