Microsurgical Training: Achieving Surgical Competencies at Each Stage of Residency
Narrative Responses:
Purpose
Surgical training for ophthalmology residents in the United States varies in standards and methods of achieving surgical competency. The ACGME delineates specific types of surgeries and how many must be performed prior to graduation. Using a survey, we evaluated various modalities used for teaching surgery in ophthalmology residencies across America.
Methods
Using the Qulatrics survey program, we generated and distributed a survey to both residents and program directors at ophthalmology residency training programs across the United States. Responses were kept anonymous and the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results
Completed surveys were received from 80 residents and 23 program directors. 66.7% of program directors reported using a microsurgical curriculum comprised of direct surgical observation/ assistance (75%), supervised/ unsupervised wet lab times (75% and 91.7%), eye simulators (50%), and other methods (16.6%). Regardless of the presence of an microsurgical curriculum, most PGY4 resident responders found most helpful direct attending instruction (93.3% and 86.7%) followed by instructional videos (73.3% and 63.3%). Per resident repsonses, most surgical experience occurred in the PGY4 year. Residents in programs with an established microsurgical curriculum operatied earlier in their training according to residents and program directors.
Conclusion
Surgical experience and wet lab times were preferred methods of gaining surgical competency across programs surveyed. Programs with surgical curriculum exposed residents to surgery earlier in their training. Limitations include small number and anonymity of responses. Program director and resident surveys could not directly be compared limiting more comprehensive comparisons.