The UK Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences faculty currently provides teaching to medical students during the Pathology and Disease Processes block in the second year of medical school. Teaching includes lectures and small group discussions covering basic ophthalmology, instrumentation, and hands-on examination workshops.

In addition, our department offers elective summer rotations in ophthalmic research during the first and second years of medical school. These rotations schedules can involve either basic science research or clinical ophthalmic research.

Fourth year medical students are offered a one-month elective clinical ophthalmology rotation that involves rotations through the various sub-specialty clinics within the department. Students currently spend one week on the Retina and Vitreous rotation, one week at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, one week on the Cornea and Comprehensive Ophthalmology services, and one week on the Pediatric ophthalmology service. Students are expected to learn aspects of the ophthalmology examination, basic patient work-ups, and observe surgical procedures in the operating room.