Ophthalmology Bootcamp

As part of the Kellogg Eye Center resident training program, Ophthalmology Bootcamp provides residents with opportunities to develop skills in both clinic and operating room settings.

Twice a year, in July and January, the Kellogg Eye Center holds a two-day course focused on cultivating and developing the clinical and surgical skills of residents in the ophthalmology program—before they experience the pressure of taking care of patients and performing surgical procedures on their own.

“Our residents need to develop skills in the clinic and operating room,” says Shahzad Mian, M.D., vice chair for clinical sciences and learning at the Kellogg Eye Center. “Each resident works one-on-one with doctors on specific skill sets. Our goal is to make sure they are as well prepared as possible before interacting with patients.”

In a hands-on clinical setting, residents learn practical skills, ranging from how to safely gown up before surgery to performing key surgical maneuvers, while also having the opportunity to ask questions and hone their surgical techniques.

The course features a medical curriculum with online components, case presentations and a skills transfer lab, including a phacoemulsification wet lab where residents practice cataract surgical skills using synthetic, cadaver, and animal eyes.

“We also have virtual simulations that enable residents to perform surgical procedures that imitate an actual patient,” says Dr. Mian.

Second year ophthalmology resident Tomas Meijome sums up the Ophthalmology Bootcamp as an essential step in his training. “Having a workshop like this where you’re able to do everything on your own from start to finish is one of those crucial moments of transitioning from an intern to a resident.”