Program View By Years

[First Year] [Second Year] [Third Year][Call Schedule]
[Didactic Curriculum]

First Year

The first year of residency training is designed to teach the examination techniques required to perform a complete ophthalmologic examination. The first two months are spent in didactic and practical teaching courses learning basic examination techniques and refraction. The remainder of the year is split between ECMC and Children’s Hospital. Subspecialty training in neuro-ophthalmology and low vision are given in the first year. The resident is given graduated responsibilities and will perform some basic surgeries. Basic surgical skills are acquired in the surgical wet lab.

Second Year

The second year of residency training is spent in subspecialty rotations in: Cornea and External Disease; Glaucoma; Retina; and Pediatrics. The main surgical experience in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus occurs during this year. Cataract surgical techniques are also acquired in the second year. In addition to the above rotations, a month-long course dedicated to ophthalmic pathology occurs during this year.

Third Year

The third year provides surgical experience in all fields of ophthalmology. The resident gains a large surgical cataract experience at both the VAMC and ECMC. There is also wide surgical exposure in all subspecialty fields. The graduating resident should feel comfortable performing a wide range of surgical procedures.

Call schedule

First year residents do not take call the first two months when they are acquiring basic clinical and surgical skills. All call is taken from home. Residents cover the emergency rooms at ECMC, WCHOB, and the VAMC when on call. Most calls come from ECMC and WCHOB. The first- and second-year residents take first call and the third-year residents split up back-up call. An attending physician is available at all times and is present at all surgeries. First- and second-year residents always are backed up by the senior resident and the attending physician on call. The six first-and second-year residents evenly split call days. Each resident will work an average of every sixth weekend, and a total of 35 weekdays during the year. Residents who work the weekend do not take call during the week.

Didactic Curriculum

The didactic curriculum consists of 2 to 3 morning lectures per week on a variety of topics in ophthalmology given by the faculty. Grand rounds are held each Thursday morning. Journal Club is held several times a year at a local restaurant. A city-wide fluorescein angiogram conference is held each month at Erie County Medical Center.

The Department of Ophthalmology, in cooperation with the Buffalo Ophthalmologic Society, sponsors six guest speakers from around the United States each year in a dinner meeting format. The residents also attend a monthly visiting professor series sponsored by Bausch & Lomb Ophthalmics.

Monthly surgical wet labs are given on Saturday mornings and are designed to teach the basic techniques of microsurgery. Pig eyes and surgical simulators are used to practice cataract surgery and corneal surgery. Basic techniques in glaucoma surgery and retina-vitreous surgery are also given. Three operating microscopes, three phacoemulsification machines, surgical instruments, and disposable supplies are provided in a dedicated ocular surgery laboratory.

In June of each year, an annual resident research conference is held. Senior residents present a research project at this forum along with members of the faculty who present updates on their research endeavors. Two visiting professors are invited to speak at this conference.