OVS Residency Program

Annual Activities

Due to the constantly evolving situation in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, this timeline of activities may be altered to help adapt our program as circumstances dictate. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility.

Annual Activities

July

Orientation - Incoming PGY-2 Residents

September

Annual Department Retreat

October/November

Recruitment-Residents and Fellows

American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting (AAO) 

Policy:
  The department will pay for you to attend this meeting once during year three of your 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.

December

Fellowship Match

January

Residency Match

March/April

Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) Exam
Our goal in participating in the OKAP exam is to prepare you 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 in passing the WQE.  Areas where knowledge needs to improve can be identified so that sources of information can be sought out and faculty can be used as a resource to help improve learning skills.  Resident is responsible for registering for OKAP exam through Prometric.

Policy: 
All residents must take the OKAP each year of their residency.  Any resident receiving less than a 36 percent overall score will receive medical knowledge remediation.

May

Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
ARVO is held annually. The resident may attend with departmental financial support if presenting a paper or poster as first author. This is also the case for most other national meetings; the department will provide financial assistance to help cover meeting costs if work is being presented as primary author.

Resident Research Day
A one-day program dedicated to residents and fellows to present research studies.  Audience includes faculty, residents, fellows, staff and other interested parties. National and International guests invited to speak and serve as judges for resident research projects.

Policy: Attendance by all residents is required.  Each resident is responsible for presenting a poster (PGY-2) or an oral presentation of a paper (PGY-3 and PGY-4).

June

The Godley Chairman’s Cup
Annual resident vs faculty competition. Residents and faculty gather to compete for year long bragging rights to the Godley Chairman’s Cup trophy. Godley Cup competition activities vary each year.

Graduation and Awards Ceremony
At the end of each year, all residents & fellows will attend a dinner honoring the graduating residents and fellows.  The new first year residents are also introduced.