An evaluation of the undergraduate teaching programme in ophthalmology in Sri Lanka and Malaysia

Abstract

The knowledge and clinical and minor surgical skills acquired by 257 medical students in three universities in Sri Lanka and Malaysia were assessed by a questionnaire after they had completed their training period in ophthalmology. This study showed that many medical students graduating from these universities lacked the basic clinical and minor surgical skills essential for a doctor practising in a community in south-east Asia. The responses also indicated that teaching by consultants in all three universities was inadequate and due to these inadequacies the students requested that the duration of their training period be doubled. Ophthalmology is an important component of clinical practice and proper education in this subject is important. An urgent revision of the aims and objectives of the curriculum in ophthalmology is essential to place greater emphasis on this important and much neglected subject, for which very little curricular time is allotted.

The state of ophthalmic education in medical schools: a UK perspective

“…This review shows that ophthalmic undergraduate education remains extremely varied throughout medical schools, something that has not changed over the years (Dias 1987;Bellan 1998;Fan, Sherwin & McGhee, 2008). Some students may graduate with no formal ophthalmology education, and may miss crucial ophthalmic sight-or lifethreatening signs.…”

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ophthalmology medical student teaching: educational innovations, challenges, and future directions

“…An ophthalmic evaluation is a core clinical skill, and ophthalmic medical student education is a cornerstone to improving eye health care globally. Graduate medical education (GME) in ophthalmology has faced and overcome many challenges over the past years 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 10 , 14 , 15 , 18 , 21 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 and 2020 has been a game-changer. 3 , 7 , 9 , 16 , 17 , 22 , 30 , 32 Although the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus pandemic disrupted education globally, ophthalmic educators rapidly transformed their curricula to novel and effective virtual formats.…”

Undergraduate Ophthalmology Teaching in Saudi Arabia: Assessment, Analysis, and Comparisons

“…Pursuing a specific medical career seems to be influenced by the manners of teaching and duration of exposure to medical subjects. 10 In Saudi studies, ophthalmology was selected as one of the top preferred specialties by undergraduate medical students, with 5.6% choosing ophthalmology as their first career choice. 11 , 12 …”

“…Pursuing a specific medical career seems to be influenced by the manners of teaching and duration of exposure to medical subjects. 10 In Saudi studies, ophthalmology was selected as one of the top preferred specialties by undergraduate medical students, with 5.6% choosing ophthalmology as their first career choice. 11,12 To achieve ophthalmic educational goals, the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) recommends implementing specific teaching methods incorporating lectures, clinical demonstrations, illustrative case method study, and evidence-based medicine teaching (where ophthalmic education is paired with neuroscience, neurology, endocrinology, and geriatric medicine).…”