Residents Driving Innovation

From the Desk of Vice Chair of Education Jeff Pettey, MD, MBA

Along with superb technical training, the Moran Eye Center’s cultural mission is focused on giving trainees the support and connections they need to take bold steps in driving positive change—both internally and in the world.

Case in point: continue reading for highlights from our impactful resident-driven initiatives, research, and results presented at the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) 2021 meeting.

Moran residents, from left, Mubarik Mohamed, MD, fellow Rachel Patel, MD, Katherine Hu, MD, and Brandon Kennedy, MD, at the 2021 AUPO meeting.

Katherine Hu, MD, PGY-3, recounted resident and faculty experiences with our Moran Ophthalmology Learning Experience (MOLE) curriculum overhaul. Basically a “flipped classroom” rooted in pre-work assignments and interactive classes, the resident-led initiative proved highly satisfying to faculty and students, who agreed the experience increased learning efficacy.

Since we began implementing and sharing the MOLE model in 2020, program directors and medical education leaders from all over the country have reached out to us. In response, we created a section on Moran CORE, our online ophthalmic education site (morancore.utah.edu), to share faculty development videos and roadmaps for each ophthalmology subspecialty. Now, other programs may use and tailor these resources rather than reinventing a program from scratch.

Brandon Kennedy, MD, PGY-1, tackled “A Paradigm Shift in the Moran PGY-1 Ophthalmology Experience.”

Kennedy and his team’s research revealed that although PGY-1 residents felt well-prepared with a breadth of clinical and procedural experience in ophthalmology, they felt burdened with administrative duties with relatively little educational benefit. Now, faculty and residents of all training levels are working to overhaul the PGY-1 curriculum with a range of improvements, including PGY-4-PGY-1 mentorships.

Kennedy also presented “Language Used to Consent Patients for Trainee Involvement in Surgery: Patient Comprehension.” His research revealed lack of universal language guidelines often leads to patient misunderstanding of consent. His team set out to revamp terms used to describe trainee involvement, preserve patient autonomy, and minimize harm.

Mubarik Mohamed, MD, PGY-1, researched refractive outcomes in early resident cataract surgeries and the VA Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Proud brag: they are excellent!

It’s my honor to share these and other stories of ongoing innovation in our Top 10 educational program.

Jeff Pettey, MD, MBA, currently serves as of the AUPO Program Director’s Council.