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RESIDENCY
PROGRAM
We appreciate your interest
in our Ophthalmology Residency Program. The program has a
long and distinguished history, having been established by
Edward Jackson M.D., an acknowledged founding father of ophthalmology,
in the early 1900's. Dr. Jackson's legacy of sound educational
principles for ophthalmology residents continues in our department
today. In an ever-changing environment of health care our
faculty remain dedicated to providing excellent educational
opportunities for residents.
The Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute (RMLEI) Ophthalmology
Residency Program is a 36-month course of training and is
fully accredited by the Residency Review Committee of the
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Four positions are filled each year (for a total of 12 residents).
Requirements for acceptance into the Residency Program include
an M.D. degree and one postgraduate clinical year in an ACGME-approved
program featuring at least six months of direct patient
care. Residents in our program must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess the appropriate documentation to allow Resident to legally train at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. The Applicants
must be eligible for medical licensure in the State of Colorado.
Resident selection is
made based on information obtained from the Central
Application Service and a personal interview. Appointments
are made through the Ophthalmology Matching Program sponsored
by the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology.
OUTLINE OF RESIDENCY PROGRAM
TOP
The focus of our residency program is the development of clinical
excellence in ophthalmology. Our goal is for each graduate
to be a well-rounded practitioner of comprehensive ophthalmology
via exposure to and experience in broad areas of ophthalmology.
Many graduates obtain further subspecialty training of their
choice and enter academic medicine Residents in our
program take on more responsibility and enjoy more independence
in treating their patients than in most programs. While residents
always are supervised in the clinics and operating rooms,
they are expected to perform as their patient's primary physician
and to incrementally assume increasing responsibility for
their care. In this way, residents learn to think critically
and apply their knowledge to patient care. A full range
of didactic teaching sessions and seminars are offered.
AFFILIATED HOSPITALS
TOP
The Residency Program is based at the new Rocky Mountain Lions
Eye Institute (RMLEI) on the Fitzsimons campus in Aurora
adjacent to Denver; four residents are on rotation at the
Eye Institute at all times and see referral patients with
a wide range of ophthalmic problems.
Denver Health Medical Center (DHMC) serves an inner city population
and has a very active trauma service. Three share rotational
duties there.
The
Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) is located at the 9th
and Colorado campus in Denver Hospital and is an active regional
referral center for patients with both general and subspecialty
care needs. Two of our residents stationed there.
Subspecialty rotations also occur at The Children's Hospital.
All affiliated hospitals are easily accessible from the Rocky
Mountain Lions Eye Institute at Fitzsimons.
ROTATIONS TOP
PGY2TOP
In the first year of the Residency Program, diagnostic
clinical skills and medical ophthalmology are emphasized.
Residents spend six months of the year at the RMLEI, three
months at DHMC, and three months at the VAMC.
Clinical responsibilities include refraction and contact lens
clinics as well as weekly subspecialty clinics in the areas
of retina, cornea, glaucoma, strabismus, oculoplastics and
neuro-ophthalmology. There is an introduction to cataract
surgical techniques and laser procedures. First year residents
perform minor surgical procedures.
First year residents also attend all didactic sessions and
are responsible for case presentations at clinical conferences.
A detailed presentation on a topic of interest is given each
year as a resident seminar.
PGY3 TOP
During the second year of residency, emphasis shifts toward
subspecialty training and increased surgical experience. Three
months are spent at The Children's Hospital (TCH) on the pediatric
ophthalmology service. There is an active consultation service
and many congenital ocular anomalies are seen. During this
rotation, residents attend clinic and participate in strabismus
surgery. Each resident participates in about 25 strabismus
surgeries as the primary surgeon.
Three months are spent at DHMC providing medical and surgical
care for all indigent patients in the City and County of Denver.
It is a Level 1 regional trauma center providing care to injured
children and adult patients throughout Colorado and neighboring
states. Subspecialty care in all areas of ophthalmology is
provided. PGY3 residents have the opportunity to participate
in cataract surgery.
Three months are spent at RMLEI on the oculoplastic and glaucoma
services. Residents participate in an intramural ocular pathology
course and are involved in gross and microscopic examination
of all specimens. The resident also provides inpatient consultation
service in addition to direct participation in both oculoplastics
and glaucoma clinics and surgeries.
PGY4TOP
In the third year of the residency program, surgical experience
is emphasized. Each resident performs an average of 100 cataract
surgeries. Residents learn the most recent techniques of clear
corneal incision with small incision foldable intraocular
lenses. Third year residents can expect to be the primary
surgeon on a number of vitreoretinal, corneal, glaucoma, orbital
and oculoplastic cases, all supervised by faculty. Residents
spend three months at the VAMC, six months at RMLEI (three
months on the retina service and three months on the cornea/cataract
service) and three months at DHMC. The resident’s main
duties include general and subspecialty clinics, pre-and postoperative
patient evaluations, some consultation services and some specialized
laser procedures.
A research
project is required of every resident and is generally presented
at the Alumni, Resident, and Fellow Research Day held in conjunction
with the Colorado Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (CSEPS)
near the end of the senior year.
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