First year residents learn the techniques of fluorescein angiography. Surgical experience begins during the first year, with residents performing minor procedures, assisting in surgeries and performing cataract surgeries by the end of the year. The first-year resident spends four months at Loyola rotating through general and subspecialty clinics and eight months are spent at Hines VA Hospital. The second year resident spends eight months at Loyola and four months at Hines VA, rotating through the subspecialty clinics, such as Pediatric Ophthalmology, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Retina, Oculoplastics, and Cornea. Two times per week, for a four month period, these residents receive instruction in gross and microscopic ocular pathology.
Residents are responsible for the inpatient consult service.
Second year residents can expect to spend more time in the operating room and greater independence in clinic. They also rotate through the electrophysiology service at the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary for four months. During their four months at Loyola, third year residents can expect to spend approximately four to five days per week in the operating room. When not operating, these residents supervise first and second year residents in clinic, and see inpatient consults. Third year residents spend eight months at Hines VA, where they also spend much of their time in the operating room or perfecting their skills with lasers.