The Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Kentucky, under the direction of Dr. Seema Capoor, Program Director, offers a 3-year ACGME-accredited residency program in Ophthalmology. The program accepts 3 residents per year, all of whom are expected to complete a one-year internship prior to the start of the residency. The training facilities include the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, the Kentucky Clinic Eye Center, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Central Baptist Hospital, all of which are located in Lexington.

The residency program places a strong emphasis on training qualified ophthalmologists equally prepared to enter a private or academic practice opportunity or proceed with further training in a sub-specialty fellowship program. Our program offers a unique blend of strong academic learning experiences with a variety of clinical and surgical exposure in each of the sub-specialty fields within the discipline of ophthalmology. The residency provides a vast amount of surgical experience in coordination with an extensive population base of patients and a variety of pathologic disease processes of the eyes.

During the three-year residency, emphasis is placed on progressive knowledge of ophthalmic diagnostic procedures and methods, clinical patient care, and ophthalmic surgery. A graded responsibility approach is taken, with upper-level residents becoming increasingly independent in patient management.

First year residents begin with a 3-week program designed to introduce diagnostic and management skills needed for the evaluation of ophthalmic disorders frequently encountered on call situations and in clinics. The first year schedule includes three 4 month rotation blocks which take place at the Kentucky Clinic eye center and the Veterans Medical Center. In addition to a wide variety and large volume of clinical exposure, the schedule incorporates extensive surgical training and post-operative management. First year residents are expected to take home-call every fourth night throughout the year.

Second and third year residents also have 4-month rotation schedules which include the Kentucky Clinic Eye Center, Veterans Medical Center, and Central Baptist Hospital. In the second and third years, residents perform a wide range of surgical procedures and gain extensive exposure to all ophthalmology sub-specialty fields. The call schedule in the second year is home-call every eighth night throughout the year. Third year residents take back up call on an average of every third night during the year.

The residency incorporates an extensive lecture series including basic science studies, clinical patient care, socioeconomic issues, ethics, monthly journal clubs, and ophthalmology grand rounds and chief rounds. Opportunities for clinical and laboratory research projects are available and strongly encouraged. Residents are allowed to present research topics at any of the variety of ophthalmic meetings held throughout the year.

The Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences has fifteen full-time clinical faculty, as well as research faculty and part-time faculty members. The full-time faculty includes specialists in all fields of ophthalmology including comprehensive, medical and surgical retina, ophthalmic plastics and reconstructive surgery, ocular pathology, corneal and external disease, refractive surgery, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, and contact lens.

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