The Faculty Development Committee of the Ophthalmology Foundation have presented at congresses worldwide that focus on education principles for faculty development. They provide exceptional opportunities to enhance knowledge, refine skills, and expand professional networks. Read on about where we have been lately and see our upcoming events.
Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) Congress and Annual Conference of All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS)
April 2025
We kicked off our events with a Training the Trainers Program, a joint initiative of ARC-AIOS, Ophthalmology Foundation, and Young Ophthalmologists Society of India. This was an energetic and vibrant workshop that equipped participants with tools to excel as ophthalmic educators.
Following the first day, we held two more symposia including Innovations in Resident Education to explore teaching innovations such as the flipped classroom, new technology, artificial intelligence and social media. The second symposia was Trending Topics in Medical Education Research where they delved into key areas, including advances in medical education research, simulation-based learning in ophthalmology, evidence-based insights on gamification, and innovative trends in curriculum development with entrustable professional activities. Finally, at the Leadership Development Program (LDP) World Café: Speed Mentoring that connected young ophthalmologists with seasoned mentors from various subspecialties, fostering discussions on leadership development, career guidance, subspecialty insights, and personal growth. Speakers throughout the events included Drs. Gaby Palis, Karl Golnik, Meena Swaminathan, Helena Filipe, Pranesh Balasubramaniam, Prashant Garg, and several other collaborators.
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
April 2025
The Ophthalmology Foundation will led the course, Simulation-Based Education (SBE) in Ophthalmology where participants learned different aspects of SBE including the best practices for adopting it for cataract and refractive surgery training, simulators available in the market, and shared personal experiences. Lectures were presented by Drs. Helena Filipe, Prashant Garg, Van Lansingh, and Hunter Cherwek.
Romania Leaders in Education
April 2025
In partnership with the International Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology Conference in Romania, the Ophthalmology Foundation led a half day Leaders in Education Workshop. The goal was to improve teaching skills and ophthalmology residency training. By the end of the workshop, participants could list characteristics of the good doctor & excellent teacher, outline best principles in teaching in the operating theater, clinic & lecture, and describe best practices in resident, faculty & program assessment.
In a followup survey, participants said their goal was to improve their teaching skills and be a better doctor. Eighty-nine percent of participants said they plan to change their teaching practice with examples such as giving more constructive feedback and integrating AI into teaching. Speakers included Drs. Karl Golnik, Eduardo Mayorga, Gabriela Palis, Mihnea Munteanu, and Horia Stancia.
Egyptian Ophthalmological Society (EOS) in collaboration with the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO)
May 2025
The Ophthalmology Foundation held an education session where participants learned more about Ophthalmology Foundation programs designed to enhance ophthalmic education and improve lecture skills. Topics covered examinations, accreditation, faculty development opportunities, and lecture skills. Speakers included Drs. Karl Golnik and Essam Eltoukhy.