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Survey finds ophthalmology training in pediatric residency programs lagging
SAN FRANCISCO — A recent survey found almost one-quarter of pediatric residency training programs had insufficient ophthalmology training programs, according to a poster presentation here.
At the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting, a poster by Gregg Lueder, MD, and Andrew White, MD, showed 24% of pediatric residency directors were dissatisfied with their ophthalmology programs due to a lack of time as well as a lack of teaching ophthalmologists.
Surveys were mailed to 187 pediatric residency program directors, and 137 (72%) were returned.
"There is a significant deficit in ophthalmic training for pediatric residents in the United States," Drs. Lueder and White said in the poster. "Programs should be developed to assist those programs that are not satisfied with their ophthalmic education."
Some of the suggested improvements to programs were more didactic lectures by pediatric ophthalmologists, rotations through pediatric ophthalmology clinics, and Web or CD-ROM based programs, the authors said.
As ophthalmologists, we rely on pediatricians to help identify patients who need our help. As experts in the eye care of children, ophthalmologists need to assist pediatricians in learning how to provide this service. The study by Lueder and White shows that a deficit in ophthalmic education exists in a significant number of pediatric training programs. The main causes for this deficit were lack of time and lack of ophthalmologists to teach residents. While we may not be able to solve the former issue, we can help to rectify the latter by being available and helping to develop educational programs for pediatric residents.
– Scott E. Olitsky, MD
OSN Pediatrics/Strabismus Board Member