Boy, does this bring back memories... I struggled with tremors for many reasons while learning to perform cataract surgery. As a person with fairly low self-esteem I was nervous to begin with, after all we are cutting on a human eyeball here! I was also under pressure from some pretty mean attendings who liked to intimidate or jump in and take over a case at the drop of a hat. I'm finally doing pretty well now several years after graduating because I was lucky to find a kind female ophthalmologist who understood and came into surgery with me for a few months just after I graduated. (It takes me 25 min. for a straightfoward cataract surgery now)
First of all I would recommend getting plenty of sleep if at all possible before surgery. Also, NO CAFFEINE on the day of surgery. You may not know it, but that buzz shows up as a fine tremor under the microscope. Try to choose a residency program that is nurturing-- you will get a sense of this during interview time when you talk to the residents. Another good tip is to try a wrist rest which attaches to the head of the eye bed. Some ophthalmologists use this, others do not. I don't use one. The most important thing is perhaps the hardest to do...believe in yourself and your capabilities and practice, practice, practice. There is no joy in my mind better than taking that counting fingers vision patient to 20/20 with a simple operation.
Good luck with your decision. Give ophtho some consideration!
