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Greek ophthalmology residents complain of undertraining, seek opportunities abroad
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Ljubljana, SLOVENIA — Ophthalmology residents in Greece are not satisfied with the level of training they receive and are determined to seek opportunities abroad to improve their surgical skills, according to a survey.
According to Lampros Lamprogiannis, MD, ophthalmology resident at the University of Thessaloniki, the current economic crisis has affected the availability and quality of training.
“We suffer from lack of equipment, malfunction, overload and shortage of specialists who have the time for teaching,” he said at the winter meeting of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.
Lampros Lamprogiannis
A 20-items questionnaire was made available online. The main field of interest was anterior segment surgery, but a mean of only 23 cataract procedures had been performed by trainees. Of the 124 respondents, 52% said they had not performed any cataract surgery. Not surprisingly, 65% expressed dissatisfaction. Seventy-three percent of residents were seeking or intending to seek opportunities abroad to improve their surgical skills, even if it entailed self-financing.
“Nearly half of the responders do not consider themselves prepared enough to manage their own practice, 81% do not consider themselves prepared enough to conduct unassisted surgery, and 96% said that post-residency training would be a necessity,” Lamprogiannis said.
Lack of government funding has led some young ophthalmologist to a dead end, while those who are given the opportunity are emigrating to other parts of Europe.
“Most of us are stubborn and optimistic enough to not give up. There are many excellent young ophthalmologists involved in research and fellowships abroad,” he said.
Disclosure: Lamprogiannis has no relevant financial disclosure.