What books do I need for residency?

by Andrew Lam, MD

Chief Resident, Wills Eye Hospital

At the end of internship, it is normal to start thinking, “Maybe I should start learning more about ophthalmology before I show up on the first day.” You may feel inclined to buy a book to read up a little. In fact, you will find that there are actually few books you will need to buy as a resident. The American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Basic and Clinical Science Course (BCSC) series is a 14 volume set that all residents receive from their program. This series is very comprehensive and obviates the need to buy other books. However, most residents end up buying a few other books that fall into a few categories.

1. A hands-on manual of clinical ophthalmology. I believe the Wills Eye Manual is the most practical clinical manual to have. It is concise and has just the right amount of information for the resident who is on consults, in the clinic, or in the emergency room. It is a practical guide that does not waste room with pictures. Many residents will be given this book by a pharmaceutical representative at the start of residency. This is also available as PDA software. An alternative manual is the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Manual.

2. Books used to prepare for the Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP). The OKAP is an annual self-assessment exam that all residents take each year. The OKAP is good practice for the boards and different residencies place different emphasis on the importance of doing well on the OKAP. The two best comprehensive study books that come closest to the “First Aid” books you probably used in medical school are Ophthalmology Review Manual by Kenneth Chern and Review of Ophthalmology by Friedman, Kaiser and Trattler. Chern’s book is older, but Chern also has a newer question book that complements it. The Friedman book is newer and has a nicer layout. In addition to the Chern question book, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Review Manual for Ophthalmology by Lamkin is another question book; however, the questions in this book are fairly esoteric. Some of the best practice questions can be found at the end of each of the BCSC volumes. Also, Last Minute Optics is a good book to work through shortly before the test.

3. Books that are nice to own. There is no shortage of ophthalmology books to buy and fill your shelves with. These will not be necessary to be a successful resident, but as an ophthalmologist you will probably eventually want to own some of these. Kanski’s Clinical Ophthalmology is an excellent (and large) comprehensive text. Spalton’s Atlas of Clinical Ophthalmology is probably the best atlas out there. An alternative would be Tasman’s Wills Eye Hospital Atlas of Ophthalmology. Furthermore, depending on your interest, there are excellent books dedicated to each subspecialty and to ophthalmic surgery.

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