Each year, 27 residents gain outstanding and rigorous clinical experience in the Department of Ophthalmology as a result of high surgery volume and clinical pathology. We accept nine residents each year; an internship is required prior to residency.

We strive to provide the best ophthalmic education possible. Didactic lectures presented by our full-time and clinical faculty cover all the basic science and clinical topics, as well as lectures that help fulfill ACGME competencies in medical knowledge, professionalism, system-based practice, practice-based learning and improvement, and interpersonal and communication skills.

Sections

• Clinical optics
• Ophthalmic pathology and intraocular tumors
• Neuro-Ophthalmology
• Pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus
• Orbit, eyelids, and lacrimal system
• External disease and cornea
• Intraocular inflammation and uveitis
• Glaucoma
• Lens and cataract
• Retina and vitreous
• Professionalism, ethics, and advocacy
• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Socioeconomics and systems-based practice
• Practice-based learning and improvement
• Biostatistics

Residency Characteristics

• ACGME accreditation: Ongoing, with the longest possible ten-year review cycle. The Ophthalmology Residency Program exceeds the minimum ACGME requirements in all surgical categories.
• A large heterogeneous patient population
• An appropriate balance of supervision and autonomy in clinics
• Supervision in surgery
• Significant intraocular surgery before entering third year of residency
• Full-time subspecialty faculty (minimum eight)
• In-house intense didactics, including practice management and coding
• Fellows who complement and do not detract from residency
• Exposure to wet labs (close geographical proximity to Alcon, with hands-on phaco wet lab led by UT Southwestern Medical Center faculty at least twice a year)
• Up-to-date equipment and adequate number of examination and ORs
• Good ancillary services and support personnel
• Cutting edge approach to surgery, including advanced phaco techniques and refractive surgery
• Good esprit de corps among residents and faculty
• Scholarly environment with strong clinical and basic research by faculty (who publish)
• Associated with nationally renowned medical school
• Serves a growing patient population

Surgery

Surgical procedure frequency per resident as primary surgeon (Source: ACGME case logs for graduating class of 2017)

We far exceed minimum surgical requirements for training as established by the ACGME.