A 4-week elective in Ophthalmology is offered to medical students from Wayne State University School of Medicine and from other accredited medical schools. Students can expect to acquire the basic clinical skills needed to assess patients with eye problems. The medical student will have a chance to observe and evaluate ophthalmic disease in various specialty clinics including retina, cornea, neuro-ophthalmology, pediatrics, glaucoma, and oculoplastics. Additionally, students will be able to observe the various surgical procedures in these fields.

For more information regarding medical student electives, please contact Program Coordinator Deborah Chesney at (313) 577-7614 or send her an email.

Visit the WSU School of Medicine web site for information regarding guest student applications and policies.

Electives Available : (from the WSU SOM site)

Department of Ophthalmology

2611088 Ophthalmology

Location: Kresge Eye Institute

Coordinator: Monica Alexander, M.D.

Objectives:

1. To become familiar with ophthalmology as a medical and surgical specialty and with the many subspecialties of ophthalmology.
2. To become familiar with outpatient eye care.
3. To become familiar with the surgical care of eye patients.
4. To become familiar with diagnostic and therapeutic applications of lasers, applications of ultrasound and fluoresce in angiography.
5. To become familiar with ophthalmic emergencies.

Methods:

1. Daily encounters with outpatients and inpatients under the faculty and resident supervision at the Kresge Eye Institute, the Children's Hospital of Michigan Eye Clinic, the Veteran's Administration Hospital Eye Clinic, and Detroit Receiving Hospital Emergency Room.
2. Opportunity to interact with ophthalmology faculty members and attending ophthalmologists of different subspecialty interests.
3. Observation of ophthalmic surgical procedures at Kresge Eye Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center operating rooms under faculty supervision.
4. Observation of laser procedures under faculty supervision and diagnostic ultrasonography and fluorescein angiography.

Recommended Reading Material:

1. Newell, F.W.,: Ophthalmology: Principles and Concepts. (7th ed) St. Louis, C.V. Mosby, 1992.
2. Basic Ophthalmology for Medical Students and Primary Care Residents. (6th Ed.) American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1992.

Length: 1 month; Days/Week: 5; Hours/Week: 40; Night Calls/Month: None

Evaluation: written exam and assessment by the staff

Elective Begins: periods 1-4, 7-10

Maximum Number of Students: 4 (Years III & IV)

2611089 Ophthalmic Research

Location: Kresge Eye Institute

Coordinator: Mark S. Juzych, M.D., M.H.S.A.

Objectives:

1. To engage in an ongoing productive ophthalmic research project under the direct supervision of faculty members and their research associates.
2. To become familiar with the daily activities of a full time academic faculty member.
3. To have the opportunity to interact with the clinical as well as the research faculty members of the Department of Ophthalmology.

Methods:

During the period of two months, highly motivated Year IV students will be able to participate in an ongoing productive research project under the supervision of a clinical or research faculty member and his/her research associates. Some of the results and observations made by the students taking the Ophthalmology Research elective in the past were worthy of presentation at national or international ophthalmic meetings and publication in medical or scientific journals. Students will be given the opportunity to present their results at a student research symposium at the end of the rotation.

Recommended Reading Material: Appropriate journal articles and references will be assigned.

Length: 2 months; Days/Week: 5 to 7; Hours/Week: 45+; Night Calls/Month: none

Evaluation: assessment by the supervising faculty

Elective Begins: periods 1-10

Maximum Number of Students: 4 (Year IV)