Trainees
The expanding role of the optometrist
Eyecare in the UK has seen significant changes in recent years, with new models of care, technological advancements and an increased emphasis on primary eyecare in some UK nations. Crucially, an ageing population demographic is set to escalate further both...
Scholarships, awards and prizes
Perhaps one of the less well-known benefits of being a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) is access to the range of scholarships, awards and prizes that we offer. Many of you will be aware of the annual...
Postgraduate training for ophthalmic practitioners
The UK currently spends £25 billion per year on ocular disease, and there is expected to be a 40% increase in those affected by visual impairment by 2050 [1]. To manage this demand, 82% of ophthalmology units across the UK...
Behind the curtain: What trainees wish they knew before starting in ophthalmology
As a foundation year doctor, I didn’t expect ophthalmology to feature much in acute medicine or surgery. Yet it kept appearing at the periphery – and when it did, it was often complex and unexpectedly urgent. A confused older patient...
An ophthalmology elective in Kandy, Sri Lanka
On my first day at The Centre for Sight, Kandy General Hospital, I observed an enucleation. The surgeons worked with quiet precision, preserving the extraocular muscles for prosthesis placement. But when the time came, it became clear that the prosthesis...
Ophthalmology elective: A reflection from Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
I was fortunate enough to undertake an eight-week ophthalmology elective at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Moshi, Tanzania. It was an unforgettable two months, filled with once-in-a-life-time experiences and also the opportunity to gain invaluable clinical knowledge. KCMC...
My message to future ophthalmology teaching fellows: Organising an effective ophthalmology placement
Globally, teaching ophthalmology during the undergraduate period presents challenges. The time allocated for it is minimal with substandard exposure [1,2]. Additionally, the number of universities mandating formal ophthalmology education has significantly declined [3]. Research supports the observation that doctors in...
Record rise in competition ratios for ophthalmology: What does this mean for the future of the ophthalmology training programme?
In this article, Adina Smith discusses factors likely to contribute to the record rise in competition ratios and the impact this may have on the future of OST. Ophthalmology specialty training (OST) is the fifth most competitive training programme in...
The visual field of empathy: What ophthalmology taught me about seeing the patient
It was a busy shift on the ward. Amongst the chest pains and fevers was an older woman referred for confusion. She was quiet, polite, and compliant – the kind of patient who doesn’t raise alarms. As we spoke, I...
My ophthalmology elective: Reflections from Singapore
Why do an ophthalmology elective? An elective in ophthalmology can offer a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the highly competitive specialty beyond the confines of the medical school curriculum, while experiencing a healthcare system in a new cultural setting....
Making the most of your foundation year rotation in ophthalmology
Ophthalmology continues to be a highly desirable speciality in the UK; however, medical students usually encounter only minimal exposure, generally ranging from one to two weeks, during their studies [1]. Nevertheless, eye-related conditions represent a considerable share of presentations in...
An ophthalmology elective in the South Pacific
For the four weeks of September 2024, I was lucky enough to embark on an ophthalmology elective in the Kingdom of Tonga, a small island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. The Tongan people are incredibly friendly and upbeat, and...
