Ophthalmology residency program leadership expectations of resident competency in retinal procedures and resident experience with retinal procedures.

Abstract

To investigate ophthalmology residency program leadership expectations regarding resident competency in retinal procedures by graduation and to investigate resident experience performing retinal procedures. A survey was emailed to the program director at each accredited US ophthalmology training program. Completed surveys were received from 37/117 (32%) programs. Most respondents identified panretinal photocoagulation (100%), laser for retinal tear (100%), laser for diabetic macular edema (94%), laser for macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion (92%), intravitreal injection (83%), and vitreous tap/intravitreal injection (78%) as procedures residency graduates should be competent to perform; 89%, 3%, 64%, 17%, 14%, and 3% reported residents perform >20 such cases, respectively, as primary surgeon, and 0%, 56%, 6%, 37%, 46%, and 63% reported residents perform one to five such cases, respectively. Competency in scleral buckling and pars plana vitrectomy was expected by 17% and 19%, respectively. Most respondents expect residency graduates to be competent in retinal laser and injection procedures. Competency in incisional retinal procedures is generally not expected. For some laser and injection procedures, a substantial proportion of residents perform one to five cases as primary surgeon.