Author(s): Fateme Alipour, Katayoon Samavati, Parisa Abdi, Mandana Shirazi, Mohammad Taghi Tavassoly
Background: Proper understanding of the optical function of the eye is the foundation of clinical understanding of ophthalmologists. Although teaching principals of optics has always been a part of ophthalmology residency curriculum, it seems that successful strategies other than lecture based methods are needed to engage students and facilitate the understanding of optical principals.
Aim: A collaborative team of physicists (optic PhD), ophthalmologists and medical education experts designed an optic lab for ophthalmology residents to help them practically simulate different optical phenomena. The educational course consisted of 4 sessions of 90 minutes in order to practice the optical tests using the lab instruments. Each class consisted of 6-9 residents, divided into 3 groups with a fully equipped unit and two mentors (an optic PhD professor and an ophthalmology professor).
Method: A quasi-experimental design with pre-posttest was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the training workshop in changing the ophthalmology residents’ optical knowledge and attitude.
Results: Thirty-five residents participated in the study. The average score of residents' performance before the workshop was 5.21 (out of 100), which increased significantly to 66.1 after the workshop. Also, the average knowledge of residents, which was measured as self-reported, increased significantly from 28.85 to 71.09. The average score of students' attitudes and interest was increased from 40.49 to 74.81.
Conclusion: It seems that training workshops and labs are effective to bring about change in knowledge and attitude of ophthalmology residents toward optics as a new teaching strategy that would be implemented in their curriculum.
