Programs: Ophthalmic Education and Training
On this page:
- Ophthalmic Education and Training
- Ophthalmic Training and Eye Care Centers
- ICOFoundation Support for Ophthalmic Education
- More on Programs Supported by the ICOFoundation
Ophthalmic Education and Training
Fundamental to preservation and restoration of vision worldwide, ophthalmic education and training were advanced in 2007 by:
- Ophthalmology Curricula
- Ophthalmology Resident Program Directors Courses
- World Ophthalmology Residency Development (WORD) Forum
Ophthalmology Curricula
Addressing the question of “What to teach?”, a multinational committee, appointed by the ICO and chaired by Dr. Mark O. M. Tso (United States), and specific task forces focused on curricula for Ophthalmology Medical Student Education, Ophthalmology Resident-Specialist Education, Ophthalmology Continuing Education, and Para-Ophthalmic Vision Specialist Education. Published in Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde in November 2006 and posted on the Internet, curricula are undergoing regular periodic revision.
Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde, November 2006,on the Internet at: www.icoph.org/pdf/icocurricmed.pdf.
Ophthalmology Medical Student Education
Eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration are increasingly important in the general scope of medical practice. Consequently, the ICO and the ICOFoundation are promoting ophthalmology education for medical students through a universally applicable curriculum. Formulated by an ICO multinational committee of educator—scientists formerly led by Dr. Richard K. Parrish II (United States) and currently chaired by Dr. Susan Lightman (United Kingdom), this curriculum presents a core of essential knowledge, additional content appropriate for specific geographic regions, and measures for objective assessment of the student’s
knowledge and skills. (www.icoph.org/med).
In 2007, the medical student curriculum was augmented by graphic lectures and teaching images that are a valuable resource for teaching medical students. Materials provided by Dr. Richard K. Parrish II, Dr. Susan Lightman and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are available without charge on the Internet (www.icoph.org/med/resources.html#lightman and www.icoph.org/med/resources.html#images).
Ophthalmology Resident-Specialist Education
To advance resident—specialty education, the ICO multinational committee is led by Dr. Andrew G. Lee (United States). Culminating six years of work to determine the “need to know” for ophthalmologists throughout the world, the multilevel “Principles and Guidelines of a Curriculum for Education of the Ophthalmic Specialist” is presented on the Internet (www.icoph.org/pdf/icocurricres.pdf).
In 2007, an additional curriculum module is being developed for Teaching Community Eye Health. This addition to the curriculum emphasizes the importance of eye care for all members of the community.
Ophthalmology Continuing Education
Dr. Zbigniew Zagorski (Poland) chairs the ICO committee coordinating information regarding ophthalmology continuing education programs. This program recognizes the need for continuing enhancement of knowledge, refinement of professional skills and training for utilization of advanced technology. Continuing professional development requires lifelong learning. This curriculum, in basic form, is posted on the Internet (www.icoph.org/pdf/icocurriccme.pdf).
Para-Ophthalmic Vision Specialist Education
Ophthalmic patient care services are provided within a broad range of eye and healthcare programs. For efficacy and efficiency, the ophthalmologist is in continuous communication with para-ophthalmic vision specialists and with physicians in related medical specialties.
Dr. Sivaguru Selvarajah (Malaysia) leads a multinational ICO committee committed to the education of community based para-ophthalmic personnel, hospital based para-ophthalmic personnel, orthoptists and ophthalmic technicians. The program developed by this team of educators is presented on the Internet (www.icoph.org/pdf/icocurricpara.pdf).
Ophthalmology Resident Program Directors Courses
Addressing the question “How to teach?” the Program Directors Courses focus on methods of instruction, assessing skills, changing resident behavior when indicated and measuring competence. Conducted by the ICO and the ICOFoundation, program director courses strengthen coordination among ophthalmology organizations by endorsement from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (United States), regional multinational ophthalmology societies and national ophthalmology organizations in the host country.
Ophthalmology Resident Program Directors Courses:
2004
Mexico City, Mexico
June 2004
Chair: Dr. Enrique Graue Wiechers (Mexico)
Co-Chair: Dr. Karl C. Golnik (United States)
Participants: Program Directors of all 23 ophthalmology residency programs in Mexico
2006
Lima, Peru
March 2006
Chair: Dr. Jose Antonio Roca (Peru)
Co-Chair: Dr. Karl C. Golnik (United States)
Participants: Program Directors of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
Cairo, Egypt
June 2006
Chair: Dr. Fathi El-Sahn (Egypt)
Program Chair: Dr. Akef El-Maghraby (Egypt)
Program Co-Chair: Dr. Andrew G. Lee (United States)
Participants: Program Directors of Egypt, Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen and United Arab Emirates.
2007
Lahore, Pakistan
February 2007
Chair: Dr. M. Daud Kahn (Pakistan)
Co-Chair: Dr. Karl C. Golnik (United States)
Participants: Program Directors of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India and Maldives.
The ICO and ICOFoundation convened an Ophthalmology Resident Program Directors Course in
Program Directors Course at Buenos Aires, Argentina,
in July 2007. Forty-nine participants were
from Argentina and four other
Pan-American countries.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
July 2007
Chair: Dr. Ricardo A. Dodds (Argentina)
Co-Chairs: Dr. Anthony C. Arnold (United States)& Dr. Karl C. Golnik (United States)
Participants: Program Directors of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and regional countries.
