Postgraduate Medical Education

Overview | Goals | Training by Year | Research | Applications | 2011-2012 Resident Manual

Overview

The UBC Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences offers postgraduate medical education for doctors pursuing a career in ophthalmology. Programs begin in July of each year.

Goals of Residency Training

To produce a high quality Ophthalmologist, a multi-faceted individual who has:

• The ability to exercise sound clinical judgment and skills in dealing with ophthalmic medical, surgical and optical problems.
• the ability to communicate with patients
• the ability and desire to continue to update his/her knowledge.
• the ability to recognize his/her limitations.
• the highest ethical standards of the profession.
• the opportunity to develop identified research sills while not compromising the content of the core program.
• the opportunity to develop any teaching skills.
• The ability to adequately prepare for professional examination.

Training by Year

PGY-1 Rotations. 4 weeks of:

• ICU
  
• Emergency room
  
• Psychiatry
  
• Family Practice
  
• Pediatrics
  
• Two of the following 3: Plastics, Neuro-surgery, ENT
  
• Three of the following 5: Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Infectious Diseases, Dermatology, Neurology
  
• Obstetrics and gynecology
  
• Neuro-radiology followed by
  
• Toronto course in Basic medical sciences

PGY-2

Ophthalmology is a specialty which utilizes unique technology and has its own vocabulary. The PGY2 year will be spent in introductory clinical aspects of the subjects and the acquisition of the basic skills required to investigate ophthalmic disease.

PGY-3

The PGY3 year will consolidate the resident's knowledge of basic science and the following sub-specialty subjects: Ambulatory Care Clinic, Cornea and External disease, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Neuro-ophthalmology, and Pathology.

1. An increased level of expertise will be expected from the resident attending the Ambulatory Clinics. The clinical knowledge in managing patient problems should be greater than in the first year of training. Also, more efficiency in clinical care of patients will be expected.
2. The residents will obtain training in cornea, external disease and uveitis to cover the diagnosis and treatment of the major diseases in this area.
3. The diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of pediatric and strabismus ophthalmology.
4. The residents will develop skills in obtaining a concise and pertinent history and eliciting the signs of neuro-ophthalmological disease. He/she will learn the indications, techniques and relative cost of investigation of disease, and their interpretation.
5. In-depth training in pathology will be offered and clinico-pathological correlations will be taught.

PGY-4

1. The resident will obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the indications for, the complications of, and the ability to perform anterior segment surgery.
2. The resident will obtain the necessary skills and knowledge to understand the diagnosis, treatment, and complications of retinal pathology.
3. The diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of orbital disease.
4. The diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of oculoplastics.
5. The diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of pediatric and strabismus ophthalmology.

PGY-5

1. The resident will obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the indications for, the complications of, and the ability to perform anterior segment surgery. Residents will make every effort to involve themselves in the follow-up of surgical cases to gain an accurate insight into the effect of surgery. This is particularly important for patients in whose care they have been personally involved.
2. The residents will obtain the necessary skills and knowledge to diagnose and treat the diseases common to paediatric ophthalmology as well as obtaining the skills necessary to perform paediatric and adult strabismus.
3. The resident will obtain the necessary skills and knowledge to understand the diagnosis, treatment, and complications of oculoplastic surgical pathology.
4. An increased level of expertise will be expected from the resident attending the Ambulatory Clinics. The clinical knowledge in managing patient problems should be greater than in the PGY4 year of training.

Research

The Department of Ophthalmology UBC offers both clinical ophthalmology and basic science research opportunities. The Department holds an Annual Research Day.

Applications

All applications to the UBC Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Residency Training Program are processed through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CARMS).
Please visit the CaRMS Website for more information.

Faculty of Medicine

UBC Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
Eye Care Centre (VGH)
2550 Willow Street
Vancouver, BC
Canada V5Z 3N9
tel 604-875-4555 | fax 604-875-4663 | e-mail webmaster@eyecarecentre.org