University of Texas at Houston

[Andrew_Doan]

Ophthalmology Residency Program Compendium Table of Contents

The University of Texas at Houston
Dept of Ophthalmology and Visual Science
6431 Fannin, MSB 7.024
Houston, Texas 77030

http://www.uth.tmc.edu/ophthalmology

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[Andrew_Doan]

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UT Houston is a laid back program. Not known as one of the 'top' programs that people usually talk about but I think they have decent clinical training- and good surgical volume. They have a county hospital and private along with good amount of trauma because of a level 1 trauma facility. They recently have built a new clinic in a nice highrise which has great facilities which will start January 2007. The faculty are very laid back. It's a smaller faculty size but well trained- uveitis from wilmer. They are in the process of recruiting more faculty. Research is available and encouraged but many of the residents go there to be clinically trained to be a private doc. They have a large eye fund so they are financially well established. I think it's a great program if you want to be a practicing private ophthalmologist. Don't know much about Indiana so i can't compare the two. Hope this helps.

 

[ophtho1122]

Great Facilities! Brand new clinic in high rise location over looking the city. New private surgery center in same location two floors down. Unique in that this program is a true private practice with an affiliation with the University. It operates quite differently than a lot of other academic programs. Lots of independence clinically and surgically. If you are a self motivator, you can get more surgical experience, with whatever it is that interest you, than most other programs around. Faculty is still growing and developing into the new eye center, and the future vision for the eye center. Houston is a wonderful city to live and play.

 

[JMK2005]

...Unique in that this program is a true private practice with an affiliation with the University...Lots of independence clinically and surgically.

I thought private practice type setups usually translate to less resident automony because private patients are there to see the attendings only. Sounds like a good program if what you say is true.

 

[arsenalgunner]

I thought private practice type setups usually translate to less resident automony because private patients are there to see the attendings only.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

 

[ophtho1122]

There is much pathology at the county hospital where autonomy is limitless if desired. And, there are Resident patients at the private offices via the "Eye Fund", referals from a local optometry clinic that refers to the "Resident service", and via non-insured, cash pay patients that agree to be taken care of by a senior resident. As a third year resident currently, I am doing Botox, ReSTOR IOL's, etc. on my "own patients", generated through our private eye fund and word of mouth through other patients I have cared for over the past 3 years. Your private patients are your patients to be seen and operated on in the private offices and surgery center.

 

[randomdude00]

UT Houston seems to be a solid clinical program. They have some research requirements but they aren't overly academic. They work mainly at 2 hospitals, which is a good thing. One is a level one trauma center so they get lots of trauma. The other hospital is a smaller county hospital and is about 15-20 minutes outside of the big medical center. The clinics are in a brand new high-rise building that seems to be pretty nice. The surgical suites in that building are amazing from what some residents told me. The county hospital is a county hospital, but they get most of their cases and pathology out there. Because they only have 3 residents each year they get a good amount of surgical cases. As another poster mentioned they seem to have good funding. Houston is a very big city, which can be good and bad I think. They get to do a month of basic science courses in Houston. They had some nice faculty, but one thing that bothered me was their chairman didn't even talk to us at all. He's an older guy and I think might be retiring in the near future, so maybe he didn't feel the need to say hi.

Overall I got a good impression of this program. It's a smaller, less academic alternative to Baylor in Houston.

 

[CarpetWindow7]

Great program and speaking Spanish is nice plus rotating at LBJ County Hospital. On interview, it was stated that LBJ Ophthalmology area was renovated in 2015. LBJ is a primarily resident run clinic with attending staff supervision. 2 ORs at LBJ, latest phaco machines and new scopes.

Memorial Hermann Hospital is one of the busiest trauma center in US, lots of open globes.

Cizik eye clinic, a private practice/academic residency program. It was stated this allows access to latest in industry and exposure during training that would otherwise may not be available.

PGY2
6 months at LBJ, 3 months consults, 3 months Peds/Neuro/Plastics, Basic Science review course in February of PGY2 (no clinic duty, but take call during review course)

PGY3 3months LBJ, 9 months Cizik eye clinic encompasses 3 months retina, 3 months glaucoma, 6 weeks cornea and 6 weeks Peds. Continuity clinic 1/wk

PGY4 lots of surgery, 6 months LBJ and 2 oR days/week, 3 months consults surgery for trauma, 3 months plastic/cornea exposure to cosmetics plastics, LASIK certified, Femtosecond phaco surgery certification.

Surgeries
Phacos: 181
Lasers: 166
Strabismus: 14
Glaucoma: 18
Retina: 14
Injections: 200
Plastics: 55
Globes: 23

will be going from 5 ORs to 7 at Memorial Hermann. 15 days vacation, q8 call between PGY2 and PGY3
Thursday afternoon conference journal club, International Mission trip every other year available. Dedicated research staff and time to do research. Have sent two residents in a row to USC for plastics.

 

[Lerxst]

The prior post is pretty spot-on. I had similar numbers from this application cycle, but slightly more plastics (80). The county clinic - LBJ - is about 15 minutes from the very large medical complex where the residents spend the rest of their time. Call is extremely busy and the 28 globes is ridiculous; applicants were told that seniors have a 3-month trauma consult rotation where they get three globes per week during the day. One potentially interesting change is the reintroduction of rotations at MD Anderson, where there are three adjunct ocular oncologists.

Overall, UT-Houston would provide solid training. They are not short on money or cases and are very busy, especially on the trauma end of things. Houston is indeed very large and busy but has plenty of things to keep you entertained.