Impact of a 1-day ophthalmology experience on medical students.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the ophthalmic knowledge and eye examination skills of third-year medical students through the development and implementation of a 1-day ophthalmology experience.

DESIGN: Noncomparative interventional case series.

PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty-one third-year medical students at the Penn State College of Medicine completed the 1-day ophthalmology experience.

METHODS: A 1-day ophthalmology curriculum, based on the Association of University Professors in Ophthalmology Policy Statement on Medical Student Education, was developed and implemented. The 1-day program consisted of a morning conference series and an afternoon case-based learning and eye examination skills session.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The students completed a questionnaire to assess the impact of the experience on their ophthalmology knowledge and skills. In addition, the students completed a pretest and posttest to measure the impact of the 1-day ophthalmology experience on their ophthalmic knowledge.

RESULTS: The 1-day ophthalmology experience was effective in improving the ophthalmic knowledge and eye examination skills of medical students based on the results of questionnaires, multiple choice examinations, and skills assessment. There was a statistically significant increase in test score percentage after the 1-day ophthalmology experience: the mean score on the pretest was 55%, compared with a mean score of 80% on the posttest.

CONCLUSION: The ophthalmology-in-a-day experience is an effective way to improve the ophthalmic knowledge and eye examination skills of medical students.