ANNUAL ACTIVITIES

Date	Activity
July	Incoming Ophthalmology Resident Orientation
August	Risk Management seminar
September
October	Recruitment
October/November	American Academy of Ophthalmology Meeting (AAO)
November	Recruitment
December	Recruitment
January	Ophthalmology Match
February	Basic Science Course Houston: PGY 2
March	OKAP Course San Antonio: PGY 4
April	OKAP Exam
April/May	Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
June	Annual Resident/Alumni Meeting
End of June	Awards and Dinner for graduating residents and fellows

American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (October/November)
American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is held annually during the fall. Our residents attend in their second or third year.

The department will pay for residents to attend this meeting once during residency, according to UTMB and Ophthalmology Department travel guidelines.  Travel requests must be submitted 30 days prior to the meeting.

The course(s) the resident will attend must be submitted to and approved by the Program Director.

Basic Science Course (February)
In February, the first year residents attend a four week Basic Science Course in Ophthalmology sponsored by the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School and the Hermann Eye Center. 

The department pays the tuition for the Basic Science Course.  The resident is responsible for housing and transportation costs.

Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) (April)
The goal in participating in the OKAP exam is to prepare residents for the Written Qualifying Exam (WQE) required of all graduates wishing to become board certified in Ophthalmology.  The OKAP and WQE are very similar tests, thus if you display knowledge on the OKAP your chances are higher of passing the WQE.

The results of the OKAP should be used as an initiation of a learning process to prepare for the WQE.  Areas where knowledge needs to improve can be identified, sources of information sought out and faculty used as a resource. 

All residents must take the OKAP each year of their residency.  Scores on the OKAP are reviewed with the resident as feedback on medical knowledge.

Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) (April/May)
ARVO is held annually during the first week in May, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  The resident may attend only if presenting a paper or poster.

Spring Ophthalmology Alumni Meeting (May/June)
A one-day course is held each spring for residents and alumni of UTMB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.  The course consists of lectures, workshops, questions and discussions.

Attendance by all residents is required.  Each resident is responsible for presenting a research paper.

Awards and Dinner Graduation (June)
At the end of each year, all residents are expected to attend a reception honoring the completing residents and fellows. The new first year residents are also introduced.