View Annual Report - Jules Stein Eye Institute

Training Programs
The Jules Stein Eye Institute and the UCLA
Department of Ophthalmology jointly provide comprehensive
training in ophthalmology and vision science to
medical students, residents, and clinical and research
fellows. The programs encompass the gamut of
ophthalmic and vision science education, representing
every level of training and incorporating a full range of
subjects in the study of the eye. The residency program
is rated one of the top in the country. A large
patient population with diverse vision problems offers
innumerable training opportunities for both residents
and clinical fellows. The availability of more than
15 research laboratories ensures a wide choice of
vision-science projects for all trainees. Predoctoral and
postdoctoral research fellows particularly benefit from
the wealth of new and unfolding research generated by
vision scientists at the Institute.
UCLA Medical Student Program
Each academic year, the Department of Ophthalmology
and the Institute extend instruction to UCLA medical
students in their second, third, and fourth years of
enrollment. Through lectures, demonstrations, discussions,
and clinical practice, the students have numerous
training opportunities from which to gain knowledge
and experience in ophthalmology.
All second-year medical students participate in a
four-day program that encompasses the ophthalmology
portion of Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine. Third-year
medical students complete a one-week rotation in
ophthalmology, and the fourth-year medical student
program is made up of various elective programs.
Elective courses provide intensive exposure to clinical
ophthalmology and basic visual sciences.
Jules Stein Eye Institute residents practice cataract surgery
techniques at Alcon Laboratories.
86 Programs | Training Programs
Medical Student Research Program
At the Jules Stein Eye Institute, medical students have
taken clinical and laboratory research electives for
decades; however, there has been no formal program
wherein a medical student could obtain salary and
research support. The Medical Student Research
Program allows select medical students to familiarize
themselves with laboratory or clinical vision science
research, in the hopes that this will enhance their desire
to undertake a career in ophthalmology, with a focus on
academic ophthalmology. Each year, a committee selects
one or two medical student researchers to receive salary
and research support for 6–12 months in the laboratory
or clinical research area of the student’s mentor. The
goal of the program is to encourage medical students
to pursue careers in academic ophthalmology.
UCLA Ophthalmology
Residency Program
The Department of Ophthalmology conducts an accredited
three-year residency program for 24 residents;
eight new residents begin training each July. The full
breadth of ophthalmology training is offered, including
experience in general ophthalmology and ophthalmic
subspecialties. Training incorporates the resources of
the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute, Harbor-UCLA
Medical Center, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, and
the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare
System at West Los Angeles and Sepulveda. Every
resident has exposure to each medical center during
the course of training, thereby ensuring clinical experience
with a wide range of problems and patient
populations. Certification by the American Board of
Ophthalmology is a natural objective of the program.
Clinical Rotations
Clinical rotations at the Jules Stein Eye Institute include
both general ophthalmology and subspecialties. In
general, ophthalmology residents work as a team,
handling clinics, emergencies, and walk-in patients.
They also serve as an ophthalmology consult service
for inpatients in the UCLA Medical Center. Residents
assigned to subspecialty service rotations are provided
with intensive exposure to the various divisions within
the Department, working closely with faculty members
in a private practice environment. At the UCLA-affiliated
medical centers, residents work in teams that provide
both general and subspecialty patient care.