Mission

Our mission is to train exceptional ophthalmologists to serve with excellence and dedication in the military health care system. Through rigorous clinical training, immersive surgical experience, and a commitment to leadership, we prepare our residents to provide the highest standard of eye care to service members and their families, ensuring readiness, resilience, and vision wellness across the armed forces.

Vision

• Our military ophthalmology residency program envisions a future where graduates emerge as beacons of excellence and innovation in ocular care within the armed forces. We aspire to cultivate visionary leaders who advance the frontiers of military medicine, enhancing the readiness and well-being of service members through exceptional eye care.
• We envision a community of ophthalmologists equipped with cutting-edge technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based practices to optimize patient outcomes in diverse operational environments. Our graduates will be adept at adapting rapidly to emerging challenges, ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of military eye care delivery.
• Central to our vision is the principle of service before self, where ophthalmologists are compassionate caregivers dedicated to serving our nation's heroes with dignity, respect, and empathy. Embodying the values of honor, integrity, and selflessness, they will uphold the highest ideals of military medicine.
• In pursuit of our vision, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community that celebrates the unique talents and perspectives of all individuals. By nurturing a culture of collaboration and mutual support, we will harness the collective wisdom and creativity of our residents to drive innovation and shape the future of military ophthalmology.
• Through our unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and service, our program will continue to be a trusted guardian of vision, ensuring that our service members, veterans, and their families receive the highest caliber of eye care wherever duty calls.

Aims

Develop Military Physicians and Surgeons

• Equip residents with the medical knowledge, surgical skills, and operational readiness required to excel as military physicians and surgeons.
• Instill a deep understanding of military culture, ethics, and protocols, fostering a sense of duty and service to our nation.

Train Ophthalmologists

• Provide comprehensive training in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of ocular conditions, ensuring residents develop expertise in all aspects of ophthalmology.
• Foster a commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth, enabling residents to stay abreast of advancements in the field.

Prepare Residents for Fellowship

• Offer opportunities for advanced subspecialty training and research, preparing residents for competitive fellowship positions in various ophthalmic disciplines.
• Support residents in developing strong research skills and academic credentials to pursue fellowship opportunities aligned with their career goals.

Enable Leadership

• Cultivate leadership skills and administrative acumen necessary for residents to effectively lead and manage surgical departments within military healthcare settings.
• Provide exposure to healthcare management principles, resource allocation, and quality improvement methodologies to ensure residents are prepared to run efficient and effective units.

Ensure Readiness for Deployment

• Train residents to function effectively in austere and challenging environments, preparing them for deployment to diverse operational settings.
• Emphasize skills such as triage, trauma management, and telemedicine to ensure residents can deliver high-quality eye care under any circumstances.

Foster Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Promote collaboration and communication among healthcare professionals from different specialties, preparing residents to work seamlessly in interdisciplinary teams.
• Provide opportunities for joint training exercises and simulations to enhance teamwork, problem-solving, and patient-centered care delivery.

Embrace Advancing Technology Integration

• Integrate state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, surgical techniques, and technological platforms into the curriculum to ensure residents are proficient in leveraging advancing and innovative technologies.
• Encourage residents to explore emerging technologies and their applications in enhancing patient care, operational efficiency, and research endeavors.

The curriculum is designed to provide residents with a comprehensive and dynamic educational experience. Didactic sessions are delivered weekly by expert faculty members and supplemented every couple of months with interactive small group Consultant Conferences led by visiting professors renowned in their subspecialties. Daily resident-led sessions cover the entirety of the Basic Clinical Science Course (BCSC). Learning is enhanced by frequent wet labs and courses covering a variety of topics, such as low vision, ocular pathology, ocular trauma, and more. Wet labs using animal, simulation, and model eyes are also routinely included.

The program also offers specialized courses tailored to residents' evolving needs, such as trauma management, global eye health, cognitive bias, the socioeconomic determinants of health, innovation and artificial intelligence in ophthalmology, and a military-unique curriculum to prepare for military-specific challenges. The program’s Research Curriculum and Cataract Curriculum provide longitudinal, multi-disciplinary approaches to these topics.

First Year

• Block 1: George Washington University Into to Ophthalmology Course
• Block 2: Comprehensive ophthalmology
• Blocks 3-4: Cornea and refractive ophthalmology
• Block 5: Pediatric ophthalmology
• Block 6: Neuro-ophthalmology
• Block 7: Glaucoma
• Blocks 8-9: Oculoplastics
• Blocks 10-11: Retina
• Blocks 12-13: Comprehensive ophthalmology and cataract

Second Year

• Block 1: Columbia University Basic Science in Ophthalmology
• Blocks 2-3: Retina
• Blocks 4-5: Oculoplastics
• Block 6: Cornea and refractive ophthalmology
• Block 7: Comprehensive ophthalmology
• Block 8: Pediatric ophthalmology
• Block 9: Neuro-ophthalmology
• Block 10: Glaucoma
• Blocks 11-13: Comprehensive ophthalmology and cataract

Third Year

• Blocks 1-2: Comprehensive ophthalmology and cataract
• Block 3: Glaucoma
• Block 4: Cornea and refractive ophthalmology
• Block 5: Pediatric ophthalmology
• Block 6: Neuro-ophthalmology
• Blocks 7-8: Retina
• Block 9: Oculoplastics
• Blocks 10-12: Comprehensive ophthalmology and cataract
• Block 13: Trauma

PGY-4 residents are encouraged to pursue global health engagements when the opportunity arises. There are no elective ophthalmology rotations.

