Ophthalmology training in US family practice residencies

Training in office ophthalmology is important in family practice residencies, especially because ophthalmology problems are common in family practice and only one quarter of medical students take structured ophthalmology clerkships in US medical schools. A joint committee of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has developed for family practice residents a core curriculum in ophthalmology listing essential cognitive knowledge and psychomotor skills. A national study on the extent and type of training currently available in US family practice residencies was performed. Based on a response rate of 82 percent, structured ophthalmology training experiences are provided on a required basis by 93 percent of the programs. Of these, 63 percent offer block rotations normally of two or four weeks' duration. Although a majority of the cognitive areas and psychomotor skills recommended by the AAFP-AAO joint committee are likely to be covered in existing family practice residencies, gaps identified in both categories call for closer attention to improving the learning experiences of residents in this field.