First Year
The first year of residency training is designed to teach the examination techniques required to perform a complete ophthalmologic examination. The first two months, during which first year residents do not take call, are spent in didactic and practical teaching courses learning basic examination techniques and refraction. The remainder of the year is split between adult and pediatric clinical rotations at the Ross Eye Institute, and some subspecialty training in neuro-ophthalmology and ophthalmic pathology. The resident is given graduated surgical responsibilities and will perform some basic surgeries including external eyelid surgeries as well as intravitreal injections. A wide array of ophthalmic pathology is learned from the consult service at the Erie County Medical Center in the resident's first year.

Second Year
The second year of residency training is spent learning subspecialty ophthalmology in: Cornea and External Disease, Glaucoma, Retina, and Pediatrics. The second year resident divides his/her time among the Ross Eye Institute and the Buffalo VA Hospital. The main surgical experience in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus occurs during this year. Cataract surgical techniques and ophthalmic laser skills are also begun in the second year.

Third Year
The third year provides surgical experience in all fields of ophthalmology. The resident gains a large surgical cataract experience at both the VA and ECMC. There is also wide surgical exposure in all subspecialty fields. The graduating resident should feel comfortable performing a wide range of surgical procedures.

Call schedule
First year residents do not take call the first two months when they are acquiring basic clinical and surgical skills. All call is taken from home. Residents cover the emergency rooms at ECMC, WCHOB, and the VAMC when on call. The first- and second-year residents take first call and the third-year residents split up back-up call. An attending physician is available at all times and is present at all surgeries. First- and second-year residents always are backed up by the senior resident and the attending physician on call. First-year residents are responsible for the majority of weekend calls during the year, with slightly less primary call in the second year.

Didactic Curriculum
The didactic curriculum consists of 2 to 3 morning lectures per week on a variety of topics in ophthalmology given by the faculty. Grand rounds are held each Thursday morning and consist of medical and surgical topics presented by the nine residents. On average, first- and second-year residents present six times a year; third-year residents present surgical grand rounds three times a year each.

Journal Club is held several times a year at a local restaurant or at an attending physician's home. Fluorescein conference is held by an area retina specialist to learn about the routine and unusual diagnoses in retinal disease.

The Department of Ophthalmology, in cooperation with the Buffalo Ophthalmologic Society, sponsors six guest speakers from around the United States each year in a dinner meeting format. The residents also attend a monthly visiting professor series at the University at Rochester.

Biannual surgical wet labs are given on Saturday mornings and are designed to teach the basic techniques of microsurgery. Pig eyes and surgical simulators are used to practice cataract surgery and corneal surgery. Three operating microscopes, three phacoemulsification machines, surgical instruments, and disposable supplies are provided in a dedicated ocular surgery laboratory.

In June of each year, an annual resident research conference is held. Senior residents present a research project at this forum along with members of the faculty who present updates on their research endeavors. Two visiting professors are invited to speak at this conference.