Clinical Training by Year
Rotations consist of 6 training periods over the course of each year and are a mixture of subspecialty and general ophthalmology rotations. Clinical and surgical opportunities vary by institution.
Second year (PGY III)
During the second year of residency, emphasis is placed on clinical ophthalmology and basic surgical procedures. In addition to responsibilities in general clinic, second years are also responsible for performing laser surgeries at all sites, as well as muscle surgeries and extracapsular cataract operations. There are also subspecialty rotations in Pediatrics and Neuro-Ophthalmology at UH. Second years attend the Wills Review Course in the spring, prior to OKAPS, as well as a small-incision phacoemulsification course in preparation for their senior year surgical responsibilities. Second years share primary call with the first years at each hospital. Click here for a sample call schedule.
University Hospitals of Cleveland (UH) – The Pediatric rotation is spent primarily with our two pediatric ophthalmologists, working with them in clinic and the operating room. There are opportunities for performing strabismus surgery and indirect laser for retinopathy of prematurity. There is no primary call on this rotation, however, the pediatric ophthalmology resident is responsible for all consults to the service. Similarly, much of the Neuro-Ophthalmology rotation is spent with our neuro-ophthalmologist, learning to assess patients in clinic and hone the specific aspects of the neuro-ophthalmology exam. Consults are seen and evaluated by the resident and presented directly to the attending. There are also opportunities to observe and perform strabismus surgery and temporal artery biopsies. The Neuro-Ophthalmology resident is also the main second-year UH resident and performs all laser surgeries generated in resident clinic. Call is shared between the first and second years.
MetroHealth Medical Center (Metro) – The second year residents at Metro are responsible for seeing a majority of patients in clinic and for assisting on all Plastics cases. They perform all resident clinic-generated laser surgeries as well as any strabismus and extracapsular cataract cases. Overnight call is shared between the first and second years.
St. Vincent’s Charity Hospital (St. Vincent’s) – The second year is expected to put their clinical skills to help run the clinics more efficiently, except on Monday afternoons when laser surgeries are scheduled. There are also opportunities for strabismus and extracapsular cataract operations, as well as minor office procedures. The day call consult pager is shared with the first year. Overnight call is shared between the first and second years at St. Vincent’s and the VA.
Veterans’ Affairs (VA) – Second years spend a total of 4 months at the VA during the second year, performing both clinical and surgical duties. The two second years are responsible for seeing patients in the follow-up clinic in the beginning of the week. The VA 2nd year, responsible for directly assisting the chief resident in surgery and post-op clinic. In surgery, the chief resident teaches portions of the cataract surgery to the junior residents under the supervision of the attending. The VA Laser resident is responsible for all retinal, glaucoma, and Yag lasers which are performed in the latter half of the week. Call is shared between the first and second years at the VA and St. Vincent’s Hospital.