Residents take home call. PGY-2 residents take primary call. PGY-3 and PGY-4 residents take back-up call. All patients are seen at WRNMMC.

Topics of high value to military physicians are integrated into the entire academic curriculum. Areas of interest often include global health engagement, extracapsular cataract surgery, deployment experiences, logistics, and leadership. Teaching sessions are led by a rotating staff of military ophthalmologists with experience and unique perspectives. Trauma, global health, and other topics are also highlighted during the week-long Ocular Trauma Course each spring.

• Basic Clinical Science Course (BCSC) – daily morning resident study sessions
• Cataract Curriculum – virtual, hands-on, and simulated cataract surgery course for PGY-2 residents
• Consultant Conferences – visiting ophthalmologists in a variety of subspecialties throughout the year
• Basic Science Course in Ophthalmology – for PGY-3 residents in January, at Columbia University
• Department Rounds – weekly surgical review
• Introduction to Ophthalmology Course – for PGY-2s in July, hosted by George Washington University
• Journal Clubs – quarterly journal club
• Low Vision Symposium – for all residents each fall
• Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) Conference – every other month
• Ocular Trauma Course – for all residents each May
• Orbital Dissection Course – cadaver lab for PGY-2 residents in July
• Program Didactics – weekly faculty teaching sessions
• Suture Labs – quarterly hands-on wet labs with oculoplastics faculty
• Phaco Labs – hands-on phacoemulsification and lens-loading sessions
• Vision Center of Excellence Ocular Trauma Video-Teleconferences (VTC) – monthly trauma conference
• Cherry Blossom Ocular Pathology Course – for all residents each February, hosted by George Washington University
• Joint Grand Rounds – monthly, shared between National Eye Institute, George Washington University, Georgetown, and Children’s National Hospital

Simulation is incorporated throughout the residency program. The EyeSi ocular surgery simulator is conveniently located in the ophthalmology clinic and available 24/7 for resident use. All residents participate in an annual OSCE (Observed Simulated Clinical Encounters) with standardized patients, and there is an additional OSCE specifically for incoming first-year residents. During the Ocular Trauma Course, residents participate in both virtual platforms such as the HelpMeSee ophthalmic surgery simulator, as well as hands-on models developed by military ophthalmologists for techniques such as lateral cathotomy/cantholysis and retrobulbar block. The Kitaro model eyes are provided for resident practice. In addition, a surgical simulation lab is available at Walter Reed and open for resident use at all times.

Ophthalmology residents at the NCC are required to complete at least one research project during their training. Due to the robust support and significant opportunities in the area, residents often find themselves completing many more. The Vision Center of Excellence (co-located within the Walter Reed Eye Institute) offers robust research support, such as a trauma database, statistician, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) coordinator. The National Capital Consortium’s three refractive surgery centers run research projects and have dedicated research staff. Residents also partner with faculty and medical students to conduct a variety of clinical, design, experimental, and other projects. Their work is supported by the vast resources available through Walter Reed, USUHS, and other institutions in the area.

The program provides robust support for resident research. The Director of Resident Research and highly involved faculty are always available to assist with project design and trouble-shooting. The resident-run Program Research Committee helps residents design projects, ensures equitable distribution, and provides assistance when needed.

Each project generally results in a presentation and publication, and our residents have presented their work at numerous national conferences, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), American Retina Society (ARS), American Glaucoma Society (AGS), Military Refractive Surgery Safety and Standards Symposium (MRS4), Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS), Society of Military Ophthalmologists (SMO), and more.

Ophthalmology residents at the NCC are required to complete at least one research project during their training. Due to the robust support and significant opportunities in the area, residents often find themselves completing many more. The Vision Center of Excellence (co-located within the Walter Reed Eye Institute) offers robust research support, such as a trauma database, statistician, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) coordinator. The National Capital Consortium’s three refractive surgery centers run research projects and have dedicated research staff. Residents also partner with faculty and medical students to conduct a variety of clinical, design, experimental, and other projects. Their work is supported by the vast resources available through Walter Reed, USUHS, and other institutions in the area.

The program provides robust support for resident research. The Director of Resident Research and highly involved faculty are always available to assist with project design and trouble-shooting. The resident-run Program Research Committee helps residents design projects, ensures equitable distribution, and provides assistance when needed.

Each project generally results in a presentation and publication, and our residents have presented their work at numerous national conferences, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), American Retina Society (ARS), American Glaucoma Society (AGS), Military Refractive Surgery Safety and Standards Symposium (MRS4), Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS), Society of Military Ophthalmologists (SMO), and more.

Residents are required to conduct at least one Quality Improvement/Process Improvement project during their training. Mentoring and support is provided by the faculty. Residents also participate in regular Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) rounds.

