Research Requirement Guidelines

The Case Western Reserve University Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and UH Eye Institute recognizes the need to engage residents in the research process to foster their development as critical thinkers and as cutting- edge clinicians and surgeons. Other factors to develop a formal commitment to research for each resident in the program include:

• Meet RRC competency requirement
• Enhance competitive position for fellowships
• Take advantage of faculty growth and research infrastructure for both clinical, translational, and basic vision research
• Provide foundation for life-long learning

Since 2008, the Case Western Reserve University Affiliated Hospitals Residency Program in Ophthalmology has required that all second- and third-year residents to participate in a basic, translational or clinical research project on an annual basis. The results of that project will be presented in the spring at the annual Resident, Fellow and Medical Student Research symposium, and the abstracts of their projects published in an accompanying abstract book. Publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal will be encouraged when appropriate. The first-year residents are asked to develop a project but are not required to present. Dedicated time for research is dispersed throughout rotations of all three years.

GETTING STARTED

Each resident will choose a faculty mentor from active clinical and basic science faculty researchers. For information about the latest clinical and basic science research and involved faculty, residents are encouraged to visit the research website of the UH Eye Institute. The project may be conducted with either a full-time or part-time faculty member at Case Western Reserve University and the UH Eye Institute.

The scope of the requirement is intended to be broad, based on the resident’s interest and time available for research activity. Residents may pursue basic, translational, or clinical research. Basic research projects may require approval by the animal committee of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicie and certification of the resident for animal research. Clinical interventions and chart reviews are likely to require additional time for IRB approval and should be planned accordingly and the resident will require CREC certification to conduct human research.