Ophthalmology Residency

PGY-1

Integrated intern year under Internal Medicine Residency

We have an integrated intern year that is under the coordination of the Internal Medicine Residency. Our interns join the Internal Medicine Residency as preliminary year. They will manage and learn essential medical conditions through time spent in hospitalized patients. They will also be given a minimum of 3 months of ophthalmic experience in the form of clinic and elective rotations.

A successful completion of the PGY-1 year is required to continue into the ophthalmology residency.

PGY-2

There is a large and steep learning curve during the first full year of ophthalmology residency. To help ensure our trainees accomplish their excellent training, we provide them with the necessary tools. Their first experience during this year is a refraction course to properly learn the techniques required to care for patients. All residents are provided with the full up-to-date set of the AAO Basic Clinical Science Course books as well as faculty didactics. Additionally, each PGY-2 resident will start on a comprehensive month, rotating in all the major subspecialty areas as well as having their own weekly resident clinics.

During the PGY-2, residents spend nine months at Baylor Scott & White rotating through every subspecialty and three months at Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Center (VA) in their own comprehensive ophthalmology clinic. We expect residents begin operating and performing clinical and laser procedures during this year of training.

PGY-3 and PGY-4

During the final two years of training, residents will spend progressively more time at the VA (4 months and 8 months, respectively) assuming more responsibility and performing more surgeries and procedures. All surgeries are supervised and assisted by actively practicing senior faculty. Clinics and procedure locations are all located alongside the senior faculty clinics and procedure areas.

Upper level residents are responsible for teaching weekly BCSC Resident Conferences as well as participating in medical student education for those who rotate through the department.

Call schedule

Call is front loaded during training and the schedule is determined by the residents. Call is taken at home on a pager system. Call is taken for Baylor Scott & White Memorial (adults), Baylor Scott & White McLane’s Children’s Hospital (children) and Olin E. Teague Veteran’s Center (VA) concurrently with each call period. Call is divided throughout the year into 2-3 day/night intervals.

• PGY-2 residents will take a total of 10 weeks of call.
  There is always one assigned upper level resident as back-up call to assist with patient management and care.
• PGY-3 Call consists of 5 total weeks of call.
  They are also responsible to back-up call for the final three months of the academic year.
• PGY-4 Call consists of 2 total weeks of call.
  They are also responsible for back-up call for the first 9 months of the academic year.