Program: First Year
First year (PGY II)
The emphasis in the first year is to develop a solid foundation in the ophthalmic exam and basic sciences. First year residents meet weekly throughout the year to cover the material in the Basic and Clinical Science Course series published by the AAO, in addition to the weekly didactic lecture series of the Department. There is ample opportunity, both in general resident clinic and on subspecialty rotations, to learn the comprehensive ophthalmic exam, as well as begin to assist in cataract and plastic surgeries, over the course of the year. First years share primary call with the second years at each hospital. View a sample call schedule. (PDF)
University Hospitals Case Medical Center
This clinical site serves as the location for four subspecialty rotations and three weekly general resident clinics. All rotations will emphasize development of history taking and observational skills, problem solving, and case management. Ample opportunity to hone ophthalmological examination skills, including the more advanced techniques of gonioscopy, keratometry, fundus lenses, and scleral depression, will be acquired. During the Cornea, Glaucoma, Pediatrics I, and Pathology/Plastics rotations, the resident will spend a half-day with various attendings in each specialty in both their clinics and surgeries.
- Cornea rotation: Includes cornea and general ophthalmology clinics, Contact Lens Clinic and instruction, LASIK surgery and clinic observation, slit lamp and anterior segment observation skills training, anterior segment instrumentation (specular and confocal microscopy, anterior segment OCT, pachymetry), and cataract and corneal surgeries.
- Glaucoma rotation: Allows the resident to see and evaluate all new glaucoma patients as well as work with two glaucoma specialists in their clinics and the operating room. Additional training in slit lamp and anterior segment observation skills training and glaucoma assessment instrumentation (visual fields, OCT, disc photography) is provided.
- Pediatrics I rotation: A new rotation with the addition of additional pediatric ophthalmology faculty this year, this rotation will be an introduction to pediatric ophthalmology working with our pediatric ophthalmologists and orthoptist with emphasis on observational skills, refraction and introduction to surgery.
- Pathology/Plastics rotation: Encompasses the anatomic, pathologic, clinical, and surgical aspects of ophthalmology. Residents have the opportunity to follow a case from the clinic to surgery to anatomic and histologic analysis of any pathology. Call is shared between the first and second years. A weekly continuity clinic for all residents at UH is under development. These clinics will be staffed by a variety of attendings in the department. This will allow long-term followup of patients over a three year period and will give residents at all levels the opportunity to develop their clinical and surgical skills.
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
There are two teams at the Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. The A team consists of one first year, two second years, and one third year, while the B team team consists of one first year and one third year. While one team is devoted to preoperative evaluations and general follow-up clinics, the other team is concurrently in the operating room. Specialty clinics, including laser/injection clinics, oculoplastics, neuro-ophthalmology, and retina are held on Wednesdays through Fridays and are covered by residents on either team. The first year residents spend significant time in the preoperative evaluation and preparation of surgical patients as well as assisting the chief resident in the operating room. Day Call is covered by optometry residents and primary night call is covered by the first and second year VA residents.