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Will COVID-19 impact the selection of ophthalmology as a career choice by medical students?

The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound effects on medical education and has called for large shifts in the medical curriculum. Clinical attachments were suspended at the height of the pandemic and examinations were cancelled or were moved to an online...

‘Getting a head start’: ways medical students can boost their chances of entering ophthalmology training

Ophthalmology is one of the most competitive medical specialities in the UK, with 3.74 applicants per place in 2018 [1]. Given the competitive nature of this highly specialised field, medical students who are interested in pursuing a career in ophthalmology...

Preparing for the Duke Elder Award

The Duke Elder examination is an undergraduate ophthalmology exam, conducted by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) and undertaken by students with an interest in ophthalmology. It is a two-hour, 90-question, multiple choice exam with a broader curriculum than that...

Attending ophthalmology conferences as a foundation trainee: an eye-opener?

The benefits of attending specialty conferences for clinicians are numerous. For example, staying up to date with the latest advancements in the field and integrating these into clinical practice. However, foundation doctors are yet to enter a training pathway and...

Demystifying external trainee selected components and out of programme experiences

If you don’t know your external TSCs from your OOPC/OOPT/OOPE/OOPR, then this article is for you. Trainee selected components (TSC) are College-approved periods of training, usually ranging from six months to a year (formally ASTO) of intensive subspecialty training in...

The first on-call

You’ve made into ophthalmic specialist training and before you know it, it’s your first on-call shift. You are expected to provide the specialist on-call service out of hours and there is a new wave of responsibility, with, let’s be honest,...

How to pass the FRCOphth part 2 oral exam

If you have got this far in terms of your exams, relax. In terms of pass rate, the hardest FRCOphth membership exams are already behind you. The pass mark for the part 2 oral exam is around 75%, and about...

Optimising an acute eye service in the current COVID-19 crisis

With the current global pandemic of COVID-19 we have all had to redesign and reorganise our normal working practices. Non-urgent hospital work has been postponed to allow redistribution of resources, redeployment of hospital staff and to reduce the risk of...

How to pass the Refraction Certificate

Unfortunately, I had the pleasure of getting to know this exam intimately. With adequate preparation this does not have to be the case for most people. The exam has recently changed to consist of 10 OSCE style stations (previously 12)....

Useful digital resources for the modern ophthalmologist

In the age of the internet and a smartphone at everyone’s fingertips, here are some free resources I have found to be useful on the job, and hopefully will be of use to you too. Feedly (Android/iOS): Better known as...

How a calcified Soemmerring ring was removed from the vitreous cavity when the cutter and forceps failed to do so

Know’st thou the land where lemon-trees do bloom,And oranges like gold in leafy gloom; A gentle wind from deep blue heaven blows, The myrtle thick, and high the laurel grows? ‘Tis there! ‘tis there, O my beloved one, I with...

Preventing refractive surprises by real time biometry during cataract surgery

A few months ago a retired lady presented for second eye cataract surgery. I noted on the pre-op ward round that the outcome of her first eye’s surgery looked like a refractive surprise as her spherical equivalent in that eye...