Experiences of vitreoretinal surgery fellows in the United States.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical volume, training, and experiences of 2-year vitreoretinal surgery fellows in the United States. METHODS: An anonymous survey was sent to 82 US graduating vitreoretinal surgery fellows and contained items relating to their training, self-perceived competency, and future plans. RESULTS: A total of 54 fellows (66%) responded. Fellows most commonly performed <20 scleral buckles (38.9%) and 301 to 400 vitrectomies (27.8%) as primary surgeon. Fifty-two fellows performed epiretinal membrane peeling (96.3%), and 51 performed internal limiting membrane peeling (94.4%). Self-reported competency for treating rarer diseases was 90.7% for posterior uveitis and 22.6% for ocular oncology. Most (54.7%) planned to be employed in private practice. CONCLUSION: The experiences of vitreoretinal surgery fellows in the United States varied considerably.