Role of Wet Laboratory Training for Residents of Ophthalmology

Abstract

Background: In current residency programs, surgical skill acquisition relies on observation and incremental practice, often due to limited surgical opportunities, potentially lowering learner confidence and impacting patient outcomes. To counter this, mandatory wet lab training has been introduced to enhance surgical exposure.
Aim: To evaluate the role of wet laboratory training for residents of Ophthalmology.
Material and Methods: Thirty-two postgraduate residents participated in three supervised sessions, practicing small incision cataract surgery (SICS) on goat eyes. Faculty evaluated their performance using the SICS Ophthalmic Simulated Surgical Competency Assessment Rubric (Sim-OSSCAR:SICS) scale. Residents provided feedback through a pretested questionnaire.
Results: Significant improvement in mean scores across sessions (16.094 ± 5.449 after exposure 1, 22.188 ± 4.948 after exposure 2, and 29.094 ± 5.384 after exposure 3, p < 0.001) was seen. Qualitative analysis indicated high relevance of wet lab training (71.9%), with residents acknowledging its usefulness (68.7% strongly agreed, 31.3% agreed) and confidence boost (75% strongly agreed, 25% agreed). Most residents found ease in performing different (93.7%) and subsequent (96.9%) steps during wet lab training.
Conclusion: This study emphasized the importance of wet lab training is crucial, as it significantly contributes to enhancing patient care quality by allowing residents to refine surgical skills in a safe environment.