Ophthalmology is a complex field that demands incredibly accurate hand-eye coordination and extremely fine motor skills for handling microsurgical instruments. This is where simulation plays a crucial role in training. Our residents gradually learn surgical manoeuvres on simulators available at CIME, the only simulation training centre for Cataract and Vitreoretina surgery in Pakistan. Our residents learn surgical techniques and complete procedures on simulator by practicing again and again at increasing levels of difficulty, with thousands of new challenging simulated scenarios and complications to make each experience unique.
Dr. M. Bilal Malik, a second year ophthalmology resident recently shared his experience of learning cataract surgery via simulation at an AKU Surgical Grand Round and at a national ophthalmology conference in Karachi. Over the course of quite a few weeks, he completed the modules of “Cataract Surgery" on the EyeSi simulator. Simultaneously he was learning surgical procedures in the hospital as part of his residency training. After a period of eight months of rigorous practice on simulation, he successfully performed his first cataract surgery on a real patient, without any complications.
“Eye surgery simulation gave me the confidence and privilege to showcase my first ever phacoemulsification procedure to the world. The transition from virtual reality to real surgery took some time, but, keeping in mind safe-surgical practices for our patients, it was worth it." - Dr. M. Bilal Malik, Ophthalmology Resident.
Before treating actual patients, our residents are able to gain skills and confidence in a controlled setting at CIME. This allows them to develop and hone their surgical skills so that they provide patients with the safest and highest quality care. AKU is on a par with the best Opthalmology Departments globally, where achieving competence through simulated practice is a mandatory prerequisite to practicing on patients. This demonstrates scope for improvement in Pakistan and the role model for best practice in simulation based education that CIME has become.
Ophthalmology is a complex field that demands incredibly accurate hand-eye coordination and extremely fine motor skills for handling microsurgical instruments. This is where simulation plays a crucial role in training. Our residents gradually learn surgical manoeuvres on simulators available at CIME, the only simulation training centre for Cataract and Vitreoretina surgery in Pakistan. Our residents learn surgical techniques and complete procedures on simulator by practicing again and again at increasing levels of difficulty, with thousands of new challenging simulated scenarios and complications to make each experience unique.
Dr. M. Bilal Malik, a second year ophthalmology resident recently shared his experience of learning cataract surgery via simulation at an AKU Surgical Grand Round and at a national ophthalmology conference in Karachi. Over the course of quite a few weeks, he completed the modules of “Cataract Surgery" on the EyeSi simulator. Simultaneously he was learning surgical procedures in the hospital as part of his residency training. After a period of eight months of rigorous practice on simulation, he successfully performed his first cataract surgery on a real patient, without any complications.
“Eye surgery simulation gave me the confidence and privilege to showcase my first ever phacoemulsification procedure to the world. The transition from virtual reality to real surgery took some time, but, keeping in mind safe-surgical practices for our patients, it was worth it." - Dr. M. Bilal Malik, Ophthalmology Resident.
Before treating actual patients, our residents are able to gain skills and confidence in a controlled setting at CIME. This allows them to develop and hone their surgical skills so that they provide patients with the safest and highest quality care. AKU is on a par with the best Opthalmology Departments globally, where achieving competence through simulated practice is a mandatory prerequisite to practicing on patients. This demonstrates scope for improvement in Pakistan and the role model for best practice in simulation based education that CIME has become.
