University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine

[Andrew_Doan]

Ophthalmology Residency Program Compendium Table of Contents

University of Nebraska Medical Center
985540 Nebraska Medical Center
Box 985540
Omaha, Nebraska 68198

http://www.unmc.edu/eye

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[mmmmmg]

any comments on this program? Current residents?

 

[CarpetWindow7]

I'm surprised nothing has been written about this program over the years. Enjoyed interviewing at this program this past year. A solid training program honestly.

Program has changed leadership. Former Chairman and residency program director no longer with department. Currently interim chairman is plastics faculty. New residency program director is glaucoma faculty. On interview day, great vibe from current residency program director.

Two resident class so on the small side in terms of residency programs. Only program in the state which allows for great referral area. Surgery numbers on par if not better than most programs, as two resident class offers a lot of hands on opportunities. High 200s phaco numbers and solid exposure to all subspecialty surgical areas/clinics.

Rotate at stand alone eye institute (opened in summer 2013) for first two years rotating in various subspecialties. VA exposure during this time as well. New surgical center opened next door this fall with walking bridge connecting the two buildings. New equipment including scopes, phaco machines.

Last year is spent entirely at VA running clinic and doing surgery under attending supervision, allows the continued development of autonomy in the last year using skills acquired in first two years.

Generous education stipends each year for equipment and presenting at conferences.

Call is different from a lot of programs I had a chance to visit this year. First and second years take primary call, with first month of PGY2 taking buddy call with PGY3's. Start primary call as a PGY2 in second month of Ophthalmology residency. PGY4 serve as backup. Take call one week per month.

Grand rounds twice a month every Wednesday. Didactics every Friday morning for 3 hours.

Family atmosphere with very friendly faculty, something that I found at a lot of midwest programs. Omaha is a nice city with airport offering numerous destinations, cheap place to live. One of the highest PGY salaries I encountered on the trail, PGY2 is ~59k (2016-2017). Full details found at: https://www.unmc.edu/com/about/gme/salary.html

 

[chestbump]

2 residents per year.

Call:
Q 4week call between PGY-2 and PGY-3s.One week on call three weeks off each month. Covering UNMC and VA. Average about 3-4 consults a day. Finishing up work on-call typically around 8 pm. Hit and miss at night. Lots of pathology, trauma 1 center. The residents seem to love the call schedule. Can be busy or quiet depending on week. Nice for vacation planning.

Surgery:
250-300+ Cataracts. Good comprehensive plastics numbers and solid glaucoma fellowship numbers for glaucoma surgery.
Heard impressive things from others (Alcon rep and outside faculty) about the surgical scope and technique of the residents there. (Alcon rep said the residents in Nebraska do cataracts better than any resident group in the country- surprised me, for what an Alcon rep's perspective is worth)
During third year glaucoma, neuro/strabs, plastics, cornea faculty all go to the VA to operate with PGY-4. PGY-4s basically stay at the VA all year running the show sort of. First years 20-40 cataracts

Other
- Resident autonomy with schedules
- Probably 50-60% do fellowships. recently one at Wills for ocular onc. Wake forest for retina.
- Two fellows in retina and glaucoma
- residents are close and get along well.
- work hours 7-8am - 5:30 pm-ish.
- fewer residents means more presentations
- didactics friday 7-10: Very protected time. Grand rounds or journal club wed at 7. Some Mondays at 7.


Research:
Lots of clinical and bench research opportunities in glaucoma and retina. Tons of funding and support for research. Current residents aren't doing much bench research currently but apparently there's a lot of your interested.

Faculty:
Very friendly and good comradery with residents.
PD Shane Havens is young, glaucoma spec went to UNMC residency and Duke fellowship. the residents love him it sounds like.
Interim chair – oculoplastics. Last chair was booted and they are currently recruiting a new chair.
2-3 deep in everything. Growing retina currently with two new faculty and more to come.

Perks:
-Top notch brand new beautiful facilities: Truhlsen Eye Institute with sky bridge connecting it to the outpatient surgical center.
-large resident room with ping-pong table, large windows, leather couches, flat screen TV.
-Ophthoquestions and bcsc books provided by program
-Lenses provided by program (but only for use during program). They say it's nice though because you have a chance to try out lenses and buy them at your convenience.
-2 sets of loupes available for resident use.
-Super nice on-call equipment.
-Education money: $500 year 1, $1000 year 2, $1000 year three
-Conference travel money: $1500 for each conference you go to -up to three conferences as a PGY-4 and one conference as a PGY-2 (I believe).
- mission trip during PGY-4 year for 10 days paid by program.
-Food: works out to $6.00/day at UNMC, $7.00/day at the VA.
$60k salary (in a super inexpensive city).

Omaha:
College World Series baseball
Huskers games
Zoo (sounds funny but its indeed amazing like San Diego zoo)
Creighton
Middle size down town
Inexpensive living
Family friendly town with lots for kids
Lots of long uninterrupted running trails.
Hot summers, cold winters

 

[Lerxst]

As mentioned above, UNMC is not lacking in terms of numbers and autonomy, which allows for flexibility to tailor your experience if you intend to pursue fellowships. Eye center and connected ORs are about as nice as you can get, and the salary/benefits package is attractive.

There indeed has been some recent turnover with the loss of two well-known retina docs, but the new PD is putting in a lot of education-forward changes to the program that perhaps were neglected in the past. They plan to announce their new chairman this summer and have been authorized to add one plastics, 1-2 retina, and 1 comp faculty. The pediatric training was a bit confusing to me, as their peds specialist works almost entirely at the off-campus children's hospital and handles the call there by himself. However, there will be a new peds faculty being added who will be 1/2 at UNMC and 1/2 at Children's, and the two will also be starting a peds fellowship. One of the faculty on site also has a hybrid neuro-op/peds practice that is a source for peds patients and strabs. Refractive experience is currently done at an alumnus' private practice in town if you it. The current PGY-3 class has three residents, and it sounds like there are plans to apply for a third resident spot after this cohort graduates and they can demonstrate that they have the capacity to expand.