Curriculum

Our residency program boasts outstanding board-certified faculty, as well as opportunities to excel in clinical ophthalmic research. Moreover, it offers diversity in patient population, ophthalmic diseases and eye surgical training. Residents develop a strong base in comprehensive ophthalmology and have extensive experience in each subspecialty area, including cataract surgery techniques, retina/vitreous, neuroophthalmology, oculoplastics, cornea, uveitis, ocular oncology, glaucoma, pediatric ophthalmology and refractive surgery.

Curriculum by Year

PGY-2 (year 1)

Emphasis is on fundamental clinical diagnostic and therapeutic skills, including comprehensive examinations, assisting in ocular surgery, supervised laser procedures and clinical research. Residents spend 11 months at University Health Truman Medical Center and one month at Children’s Mercy Hospital. They also participate in an introduction to ophthalmic surgery rotation at the Eye Foundation of Kansas City.

PGY-3 (year 2)

Clinical responsibilities increase with exposure to major intraocular and extraocular surgical procedures. Rotations include six months at University Health Truman Medical Center HH; three months at Children’s Mercy Hospital; and three months at Saint Luke’s Hospital in specialty rotations, including neuroophthalmology, ocular oncology and glaucoma.

PGY-4 (year 3)

Residents receive more intensive clinical exposure and responsibility for major surgical cases, including refractive surgery. Rotations include nine months at University Health Truman Medical Center and three months at University Health Lakewood Medical Center.

Didactics

The program offers a broad array of daily educational conferences and didactics. Weekly conferences include topics in ocular oncology, cornea and uveitis, oculoplastics, eye trauma, retina, pathology, glaucoma, cataracts, pediatrics and neuroophthalmology. Monthly conferences include journal clubs, ethics and professionalism didactics, practice management, pediatric grand rounds and pathology lab (ten months per year). Grand rounds and morbidity/mortality conferences occur monthly involving the entire department. In addition, the residents meet regularly for study group.

Surgical Training

Residents are introduced to surgery in their first year. Training and practice is provided through a combination of surgical wet labs, cataract surgical simulation, suture practice and off-site surgical courses. Monthly self-directed practice with the Eyesi surgical platform and surgical wet lab is required. Multiple group wet labs are held each year to teach cataract surgery (phacoemulsification and extracapsular cataract extraction), glaucoma surgery and suturing techniques. Finally, second- and third-year residents are provided with multiple opportunities to attend industry-sponsored cataract and refractive surgery courses.