Ophthalmology Residency Training Program

Over the three years of the program, residents are provided with the facilities and clinical exposure that help them gain mastery of the knowledge and judgement needed, assuming increasing levels of responsibility for the medical and surgical management of patients with a wide variety of acute and chronic Ophthalmological disease. The program has three residents at each level of training. Each resident is exposed to a high volume and wide variety of patients, as well as to one-on-one teaching from attendings throughout their training, with a graded increase in expectations and responsibilities.


Facilities:

The resident rotates through 3 sites during training: the Shiley Eye Center, UCSD Medical Center Hillcrest and the VA San Diego Health Care System. Each site has a different "flavor" with differing populations of patients and degrees of resident responsibility.

Rotations:

Clinical rotations are designed to offer a step-graded advancement to the ultimate goal of independent practice of ophthalmology with all of its technical, moral and ethical responsibilities.

First Year:
The first two weeks of first year are spent in orientation as well as "Ophthalmology Boot Camp" in which the new resident is taught most of the practical skills that are needed to start in the clinic.

There are three rotations in first year:

VA/Cornea: About three months are spent at the VA Eye Clinic, followed by 6 weeks on the Cornea Service.

Hillcrest: About 4 months are spent at UCSDMC Hillcrest, where the resident sees patients in the general eye clinic as well as clinics in Cornea. Retina, Oculoplastics, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Neuro-Ophthalmology.

Pediatrics/Oculoplastics: About three months are spent on the Pediatric Ophthalmology service, followed by 6 weeks on the Oculoplastics service.


Second Year:
The resident is sent to the Wills Board Review Course in early March.

Cornea/VA: About three months are spent on the Cornea Service at the Shiley Eye Center, followed by 6 weeks at the VA Eye Clinic.

Glaucoma: About 4 months are spent on the glaucoma rotation at the Shiley Eye Center.

Retina: About 4 months are spent on the Retina Service.


Third Year:
This is very much a surgical year, with the resident refining surgical skills in all areas, building on foundations from first and second year. The third year residents are sent to the AAO.

VA: There are two rotations to the VA, totaling about 8 months.

Oculoplastics/Pediatrics: About three months are spent on the Oculoplastics Service, followed by 6 weeks on the Pediatric Ophthalmology Service.

Academic Program:
On Monday afternoons during the academic year all residents attend the Basic Sciences Lecture Series, given by faculty with some guest lecturers in addition. This runs a two-year cycle covering all subspecialty topics and is followed by weekly Grand Rounds. After Grand Rounds there is an additional conference, which might include a guest speaker or a quiz.

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UCSD Ophthalmology Residency Training Program

About Shiley Eye Center
From basic eye exams to the most advanced diagnostic tests and sophisticated surgery, the physicians and staff at the Shiley Eye Center provide comprehensive eye care at one convenient location. Immediately adjacent to Shiley, The Anne and Abraham Ratner Children's Eye Center is the only dedicated eye facility in the region designed to meet the very special vision needs of children.