Public HealthThe Society For Clinical Ophthalmology Hopes To Improve Basic Ophthalmic Surgical Training Using Video Footage From The Theatre
The Society for Clinical Ophthalmology (SCO) is now working with UK-based Consultant Ophthalmologist, Mr Som Prasad, to supplement ophthalmic surgical training with an online forum that offers videos and online discussions of surgical techniques.
Mr Prasad is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and feels passionately about the need for a solid basic training in ophthalmic surgical techniques. "A lot of the meetings we attend and the journals we read concentrate on new treatments and techniques," Mr Prasad explains, "yet basic training tends to be left to a combination of "apprenticeship" with a trainer and osmosis from those around you."
The SCO is founded on the principle of sharing need-to-know information with the necessary people as quickly as possible to help drive up standards in eye care. In recognition of the complementary nature of its own and Mr Prasad"s goals, the SCO has agreed to collaborate with Mr Prasad to offer videos and information on basic surgical techniques through the society website.
Mr Prasad intends to discuss the basic surgical techniques involved in various cases using video clips in a specially-designated section of the SCO site starting with - "Retina Surgeon". "I find that the best way of learning surgery, or improving one"s technique is by watching your own surgical video," Mr Prasad explains, "this is an extension of the same principle - by letting others watch your footage, you can benefit from others ideas about how to improve your surgery."
Mr Prasad is keen, in time, to expand the area to include a wide range of surgical techniques and invites video contributions highlighting surgical problem solving and techniques from fellow ophthalmic surgeons. There will be opportunity for all those who view the video footage to comment and offer advice on how to avoid such problems and improve techniques in the future. To encourage video contributions, Mr Prasad has also published advice on how best to capture surgical video footage.
Society for Clinical Ophthalmology