Our goal is to introduce medical students to the specialty of Ophthalmology. Our electives are directed toward students considering a career in ophthalmology, as well as those who intend to pursue a career in another medical or surgical specialty, but wish for an introduction to the evaluation and care of patients with vision loss or eye disease.
The medical student elective program in Ophthalmology offers the following goals and objectives:
(1) To help the student develop confidence in specific examination techniques which are commonly used by ophthalmologists to detect abnormalities of the eyes, optic nerve, lids, lacrimal apparatus and visual pathways;
(2) To assist the student in identifying, recalling and categorizing information about the following clinical problem areas: visual acuity, glaucoma, red eye, injuries, amblyopia and strabismus, and neuro-ophthalmology;
(3) To assist the student in describing and communicating ocular findings with other physicians and to learn when to refer cataract or sight-threatening symptoms (e.g., eye pain, vision loss, flashers and floaters) to an ophthalmologist;
(4) To provide a first time experience working in an ophthalmology practice setting with adult and pediatric patients, their families and ophthalmic nurses and technicians. The setting provides a balance of outpatient, emergency room, inpatient and operating room experiences and is directed toward the following:
a. The application of basic science and clinical knowledge to specific eye problems,
b. Gaining practical experience and insight into the communication skills, examination techniques and treatments which are used in the practice of ophthalmology,
c. Deciding whether to become an ophthalmologist;
(5) To introduce the student to controversial areas of ophthalmology to stimulate reading and investigation into these topics;
(6) To observe common surgical techniques, such as cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation.
