Welcome to the Ophthalmology Residency Program

Message from the Program Director

The WVU Ophthalmology Residency Program is a three year program that accepts three residents per year. We are the only tertiary eye care center in West Virginia and receive many patients with unusual and complex disorders referred to WVU by doctors throughout West Virginia and the tri-state area of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The Eye Institute also provides comprehensive eye care to a diverse population of local residents, in both traditional and managed care settings.

In October 2007 the WVU eye institute purchased and made available to residents the EYESI (VR magic) surgical simulator divice, a cutting edge technology permitting realistic development of intraocular surgical skills needed for cataract and vitreoretinal surgery. WVU is one of a few ophthalmology training programs internationally offering virtual reality surgical training experience to its ophthalmology residents.

During the three years residents spend approximately four months in the specialty areas of comprehensive ophthalmology, medical retina, surgical retina, glaucoma, pediatric ophthalmology, neuro-ophthalmology and oculoplastics, and cornea. Residents rotate twice through each service, 8 weeks each, during their three-year program. Ocular pathology is taught through the neuropathology course offered by the Armed Force Institute of Pathology (AFIP) at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC. There is significant emphasis in low vision assessment and contact lens fitting. Residents work primarily in the West Virginia University Eye Institute, founded in 2001, and in the West Virginia University Hospitals. There is also a resident clinic at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Clarksburg, WV, which provides a great variety of medical and surgical pathology to the residents' experience.

Residents receive a weekly lectures series held by the faculty and outside specialists on Mondays and Tuesdays. Grand Rounds are held each Friday at which residents present interesting and challenging case studies. Occasionally, outside speakers are also invited to present at Grand Rounds. Each Thursday morning residents attend a Basic Science Review lecture. This is designed to be an in-depth study of the ophthalmology basic science series. Retina Conference is held each Wednesday morning.

One research project over the three year time period is required of each resident. The completed project is to be presented by the resident during their last year of residency during the Annual Spring Conference meeting. There is opportunity for residents to become involved in research projects with faculty, both in the Ophthalmology Department and with basic science faculty at WVU allied with the Department. Research improves the academic standing for residents wishing to pursue fellowships after residency and helps develop residents into clinical scientists. Residents must find time for research activities during their evening and weekend hours as their clinical responsibilities take precedence during clinic hours in the Eye Institute.

Approximately half of our graduating residents go on to fellowship training, most recently into the fields of cornea, glaucoma, pediatrics and retina. We are proud of our alumni and current residents and welcome your interest in our training program!