6-9 year programme                  Janaury or July

The programme consists of three parts (Part I, Part II, Part III) over a minimum of six years - Part I involves basic sciences and is done in the 2nd year. Part II involves Optics and Refraction and is done in the 3rd year and the Final Part III covers year 4-6 and the examination is sat after the overseas elective is completed. This programme takes place at a UWI recognized hospital. The final year of the programme should be undertaken as an elective at an institution outside of the Caribbean. Research will be an integral part of the programme.

Part I

This will involve basic sciences studies with an emphasis on the eye. Part I lasts two years leading to an examination in which an adequate standard of performance is required before the candidate can proceed to the second Part II of the programme. 

Part II

This year is spent improving the skills of optics and refraction. It is advisable that candidates start practicing this skill from year I. During this period the student will continue to gain clinical and surgical ophthalmology skills. Part II lasts one year leading to an examination in which an adequate standard of performance is required before the candidate can proceed to the third part (Part III) of the programme.

Part III

This final part consists of three (3) years for the enhancement of clinical, medical and surgical skills, professionalism and ethics. Two (2) years spent locally and one (1) year is spent at an institution (approved by the Specialty Board) outside the Caribbean. Students will be expected to cover all aspects of medicine, therapeutics and surgery for the eye, adnexae and visual pathways.

Assessment

• Student performance will be assessed twice annually (by observation, orally and in writing) at the end of each rotation (students in Trinidad rotate between units within a single hospital but do not currently rotate between hospitals) and will be recorded on prescribed forms. A satisfactory standard of in-course assessments prior to taking the Part I, Part II and Part II examination. Entry to Part II is dependent on successful completion of the Part I. Entry to Part III is dependent on successful completion of Part I and Part II.
• A Clinical Research Project will be MANDATORY for ALL candidates entering the DM Ophthalmology programme from July 2013 onwards. This Clinical Research Project will replace in part the major Case book of 20 cases.
• The requirements for a candidate entering from July 2013 onwards, to sit the final Part III exam will include:

a) A completed Clinical Research Project (to be started before and no later than Year 

b) A completed Case book with 10 cases

• This will replace the Case book of 20 cases and must be submitted no less than 6 months before the planned date of the final examination.

Log Book

• All candidates must maintain a surgical logbook, which will be assessed quarterly. 
• The format of the casebook/project report should conform to the University regulations dealing with the preparation of projects and dissertations. Therefore a case book of 10 cases should not exceed 20,000 words but must not be less than 15,000 words. Case reports should follow the format of case reports submitted for journal publication, namely: introduction, case history, discussion and conclusion. References should follow the format of the West Indian Medical Journal.

• These cases must cover the breadth of Ophthalmology including at least one case from each subspecialty area listed below:

a) Cataract and Refractive Surgery                                b) Cornea

c) Glaucoma                                                                 d) Paediatrics

e) Uveitis                                                                      f) Orbit, Oculoplastics, Adnexal and Lacrimal

g) Neuro ophthalmology                                               h) Ocular motility/ Strabismus

i) Medical Retina                                                            j) Surgical Retina

Casebook/ Clinical Research Project

The requirements for a candidate to sit the final Part III exam will include:

a) A completed Clinical Research Project (to be started before and no later than Year

b) A completed Case book with 10 cases

Examination

Part I Examination

• The Part I examination will be undertaken after two years in the programme and consists of:

i. Section A: Principles of Ophthalmic Surgery

ii. Section B:

a) Anatomy of the head and neck (including embryology and neuro anatomy)

b) Ocular pathology including microbiology, biochemistry and General Medicine in association with Ocular Pathology.

c) Physiology of eye, adnexae, CNS including related general physiology.

• Candidates must pass Section A and pass all parts of Section B to qualify for entry into the second part (Part II) of the programme.
• Candidates who have not completed the Part I examination within two calendar years of the first sitting of the examination will be required to withdraw from the programme

Part II Examination

• This exam will be undertaken at the end of the 3rd year in the programme, provided that the candidate has satisfactorily passed their assessments.

i. Section A: Basic Optics (Principles of Instrumentation) & Theory of Refraction (MCQ’s)

ii. Section B: Practical Refraction exam & OCSE

• The candidate must pass the Practical Refraction and OSCEs in order to pass the Part II examination

Part III Examination

The Part III Examination will consist of 3 parts Essay paper, Oral Examination and Clinical examination including OSECs. The OSCE stations will include but not be limited to Anterior Segment, Neuro Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Posterier SegmentThe Part III examination will be undertaken at the end of the 6 th year of training, provided that the candidate has:

a) Successfully passed the Part I and II Examinations                                     

b) Satisfactorily completed their one year elective period

c) Satisfactorily completed their Casebook and Clinical Research. The research project would need to be started no later than the 2nd year of the programme.

d) Acceptance of the candidate’s certified list of required operative procedures

The Part III Examination will consist of 3 parts Essay paper, Oral Examination and Clinical examination including OSECs. The OSCE stations will include but not be limited to Anterior Segment, Neuro Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Posterier Segment