Resident glaucoma surgical training in United States residency programs.
OBJECTIVE
To determine current trends in resident glaucoma surgical training throughout the United States.


METHODS
A comprehensive survey was sent to the residency director of all 121 ACGME-accredited ophthalmology training programs in the United States.


RESULTS
The mean and median number of glaucoma procedures a resident will complete by the end of their training is 8.6 and 8 respectively for trabeculectomy, 5.3 and 4 for combined trabeculectomy/phacoemulsification, and 3.6 and 2 for tube-shunts. One percent of residents will gain experience as primary surgeon on trabeculectomies during their first year, 32% during their second year, and 67% during their third year. Seventy-five percent of residents are taught more than one trabeculectomy technique by more than one staff surgeon. Eighty-four percent of residents are taught glaucoma surgery almost exclusively by fellowship-trained glaucoma surgeons. Eighty-two percent of residents use antimetabolites (mitomycin C or 5-FU) as an adjunct to trabeculectomy most or all of the time. More than 96% of resident tube-shunt procedures use Ahmed, Baerveldt, or Molteno devices. Eighty percent of residents do not perform any pediatric glaucoma surgeries. Sixty-two percent of residents rotate out of their main facility to perform glaucoma surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Residents are being exposed to glaucoma surgery early in their residency training. Most are performing a variety of different procedures and techniques, and are taught by fellowship-trained surgeons. Residents gain very little exposure to pediatric glaucoma surgery. All programs reported compliance with minimum RRC requirements for glaucoma filtering surgery.
Golden
Richard P
RP
Eye Foundation of Kansas City, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri 64108, USA.
Krishna
Rohit
R
DeBry
Peter W
PW
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018463:Filtering Surgery / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D020327:Glaucoma Drainage Implants; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000639:trends*; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D014481:United States