Professional development opportunities extend beyond clinical training to include participation in national conferences and seminars. Residents have the chance to engage with experts in the field, stay abreast of the latest research and technological advancements, and network with peers from around the globe.

• WRNMMC, Bethesda, Maryland
• ATAMMC, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
• Malcolm Grow Medical Center, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
• Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.

Medical student rotators are welcomed in the ophthalmology department. Third-year medical students often join as part of their surgical subspecialty rotations. Fourth-year medical students can schedule an elective or an audition rotation. For many rotators, it is the only time in their career that they have the opportunity to be exposed to the discipline of ophthalmology. Thirteen of all wartime traumas are ophthalmic. Sixty percent of all intracranial tumors can be detected with a full ophthalmic eye exam. Many systemic illnesses affect the eye as a target organ, and timely evaluation for visual problems can often detect occult systemic illness. Ophthalmology is an exciting and rewarding field of medicine and surgery. In fact, eye complaints account for a substantial number of presenting complaints in general and primary care settings. Rotators are encouraged to learn as much as they can during their time with us. The information they take away will help in clinical practice later.

The rotation consists of several components: a virtual curriculum, group academic sessions, daily patient care, completing a Skills & Discussion Topic Check-Off Form, and the option to give a brief case presentation at the end of the rotation. Rotating students join our residents and teaching staff in seeing a variety of eye conditions and learning how to perform a complete ophthalmic exam. Rotators participate in several clinical settings, including the outpatient clinic, operating room, and inpatient wards. Rotators join the subspecialty clinics in retina, glaucoma, cornea, plastics, pediatrics, neuro-ophthalmology, and uveitis. Time is allotted to observe cases in the operating room to become familiar with how basic eye surgery is performed. During the rotation, students receive one-on-one training and feedback to refine their clinical skills and expand their knowledge base. They join in academics, M&Ms, wet labs, clinical conferences, and Grand Rounds. Students leave the rotation with a strong foundation in ophthalmic medical and surgical disease. The goal is to build the confidence to recognize and treat common and emergent eye conditions, as well as to refer patients for ophthalmologic evaluation when appropriate.

Please contact the program if you plan to apply for ophthalmology residency training in the Army or Navy. We will provide details about scheduling interviews and the application process. The program participates in the military match.

Interviews are conducted by faculty and residents on the Program Interview Committee. Care is taken to ensure a fair process with particular attention paid to the American Medical Association’s (AMA) best practices in residency interviews. Interviews take place between July and September each year.

The program boasts a board pass rate well above the national average. Board certification by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) requires passing both the Written Qualifying Exam (WQE) and the Oral Examination. The WQE is offered annually and taken the September after graduation. Candidates passing the WQE are invited to take the Oral Board Examination the next year.

To be eligible to take the board exams, graduates must complete the pre-requisites below:

• Completion of a PGY-1 year in an accredited program
• Completion of 3 months of ophthalmology prior to starting PGY-2 (this may either be done during internship or completed after internship)
• Successful completion of 36 months of ophthalmology residency training during PGY-2 to PGY-4

PGY-3 and PGY-4 residents take turns teaching in a daily morning resident-led sessions covering the Basic Clinical Science Course (BCSC). All residents take turns presenting cases during the Ocular Trauma Video-teleconferences (VTC), Joint Grant Rounds, and Consultant Conferences. Residents also engage in lectures, wet labs, and clinical teaching with medical students, other programs, and rotators. Finally, residents take a leadership role in many of our other academic programs, such as M&M and weekly surgical reviews at Department Rounds.

Ophthalmology faculty are trained in the below subspecialties:

• Cornea and External Disease
• Glaucoma
• Oculofacial Plastics
• Vitreoretinal
• Pediatrics and Strabismus
• Comprehensive Ophthalmology
• Neuro-Ophthalmology

Faculty prioritize teaching and mentoring. Mentoring relationships often form as residents gravitate towards faculty who share their interests or goals. Faculty may also mentor residents in a particular area, such as a specific subspecialty, surgical training, academic, or research interests, etc.

Resident wellness is a cornerstone of our military ophthalmology residency program, acknowledging the demanding nature of medical training and the importance of maintaining physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Central to our commitment to resident wellness is the time set aside on the "Fifth Friday" of the month, where our residents do an activity outside of work, such as paintball, a hike, or just getting together for lunch.

In addition to the Fifth-Friday wellness days, our program supports residents with their personal needs, taking advantage of the broad range of support available through the National Capital Consortium and military health care programs, including access to confidential counseling services, resident Ombudsman program, and confidential Graduate Medical Education reporting. We recognize that resident wellness is multifaceted and requires a holistic approach, encompassing not only physical health but also mental and emotional success.

By prioritizing resident wellness, we aim to cultivate a culture of support, compassion, and camaraderie within our residency community. Residents are empowered to navigate the challenges of training with resilience and self-awareness, ensuring they emerge from training not only as skilled clinicians, but also as individuals with the tools for developing their own well-being. We recognize that by doing so, physicians are better able to serve the needs of our patients.