Addressing Core Competencies in Ophthalmology Resident Education: What the Vision Rehabilitation Set
Journal of Academic Ophthalmology 2010, Volume 3, Number 1 15 Introduction In the late 1990's, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) outlined six core competencies (www.acgme.org/outcome) for residency education as part of the re-engineering of medical residency education in the United States (Table 1). The American Board of Ophthalmology added surgical competency as a seventh competency. The vision rehabilitation patient encounter presents an ideal setting for ophthalmology residents to both learn and demonstrate competency in several of the ACGME core competencies including interpersonal communication, professionalism, compassionate pa-tient care and an ability to effectively call on the re-sources of the wider health care system. This paper outlines a vision rehabilitation curriculum developed by a working group consensus-process. The Pew Health Professionals Commission stated in 2000 that, the education and training of health pro-fessionals is out of step with the evolving needs of the American people [1]. The practice of medicine had changed a great deal over recent decades and training in medical specialties also needed to evolve. In re-sponse to pressure from multiple stakeholders includ-ing more knowledgeable and involved patients, cost-conscious payers and governments watching the up-ward spiral of health care costs, the ACGME con-ducted extensive review and created six core compe-tencies for all medical residents. Knowing physiol-ogy, pathology and surgical technique was not suffi-cient to ensure an effective physician. The challenge for residency directors in ophthalmology as well as other specialties was how to implement teaching tools Addressing Core Competencies in Ophthalmology Resident Education: What the Vision Rehabilitation Setting Offers Mary Lou Jackson, MD 1*