United Kingdom national cataract training survey

A nationwide postal survey of all consultant ophthalmologists in the United Kingdom was conducted to determine attitudes and techniques of cataract surgery trainers, identify trainer-related factors that determine surgical opportunity, and ascertain whether trainers had received adequate training in how to teach surgery. The response rate was 43% (410/950). Seventy-nine percent of respondents were men; 46% worked in a university teaching hospital (UTH). University teaching hospital consultants provided more surgical opportunities to their trainees (P<.001). Surgical opportunity was directly correlated with number of vitreoretinal surgeons in the department independent of UTH status (P<.001). Eighty-three percent of trainers had received no formal training in how to teach surgery; only 12% of these expressed a desire to undertake such training. Further research is required to determine optimal methods for delivery of ophthalmic surgical training.

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