HOW EFFECTIVE IS UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE TEACHING IN OPHTHALMOLOGY

Purpose: To gain an insight into the adequacy of ophthalmic medical ed ucation for doctors in the primary care setting. Methods: A short forc ed-choice questionnaire was set to 150 randomly selected primary care practitioners in and around Bristol. Information was collected in rela tion to undergraduate and postgraduate ophthalmic education, ophthalmi c confidence, facilities and understanding. Results: One hundred and t hirty-three primary care doctors replied to the questionnaire of whom 35% were fundholders and 47% in training practices. Only 22% of all re spondents felt their undergraduate ophthalmic medical education to be adequate. However, 83% of the 86 primary care doctors who had attended postgraduate update courses in ophthalmology felt these to be adequat e. Despite the availability of an ophthalmoscope and distance vision c hart, only 56% felt confident with the ophthalmoscope and only 61% rep orted that their distance chart was set up in accord with manufacturer 's instructions. Seventy-one per cent of respondents reported having a ccess to dilating agents but only 61% felt confident using them. Under standing of two key ophthalmic terms was also poor. Despite the genera l satisfaction, attendance of postgraduate update courses did not appe ar to alter facilities, confidence or understanding, Conclusions: It i s apparent that most primary care doctors view their undergraduate oph thalmic medical education as inadequate and this is reflected in their confidence and understanding. Postgraduate courses, although more fav ourably received, do not appear to alter these findings. We strongly s uggest, therefore, that general ophthalmic education is aimed at teach ing examination techniques and ophthalmological principles suitable fo r primary care practice.