Status of Canadian undergraduate medical education in ophthalmology

To use the perspectives of undergraduate program directors to assess the current structure and adequacy of undergraduate ophthalmology curricula at Canadian medical schools.

Cross-sectional survey.

Undergraduate ophthalmology program directors at each English-speaking Canadian medical school.

Program directors were identified and invited to participate in an online survey. The 18-question survey focused on key areas of undergraduate ophthalmology curricula, including length, timeline, setting, and nature of medical students' exposure to ophthalmology. A period of 4 months was allowed for responses. Information from medical school web sites was combined with survey responses.

Responses were obtained from 7 of the 14 (50%) program directors. All of the respondents represented metropolitan institutions of greater than 100 seats. After combining survey and web site data, only 5 of 14 (35.7%) schools were found to have a mandatory clinical clerkship ophthalmology rotation. In each case, the mandatory rotation is less than 2 weeks. A core curriculum based on the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) guidelines is used in only 20% of schools. Extracurricular ophthalmology exposure in the form of research opportunities and interest groups exists in 100% and 71.4% of schools, respectively.

The proportion of schools requiring mandatory clerkship ophthalmology rotations is only 35.7%. However, most departments use strategies to optimize the limited time allotted to ophthalmology rotations during medical school. A greater degree of adherence to the ICO curriculum guidelines may help to ensure that medical students develop an appropriate level of proficiency in managing patients with eye disease.