In
Brasilia, Brazil
September 2007
Chair: Dr. Paula A. Mello (Brazil)
Co-Chair: Dr. Karl C. Golnik (United States)
Participants: Resident Program Directors of Brazil.
Bringing together the leaders of ophthalmology resident training in Brazil, the Program Directors Course conducted by the ICO and ICOFoundation in the capital city of Brasilia on September 1–2, 2007, was led by Dr. Paula A. Mello (Brazil), Chair, and Dr. Karl C. Golnik (United States), Co-Chair. The Course was strongly aided by the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology and Brazilian Council of Ophthalmology. The two-day program featured didactic presentations, small group discussions, practical exercises and extensive informal exchange. A follow-up Program Directors Course is scheduled in Brazil during 2008.
World Ophthalmology Residency Development (WORD) Forum
Initiated by Dr. Eduardo Mayorga (Argentina) and Dr. Gabriela Palis (Argentina) as an interactive website for use prior to and following the Program Directors Course in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the enlarged World Ophthalmology Residency Development (WORD) Forum is a new interactive website for global communication among ophthalmology Program Directors. With password access, the WORD website presents the curriculum and content of ICO and ICOFoundation Program Directors Courses, didactic instruction material, teaching manuals and a forum for Internet discussion among ophthalmology Program Directors (www.icoword.org).
Ophthalmic Training and Eye Care Centers
To reduce avoidable visual impairment and blindness, the ICO and ICOFoundation are working with other ophthalmic, public service and industry organizations to build ophthalmology training and eye care centers in Nigeria, China and Senegal. These centers are committed to ophthalmology specialist-subspecialist training and sustainable eye care for all segments of the population.
Nigeria
Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria’s population of 140 million includes an estimated 2 million blind and 5 million with disease-related visual impairment or uncorrected refractive error. The causes of blindness in Nigeria are cataract, infection, trauma, glaucoma, childhood blindness and uncorrected refractive error (Ref. 8 Ajayi, BGK. Primary Eye Care in Western Nigeria, In Primary Health Care in Western Nigeria
1977–2007. Awojobi, OA Editor, 2007, 119–121).
Following assessment of ophthalmology training centers by ICO members and leaders of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria in 2004, the ICO and ICOFoundation funded equipment for broadband Internet access at six regional Resident-Specialist Training Centers in Nigeria. With encouragement by the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, all six centers initiated high speed, broadband Internet access for medical information in 2007. Internet access at training facilities opens the path for a wealth of current biomedical information and technology.
At University College Hospital, Ibadan, development of a regional center for training of ophthalmologists and for population-based eye care is progressing with support of Vision 2020, the Carl Zeiss Project, the Alcon Foundation and the ICOFoundation. Ophthalmologists have received specialized training in cataract surgery, corneal—anterior segment disease and retinal surgery. Progress is being made on development of University College Hospital as a resource for Nigeria.
China
Responding to the global epidemic of diabetes mellitus, the ICO and ICOFoundation combined with Eli Lilly & Company to establish the Peking University Eli Lilly Diabetic Eye Disease Center in Beijing, China, in May 2007. With formal approval of Peking University, direction by Dr. Zhizhong Ma, Executive Vice President of the Peking University Eye Center, and leadership by Dr. Mark O. M. Tso (United States), the Diabetic Eye Disease Center is working to prevent and treat diabetic eye disease by coordinated diabetic medical care and ophthalmic care, community outreach and diabetes related education.
Aided by ongoing consultation with a team representing Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology, Madurai, India, the Eli Lilly Diabetic Eye Disease Center initiated the program of diabetic eye disease awareness, community outreach and diabetic retinopathy management. In July 2007, screening of diabetic patients and treatment of diabetic eye disease commenced for the urban population of Beijing and the rural population of Shunyi County, China.
Senegal
Within the large French-speaking population of Sub-Saharan Africa, Senegal is a regional leader. Among the population of approximately 12 million centered at the capital city of Dakar, approximately 168,000 people are blind, 430,000 have severe visual impairment and 660,000 have uncorrected refractive error. Primary causes of blindness and severe visual impairment are cataract, infection, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and childhood eye disease.
At Dakar, the Dakar City Council, Senegal Ministry of Health and Senegal University system are combining with the philanthropy of Dr. Akef El-Maghraby (Egypt) and support by the ICO, ICOFoundation, Alcon Foundation, Al Noor Foundation and other entities to build a national ophthalmology training and eye care center.
Consultants from Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology and specialists from several entities are engaged in need assessment, program planning, management development and ophthalmology staff subspecialty training. With commencement of operations scheduled for 2008, the ophthalmology training and eye care center in Dakar is planned as a national and regional resource serving French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa.
ICOFoundation Support for Ophthalmic Education and Training
In 2007, the ICOFoundation provided support funds for the:
- Ophthalmology Medical Student Curriculum
- Ophthalmology Resident-Specialist Curriculum
- Ophthalmology Continuing Education Curriculum
- Para-ophthalmic Vision Specialist Curriculum
- Ophthalmology Program Directors Courses
- World Ophthalmology Residency Development (WORD) Forum
- Resident-Specialist Education and Eye Care Centers
More on programs supported by the ICOFoundation:
- Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment
- Ophthalmic Fellowship Training
- Eye and Vision Care Guidelines
- Advocacy for Preservation and Restoration of Vision
- Research in Ophthalmology and Vision
Next: Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment
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- Programs Supported by the ICOFoundation
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