Evidence-based cataract surgery teaching milestones: guide to evaluate resident achievement

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Education
• Medical Training

Background:

• Cataract surgery is a common procedure requiring extensive training.
• Standardized milestones for surgical education are essential for resident competency.
• Current training paradigms may lack defined performance indicators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish evidence-based milestones for cataract surgery training.
• To identify key performance indicators for resident surgical skill development.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study analyzing operative records of 13 residents over 14 years.
• Primary outcome: time to complete first cataract surgery case.
• Secondary outcomes: time per surgical step, case participation, complication rates.

Main Results:

• Residents achieved complete cataract surgery competency in a mean of 5.1 ± 3.4 months.
• Lower case participation correlated with increased time to competency (P = .02).
• Posterior capsular rupture occurred in <1% of resident cases.

Conclusions:

• Focused cataract surgery rotations with multiple instructors facilitate resident competency.
• Established milestones can define weaker performance, with 23.1% of residents meeting this definition.
• The study provides a framework for assessing and improving cataract surgery training.