In the Setting of Heightened Economic and Workforce Issues, What Are Third-Year (PGY-4) Ophthalmology Residents' Perspectives of Pediatric Ophthalmology?

PURPOSE: To investigate the factors influencing residents' choice to pursue a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship.

METHODS

A nine-question survey was distributed to third-year (PGY-4) ophthalmology residents of United States-based Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education residency training programs in ophthalmology.

RESULTS

One hundred two of 502 residents completed the survey. Fifty percent of all respondents had no debt and 14.7% had more than $300,000 in debt. Forty-four (43.1%) rated the quality of pediatric ophthalmology teaching in their residency program as "excellent," 37 (36.3%) did not enjoy performing clinical ophthalmologic examinations on children, 83 (81.4%) had a clinical role model in pediatric ophthalmology, 29 (28.4%) believed pediatric ophthalmology is a prestigious subspecialty, 47 (46.1%) reported that economic factors influenced their post-residency decisions, 60 (58.8%) believed a hybrid fellowship combining adult cataract surgery and pediatric ophthalmology would be a popular fellowship, and 58 (56.9%) had a first-year (PGY-2) residency rotation of at least 1 month in pediatric ophthalmology. Enjoying the ophthalmologic examination of children most strongly predicted whether a resident would pursue a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship (Phi = 0.482).

CONCLUSIONS

The desire to work with children overwhelmingly superseded other factors influencing a resident's decision to pursue a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship. Improving economic issues may be one of several factors that increase the attractiveness of the pediatric ophthalmology subspecialty. There is a dilemma in encouraging more residents to pursue pediatric ophthalmology in the setting of fewer technological advances consistent with lower perceived prestige. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2023;60(2):95-100.].