Ophthalmology
Work experience in ophthalmology as an A-Level student
Importance of work experience Medical schools expect applicants to understand what a career in medicine involves, which can be gained through work experience and volunteering. It is strongly recommended by the Medical Schools Council that work experience involves working in...
Competition ratios: Is the future of ophthalmology too bright?
In the UK, ophthalmology is a highly competitive speciality, attracting many medical graduates keen to pursue a career in this area. However, in recent years, the competition ratios for ophthalmology ST1 training posts have increased significantly, creating a challenging environment...
My top five: Uses of artificial intelligence in ophthalmology
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a prominent topic of discussion within the field of ophthalmology, captivating researchers and practitioners alike. Although recent attention has been drawn to the integration of AI in ophthalmology, it’s important to recognise that AI...
Spotlight: The Community Eye Health Journal
In many low-income settings, where vision loss is greatest, eyecare is hampered by shortages in trained health workers. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are fewer than five ophthalmologists per million population, compared to over 70 per million in high-income countries. Eyecare...
My top five: Elective grants for an ophthalmology elective for a medical student surviving in a cost-of-living crisis
In a time where cost of living is significantly increasing, and the student NHS bursary is remaining stagnant, funding a medical elective is becoming increasingly more challenging for medical students. Surveys have shown that medical students typically get two to...
The last three patients: general medicine (Patient Two)
For the second reflection in this series (see Patient One here), Professor Jonathan Rees recounts his experiences of the last patient he saw as a medical registrar, telling the tragic story of a young man’s death and the risks that...
Beyond 2020 Episodes 01-03
Introduction Working in remote, Amazonian villages, the Andean Medical Mission (AMM) have made progress into eliminating avoidable blindness in this small corner of the globe and have produced a video series, Beyond 2020, to share what they’ve learned over 12...
Getting the Duke Elder examination right: reflections and tips from a medical student
The Duke Elder undergraduate prize examination is an annual exam organised by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in the United Kingdom. Named after Sir Stewart Duke Elder, a prominent British ophthalmologist, the exam is designed to encourage undergraduate medical students...
ChatGPT cannot pass FRCOphth examinations: implications for ophthalmology and large language model artificial intelligence
Large language models are generating a lot of hype for artificial intelligence, but can they assist patients and practitioners in ophthalmology? Introduction Deep learning (DL) has emerged in ophthalmology as an exciting form of artificial intelligence (AI) most commonly applied...
Artificial intelligence in eyecare: how do we ensure new technologies truly benefit our patients?
From monitoring patients with heart disease to improving the early diagnosis of cancer, artificial intelligence (AI) using deep learning techniques is already employed in many different healthcare specialties [1]. In the eyecare field, AI technologies have been used to analyse...
Real world data of post-IVT endophthalmitis, from a nurse-delivered intravitreal injection service
Introduction Intravitreal injection of neutralising anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibody was licenced more than a decade ago, and over the years there has been proportionate increase in the number of intravitreal injections [1]. Injection of a therapeutic agent through...
My ophthalmology taster week experience at Whipps Cross Eye Treatment Centre
Deciding to explore ophthalmology Having read about ophthalmology, I have always found myself fascinated about what a career in ophthalmology entails. I have often wondered what ophthalmologists actually do, as we as medical students did not have a lot of...
