Curriculum

Program Year 1

PGY-2 residents enter the program on July 1. In addition to the general house staff orientation, there is an initial ophthalmology orientation period when residents are taught the principles of examination and utilization of instruments, refraction and management of ocular emergencies. A three day refraction course is provided.

The entire PGY-2 year is spent at Scott & White and is devoted to assisting the senior staff in major ophthalmic surgery, caring for hospitalized patients and seeing patients in the outpatient clinic with senior staff supervision.

The major objectives of the PGY-2 year of residency training are to understand the pathophysiology of ocular diseases, to obtain skill in diagnosis and management of medical diseases of the eye and to become familiar with the indications, principles and techniques of ophthalmic surgery.

Program Year 2 and 3

During the PGY-3 and PGY-4 years of residency training, residents assume more responsibility and begin to perform intraocular, strabismus and oculoplastic surgery at the two hospitals. Residents alternate assignments between the Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center and Scott & White in Temple.

While at the Veterans' Center, the residents are under the supervision of five board certified staff ophthalmologists.

During the entire three years of ophthalmology residency training, a senior staff ophthalmologist serves as first assistant on every operative procedure performed by residents during training. Residents serve as first assistant on most surgery done by the senior staff at the two institutions.

In the outpatient clinics, both at Scott & White and Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center, the residents' offices are in the same area as senior staff offices. This arrangement allows the residents to immediately present their difficult cases to the senior staff.

Medical students rotate through ophthalmology at Scott & White and Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center. Residents participate in the teaching of medical students.

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Call Schedule

The call at Scott & White is rotated among the residents. The schedule is made up by the residents. Call is taken at home on a beeper. During the week on call the resident must stay within range of the beeper at all times and answer all calls promptly. Holidays during the year such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, New Years Day and Labor Day are assigned to the first year residents. The VA and Scott & White call are taken concurrently.

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