Pearls For New Ophthalmology Residents

by Chris Ketcherside, MD
University of Virginia

If you’ve gotten this far then you’ve already done (or are praying for the end of) your intern year. During this year you learn some of the ground rules to being a doctor and a resident. Here are some additional pearls to help you start of on the right foot…or eye.

Take your own pulse first: Those of you who drove an ambulance have probably heard this one before, but it will work in this setting too. You will be anxious as a new resident and will always be stressed about something. When a difficult patient or situation presents, the best thing to start with is a big breath and a few seconds to gather yourself. Remember, you survived that code as an intern and you’ll do just fine here too. You got this far for a reason.

Be Patient: Ophthalmology is a unique specialty. Not just because most of us will be spending the rest of our lives working on 4 cubic centimeters (as my father likes to point out), but because we are so dependent on our toys. Those toys will be difficult to master at first so don’t get discouraged. It takes a lot of patience and several months to start to feel comfortable using the indirect ophthalmoscope and the slit lamp. Practice makes perfect so when you get the chance to use an instrument take it. In other words there will be times when you want to skip the gonioscopy or the scleral depression. Don’t.

Be prepared: If you were a Boy Scout you know this one well. We’ll apply the motto to your call bag. Most of your Chiefs will supply you with a stocked call bag when you get there (if they don’t then they should have). This bag will include things that you may need to get you through your call nights. Even if you have your bag, a few things that probably aren’t in there that you should add are…

• Eyelid speculum – you will see oodles of orbital fractures and most of them will have very swollen lids. After you get them apart with the Jaws-of-Life just slide the speculum in to examine the eye.


• +3.00 loose lens – many patients will not have their glasses with them and many more can’t get up to check distance vision. This lets you check a near vision in most.


• Intravitreal antibiotics order sheet – when you get the open globe to repair, just fax the sheet with the mixing instructions to the pharmacy and pick up the finished product on the way to the OR.

Help your fellow residents: I promise you that there will come a time when you are in need of a helping hand. Whether that is on call, in your clinic, or moving your refrigerator, take your pick. If your resident clinic is a free-for-all, don’t leave until the work is done. If you see your own patients then help start the other person’s patients and check with everyone before you leave. You may be able to do this on your own but why would you want to?