Didactics

The Harvard Medical School Residency Program in Ophthalmology has a strong didactic curriculum to complement the diverse clinical and surgical training.
Given the depth and breadth of our faculty, the level of discussion at these conferences is extraordinary. Residents are freed from clinical duties to attend the didactics.

Harvard Department of Ophthalmology Grand Rounds
Grand Rounds are held on Thursday mornings and are well attended by the faculty of MEEI as well as community ophthalmologists and trainees. Grand Rounds is typically conducted in the format of clinical case presentations given by residents and fellows. The case presentations are moderated by Simmons Lessell, M.D., the Chandler Professor of Ophthalmology . The interactive nature of the rounds allows attendings, trainees, nursing staff, and social workers to discuss clinical cases from multiple perspectives.

Chief Resident's Rounds
Chief resident rounds are run by the chief resident for one hour, 3 days per week and are primarily geared towards the first-year residents. This time is reserved to review the fundamental scientific and clinical principles in the field of ophthalmology. In addition, case presentations are reviewed with the chief resident.

Ophthalmology Lecture Series
Two one-hour lectures are given each Friday morning by faculty from the various specialties within ophthalmology. These lectures are geared towards first-, second-, and third-year residents.

Surgical Morbidity and Mortality Rounds
Every quarter, the residents present complications of surgical cases to colleagues, the Chief Resident, and the faculty of the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service. The rounds are collegial and extremely productive in improving knowledge and skills of the residents and faculty.

Subspecialty Rounds
The cornea, glaucoma, and pediatrics services sponsor regular journal clubs that are open to all interested residents. Also, there are numerous subspecialty visiting lecturers throughout the academic year.

Macula Conference
This weekly conference is led by Evangelos Gragoudas, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Retina Service. Junior residents present retina cases to Dr. Gragoudas and the MEEI retina fellows. This format allows for dynamic discussion about the evaluation and management of a diverse array of retinal disease.

Surgical Retina Conference
This twice monthly conference is led by Dean Eliott, M.D.  Case presentations are given by the second year retina fellows with a focus on the surgical management of retinal disease.  The conference is well attending by the retina faculty, fellows, residents and community retinal surgeons.

Pathology Rounds
This monthly conference consists of unknown cases presented for discussion to Frederick A. Jakobiec, M.D., D.Sc., Henry Willard Williams Chair of Ophthalmology Emeritus and Director of the David G. Cogan Eye Pathology Service.

Boston Ophthalmic Pathology Lecture Series
This conference is a joint venture by Harvard and the Boston University’s Departments of Ophthalmology, and it is organized by Frederick A. Jakobiec, M.D., D.Sc., Henry Willard Williams Chair of Ophthalmology Emeritus and Director of the David G. Cogan Eye Pathology Service. This series consists of pathology-based lectures on each of the subspecialities within ophthalmology. The lectures are delivered by national leaders in ophthalmic pathology and occur approximately twice each academic year.

Chandler Course
A teaching highlight of the academic year is the annual Chandler Professorship, a one and a half day course in which our residents present unknown clinical cases to a visiting lecturer. The visiting professor is chosen for his or her known ability to teach residents.  This years invited professor is Dr. Glenn Jaffe, Chief of the Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Service at Duke University.
 

Harvard Intensive Cataract Course
Occurring during a weekend each May or June, second year ophthalmology residents and teaching faculty from around the country gather at MEEI for the Harvard Medical School Cataract Course. During this 2-day event, residents participate in a seminar covering all aspects of cataract surgery with didactic and wet lab components.

Residents’ Course
Occurring every other year, this course is based on a theme within ophthalmology that is moderated by a visiting professor. Each resident chooses a clinically-relevant question within the theme, explores the literature, and prepares a review paper on the topic which is presented to a visiting professor for discussion.

Pediatric Ophthalmology Visiting Professor Lecture Series, “A Vision of Tomorrow”
This lecture series is arranged by Anne Fulton, M.D., Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and aims to invite faculty that are leaders in the field of pediatric eye disease and strabismus. These visiting professors give lectures and interact with faculty, residents, and students. For more information, please visit http://www.childrenshospital.org/ 

 Page updated  November 10, 2011