Ophthalmology residents require proficiency in basic strabismus surgery, spending 4–6 months in PGY-3 to achieve competency. Training programs in strabismus surgery traditionally depend on teaching surgical skills in the operating room on live patients, with graduated responsibility, under direct supervision by an experienced mentor. However, compared to higher case volume cataract surgery, ophthalmology residents perform relatively fewer strabismus surgeries, resulting in fewer opportunities in which to improve their skills
This is why simulation surgery is a necessary part of surgical training, providing risk-free training in technical skills. Deliberate practice in a simulation setting allows skill acquisition, develops efficiency and expertise, resulting in accelerated learning in the operating room with improved patient outcomes.
However, there is a paucity of literature pertaining to assessment tools and curriculum design in strabismus surgery, variable simulation surgery use between training programs and lack of an effective simulation model. In the era of Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) there is a need to develop and validate a high-quality strabismus surgery simulation model, assessment tools, and curriculum to provide our residents with the framework to become competent in strabismus surgery prior to patient exposure in the operating room.
This project will address this issue by developing and validating a novel, high-fidelity 3D printed model eye for strabismus surgery. Using this model, a validated strabismus surgery curriculum will be developed for ophthalmology residents, using surgical video learning, pre- and post-video questionnaires and validated assessment tools.
The intended outcome of the project is to validate both a novel strabismus surgery model and curriculum design for ophthalmology resident training in the simulation lab.
This will be the first structured simulation lab curriculum in strabismus surgery using a validated eye model with validated assessment tools and defined competency targets. Once developed, this curriculum can be adopted nationally and internationally.