Confidence at the Slit Lamp: The Case for Accessible, Low-Cost Training

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Ophthalmology training in medical schools is declining, leaving many residents without foundational slit lamp skills.
• This deficit impacts residents' preparedness for specialty training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a 90-minute introductory course on slit lamp examination for first-year ophthalmology residents.
• To evaluate improvements in resident confidence across key ophthalmic examination domains.

Main Methods:

• A 90-minute course included talks on slit lamp components, corneal, posterior segment, and gonioscopy examinations, followed by hands-on practice with models.
• Training utilized a peer-to-near-peer teaching structure with senior resident oversight.
• Pre- and post-course confidence levels were measured using a 7-point Likert scale.

Main Results:

• All nine participating residents reported no prior formal ophthalmology experience.
• Mean confidence scores significantly improved in slit lamp knowledge (2.9 to 5.1), corneal examination (3.0 to 4.75), posterior segment examination (1.9 to 4.5), and intraocular pressure measurement (2.0 to 4.38).

Conclusions:

• The course effectively enhanced residents' confidence in fundamental slit lamp and ophthalmic examination skills.
• The non-paid, centralized, and sustainable peer-teaching model is accessible and recommended for integration into ophthalmology residency curricula.