Key Contacts
Training Programme Director for Medical Ophthalmology: Dr Catherine Guly based at the Bristol Eye Hospital
Head of School of Medicine: Dr Carolyn Mackinlay
Associate Dean for Medicine: Dr Jon Francis
Education programme Manager: Louise Peckham
Education programme coordinator: vacant
Health Education South West Severn supervises all postgraduate medical specialist training in the region.
Information about the Specialty
Medical ophthalmologists or ophthalmic physicians manage adults and children with medical conditions affecting the eyes, orbits and visual pathways. Systemic disease may present with ocular or visual symptoms, and ophthalmic physicians care for patients with complex conditions where an understanding of systemic disease is essential.
Ophthalmic physicians prescribe immunosuppression, including biologic treatments, for ocular inflammatory disease. Retinal laser and injection treatments are used for the retinal disorders such as retinal vein occlusions and diabetic retinopathy. Neurological conditions presenting with ocular symptoms include multiple sclerosis, stroke and myasthenia gravis. Some ophthalmic physicians manage diabetes retinal screening programmes. An ageing population and increasing complexity of treatments had led to an increase in demand for medical ophthalmologists.
There are two routes into medical ophthalmology training:
1) Entry at ST3 with MRCP after two years of internal medicine (ST1 and 2)
2) Entry at ST3 with FRCOphth part 1 after two years of ophthalmic specialty training
Entry to Medical Ophthalmology ST3
Medical placements during higher medical ophthalmology training include neurology, rheumatology, clinical genetics and renal medicine.
Training Opportunities in Southwest - Severn
- Severn deanery has an established Medical Ophthalmology training programme.
- The Bristol Eye Hospital is a leading centre for ocular inflammation and retina and hosts the regional adult and paediatric uveitis services which cover the South-West of England and South Wales.
- The Bristol Eye Hospital and Bristol Royal Hospital for Children have active clinical research units and have produced ground breaking research including the SYCAMORE and APTITUDE trials. There are opportunities to support investigator led and commercial research trials as well as trainee initiated research projects.
- There are close links with the University of Bristol and opportunities in lab based research.
The Training Hospitals
Annual Assessment Information
Annual national ARCP is held at the Royal College of Physician, London.
Related sites
https://www.jrcptb.org.uk/specialties
http://www.st3recruitment.org.uk/specialties/medical-ophthalmology