Intensive training in ophthalmology begins after you graduate from medical school. The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education, which is responsible for accrediting all medical residency programs, has a database that you can search to find accredited ophthalmology residency programs. You'll learn to be a ophthalmologist during your residency, which usually takes four years to complete.
The first year, the PGY-1 (or internship), consists of training in fields other than ophthalmology.
- The resident will experience specialties such as internal medicine, neurology, pediatrics, surgery, family practice, or emergency medicine.
- At least six months of the PGY-1 must give the resident responsibility for direct patient care.
- The remaining three to fours of the residency must provide at least 36 months of formal training in ophthalmology.
In order to receive a medical degree you need to apply to medical school which is generally a four year program. Depending on the school you attend, you'll graduate with either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree.
-The first two years of medical school will be spent primarily in the classroom and the laboratory taking courses that range from microbiology to medical ethics.
-The third and fourth years of medical school allow you to gain experience working with patients during clinical rotations through various medical specialties.You will complete 1-2 months on several medical specialties. These typically include pediatrics, surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, obstetrics-gynecology and psychiatry.
-Elective rotations are available for students interested in other specialties, such as ophthalmology.
-Rotations are graded based on reviews by attending physicians.
-You'll take the first two parts of the three part United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in your second and fourth years of medical school.
