Ophthalmology

"Ophthalmology is defined as the medical and surgical specialty related to the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders and diseases".

"Ophthalmology specialists attend to patients with ocular pathology. Their competencies include the study, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of eye conditions". 

Teaching activities 

• Training of students completing a degree in Medicine at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, in the subject of Ophthalmology, corresponding to the fourth year of that academic pathway.
• Organisation of doctoral courses included in official programmes to obtain the necessary credits for a doctoral degree.
• Supervision and tutoring of doctoral theses in the specialty of ophthalmology. This includes the entire process of completing a doctoral thesis: from choosing a topic, through field work and statistical study, to presenting the thesis before a panel of judges and the subsequent awarding of the doctoral degree.
• Internal residency training in the specialty of ophthalmology. The number of MIR places accredited each year in the specialty of ophthalmology at Vall d'Hebron Hospital varies between three and four depending on the Department's requirements.
• Complementing the training of MIR doctors from other hospitals, through training placements in our Department.
• Continuous training of the different professionals who make up the Ophthalmology Department. Includes clinical sessions (two a week for the entire Department, one presented by an attending physician and another by a resident, and one weekly for sub-specialty) and the organisation of conferences within our Department. To make the most of these, official accreditation is requested by official bodies.

he training of resident specialists in ophthalmology requires a special mention in this section, as it is one of our Department's priorities. To this end, we have a teaching structure based on each resident having a tutor, who is responsible for accompanying the resident during the four years of training. The ratio is one tutor for every 3-4 residents. They are responsible for ensuring the resident integrates into the Department, resolving any problems that may arise during the residency and acting as a means of communication between the various attending physicians, the Department Head and the resident. Tutors meet periodically with the residents they tutor, the other tutors in the Department and ultimate teaching leads (the Department Head and the Teaching Director). This is all geared towards achieving the best training profiles for our residents, so that by the end of the residency they are prepared to perform their professional role within the specialty with the utmost professionalism.

Why specialise at Vall d’Hebron?

• Because you will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to diagnose and apply the correct treatment to the most common eye conditions.
• Because you will learn how to correctly use the various eye examination methods and recognise the ocular manifestations of systemic diseases.
• Because, when you finish your residency, you will have performed, under supervision, an appropriate number of eye surgeries and will have thus developed the critical capacity to choose the most appropriate surgical treatments in each case.
• Because you will be prepared to present scientific or clinical information in a synthetic, clear and well-organised manner.
• Because you will have familiarised yourself with clinical or laboratory research tasks.
• Because, for four years, you will form part of a team geared towards achieving the best care for ophthalmology patients, without detriment to the personal relationships between members of the Ophthalmology Department.

Accredited places: 4

Download the Unit training programme