Residency Program

 Program Application Information:

• The Truhlsen Eye Institute of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) offers a truly integrated four-year ACGME-accredited residency training program. Our residents perform all of their training within our institution, so a separate intern year match is not required.
• The residency program’s main sites are the Nebraska Medical Center and the Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VA).
• We accept two residents per year.
• Training begins on July 1. Some orientation activities may occur the week prior.
• All positions are filled through the San Francisco Match’s Ophthalmology Matching Program.

Program Highlights:

• Size of residency allows residents to work directly, one-on-one with faculty.
• Faculty are passionate about the success of each resident.
• Our environment supports residents both personally and professionally.
• Early surgical experience, including opportunities to serve as primary surgeon as early as the PGY-2 year.
• High surgical numbers, with residents graduating with over 250 primary cataract surgeries. The average number of primary cataract procedures is over 300.
• Great history of fellowship placement.
• Numerous opportunities to be involved in research.
• Ophthalmology resident lounge within the Truhlsen Eye Institute with ping-pong table, X-Box, four computer stations, private lockers, small refrigerator, library of textbooks, and AV system with projector to watch conferences, lectures, or other media (including the X-box).
• Simulation lab with an Eyesi Cataract and Vitreoretinal Surgical simulator as well as an EyeSi Indirect Ophthalmoscopy simulator and an OphthoSim Direct Ophthalmoscopy training and simulation system.
• Wet lab including late-model phacoemulsification machines, suturing stations with operating microscopy, and plenty of surgical instruments for various types of ophthalmic procedures.
• UNMC iEXCEL: cutting edge 3D, VR and other simulation technology located on campus near TEI Video link.
• Skywalk from TEI to the Fritch Surgery Center means residents can travel from clinic to surgery in under five minutes without going outside.

Rotation Schedule:

• PGY1 training is coordinated through our residency program, so PGY1 residents are able to spend the maximum number of months allowed by the ACGME in Ophthalmology.
• During the PGY2 and PGY3 years, residents rotate in three-month blocks. Our current blocks are:
  • Block 1: Cornea and Refractive
  • Block 2: Glaucoma and Pediatric Ophthalmology
  • Block 3: Neuro-Ophthalmology and Oculoplastics
  • Block 4: Retina and Uveitis
• PGY4 residents primarily rotate at the Omaha VA. Under faculty supervision, the residents are allowed increased autonomy in both the medical and surgical care of patients. Each senior resident typically performs over 250 surgical cases as primary surgeon.

Call Schedule:

• PGY1 residents take some “buddy” call during Ophthalmology rotation months. Call requirements during non-Ophthalmology months are variable.
• PGY2 and PGY3 residents take primary call one week out of four. The residents determine their own call schedule and usually take one Monday-Thursday block and one Friday-Sunday block each month.
• PGY4 residents do not take first call. They rotate supervisory/surgical call every other week.

Didactics:

• Resident lectures are held every Friday from 7:00-10:00 AM. This is protected time free from clinical responsibilities.
• Grand Round conferences are held twice per month on Wednesdays from 7:00-9:00 AM.
• Journal Club is held once each month on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:00 AM.
• M&M Conferences are held once each quarter on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30 AM.
• Residents have multiple opportunities to present cases and journal articles throughout the year (usually between 4-7 times per year, depending on training level).
• Residents hold weekly informal self-guided study sessions together to review topics of interest. Our residents say, “The residents teach one another. We are a team, and no one gets left behind.”

Research:

• Currently conducting numerous high-impact clinical research studies
• Highly productive in regards to publication of research data
• Residents become involved in a number of exciting research projects and give a formal research presentations each year during our annual Gifford-Truhlsen Conference.
• Most residents graduate with several publications/book chapters.

iEXCEL: Cutting edge 3D, VR and other simulation technology at UNMC is changing health education and improving the preparation of health care professionals.  Video link