Ophthalmology Residency Program

Clinical rotations for residents in the ophthalmology residency program are two months long and include general ophthalmology and all the subspecialties, inpatient consultation, and ophthalmic pathology. All take place at the Kellogg Eye Center, the UM Hospitals, and the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, which is a half mile from the Eye Center. A typical day begins at 7:30 a.m. in the O.R. or in the clinic and ends with didactic lectures or Journal Club in the evening.

1st-year experience

The first year emphasizes refractions, history-taking, detailed observations and descriptions of normal and abnormal states, use of specialized equipment, interpreting visual fields, scans, and films, and developing a reasoned approach to a treatment plan. First-year residents can expect to perform minor surgical procedures, laser surgery, strabismus surgery, and enucleations under direct faculty supervision, and to give local anesthesia injections. First-year residents assist on eye plastics, cornea, retina, and intraocular cases and become familiar with pre- and postoperative patient care. All residents participate in the Low Vision clinics their first year and will have assisted in the management of approximately 100 low vision patients over the course of their residency. For the first six months, first-years take back-up call every sixth night, and the second-year resident will call them in for interesting cases and to learn the ropes of taking call. Starting in January of the first year and through December of the second year, residents take at-home call every sixth night, and have another junior resident, a senior resident and an attending to help them in caring for the patients.

2nd-year experience

Second-year residents build their skill levels and perform cataract surgery, repair lacerations and globe ruptures, as well as more complicated strabismus procedures and eye plastic procedures under direct faculty supervision. Some may perform biopsies, lesion excisions, and portions of penetrating keratoplasties. It is typical for second-year residents to perform eight cataract extractions. By the end of the residency, each resident will have been first surgeon on approximately 100 cataract procedures. Second-year residents should be capable of evaluating any patient and creating a valid treatment plan.

3rd-year experience

By the end of the third year each resident will be able to deliver high quality ophthalmic care independently. Each will be able to interpret all tests and studies, make a diagnosis, initiate therapy, and perform a broad range of ophthalmic surgical procedures on both routine and complicated cases. Third-year residents perform all types of surgical procedures under direct faculty supervision. After they have gained extensive experience with common procedures, these are performed in the O.R. with the faculty member assisting the resident. They are the primary surgeons for all ocular trauma. Third-year residents also participate in pathologic examination of globes.

Grand Rounds

Every Thursday morning residents present and debate complex cases with the faculty, with case selection rotating among the subspecialties. Once a month Grand Rounds contains an ethics discussion and once a month we have a complications conference.

Visiting Professors

On six Friday afternoons each year, a Visiting Professor introduces residents to diagnostic and therapeutic approaches used at other institutions. On the subsequent Saturday mornings the Visiting Professor gives a formal patient presentation to the ophthalmic community.

House Officers Association

Residents at the University of Michigan Health System are organized under the House Officers Association (HOA). The HOA has a contractual agreement with the University. Members of the association receive many benefits, including a strong salary program and paid time off. http://www.med.umich.edu/hoa/

Typical Monthly Lecture Schedule