What courses are available for OKAP and Board preparation?

By Molly Ritsema, MD

Review courses are a great way to get a quick, broad overview of ophthalmology prior to the OKAPs or written boards. The OKAPs, held this year on April 17th, can sneak up on you. If you’re a resident who doesn’t have quite as much time to study as intended, a review course will help fill in the gaps. If you’re a fellow or a newly practicing ophthalmologist preparing for the written boards, you may be in a similar situation and could benefit from a review course.

Also, don’t forget that there are tools for studying other than the BCSC series and review manuals:

- Review courses are available on DVD
- Take advantage of practice questions on the web:
o http://www.medrounds.org/ophthalmology-board-review/exam/

- If you’re an audio learner, Dr. Rob Melendez has compiled an excellent audio review for the boards, Ophthalmology Buzzwords,
o http://www.medrounds.org/ophthalmology-pearls/2007/03/study-with-ophthalmology-buzzwords.html

If you decide to take an ophthalmology review course, below is a list of courses with contact information. It is not meant to be comprehensive, but it should start you on the right track:

The Jules Stein Fifth Annual Comprehensive Ophthalmology Review Course
March 11 - March 14, 2010
UCLA, The Jules Stein Eye Institute
Los Angeles, CA

http://www.medrounds.org/ophthalmology-pearls/2010/02/5th-annual-comprehensive-ophthalmology.html

Illinois Eye Review Course
March 13 - March 19, 2010
University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center campus
http://uic.edu/com/eye/IllinoisEyeReview/index.shtml

New York Eye & Ear Infirmary 2010 BOARD & OKAP Review CourseJanuary 5 - March 4, 2010
Review Courses run from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM on Tuesdays with a few exceptions
http://www.nyee.edu/okap-and-board-review---lecture-schedule.html

The Osler Institute Ophthalmology Written Review
February 17 - February 22, 2010
San Diego, CA
http://www.osler.org/main/OPH.html

San Antonio Ophthalmology Course
March 8 - March 12, 2010
http://ophthalmologycourse.com/index.php

Wills Eye Institute 35th Annual Ophthalmology Review Course

February 27 - March 3, 2010
Philadelphia, PA
http://www.willseye.org/physicians/cme/Ad_Rev__10_color.pdf