Every year, the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center holds an ophthalmology boot camp entirely focused on cultivating and developing the skills of residents.

The annual phacoemulsification wet lab is a part of the prep course specifically geared toward allowing residents to learn how to perform cataract surgery prior to performing the surgery on patients.

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"(The wet lab) is critical to our mission and curriculum to help residents learn how to do surgery before they step into the operating room, before they have the pressure of taking care of patients," says Shahzad I. Mian, M.D., vice chair for clinical sciences and learning at Kellogg Eye Center.

The course provides room in a hands-on clinical setting to learn practical skills, like how to gown up before surgery to the finer nuances of ophthalmology, while also giving space for residents to ask questions and hone their skills.

Getting to do the hands-on training is more meaningful than what you can read about or see in a video, says first year ophthalmology resident Tomas Meijome.

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"Having a workshop like this where you're able to do everything on your own from start to finish is one of those symbolic moments of transitioning from an intern to a resident."

Learn more about the Kellogg Eye Center residency program.