Eyeworld

56 | EYEWORLD | SPRING 2026 ATARACT C by Ellen Stodola Editorial Co-Director About the physicians J. Morgan Micheletti, MD, FACS Berkeley Eye Center Houston, Texas Priya Patel, MD Omni Eye Services Atlanta, Georgia YES CONNECT The importance of learning different technologies and techniques in training cannot be overstated, yet it remains a challenge in residency programs for various reasons. Learning new technologies and techniques can be overwhelming, and it is important for trainees to have a repeatable algo- rithm for learning new technologies to minimize stress and maximize outcomes. Some programs may also have limited access to different technol- ogies, so residents must advocate for themselves or seek fellowships that offer more opportunity. In-person meetings also offer exposure to a wide variety of technology that can be trialed in a low- stress environment, as well as teaching from the most skilled instructors in our field. Ophthalmology is an exciting field that is per- petually innovating. This means that the technol- ogy and techniques we use in training will not be the same we use at retirement, and thus, getting comfortable with integrating new technology and techniques into your practice will serve you well throughout your career. For this YES Connect column, we invited two brilliant young ophthalmologists who excel at just this to share their expertise and early career experience. J. Morgan Micheletti, MD, and Priya Patel, MD, shared their pearls on the importance and the practice of incorporating new technologies and techniques into your skillset during training, and I thank them for sharing their wisdom. —Ryan G. Smith, MD, YES Connect Editor T raining programs are where ophthal- mologists learn key surgical skills, and with the ever-expanding array of technologies and techniques in the field, it's increasingly important for surgeons in training to gain exposure to a wide variety of procedures across specialties. J. Morgan Micheletti, MD, FACS, and Priya Patel, MD, discussed ophthalmic training, some of the different technologies ophthalmologists may be exposed to, and ways to stay up to date on the latest advancements in the field. In residency, Dr. Patel said the main focus is to learn core clinical and surgical fundamen- tals. "You can't be a great clinician and surgeon unless you have a good foundation and under- stand the essential concepts well," she said. "In addition, the goal is to learn a little bit about everything—for example, we have to complete a minimum amount of procedures in each sur- gical subspecialty such that we are familiar with everything from strabismus surgery to vitrecto- mies." At the end of the day, residency is about developing sound clinical judgment and honing diagnostic acumen and surgical skills, she said. Dr. Patel noted that the depth of exposure varies depending on the training program, and this can be influenced by a number of factors including geographic location, program type, patient volume and demographics, and degree of autonomy. "High-volume surgical programs may offer greater exposure to advanced or com- plex cataract surgery, while academic centers may emphasize imaging, research, and emerg- ing technologies, and both are important in their own way," she said. Importance of learning different technologies and techniques in training Dr. Micheletti said that residents should develop a strong baseline understanding of safety and fundamentals, which then allows them to responsibly build into more advanced techniques in the OR. Source: J. Morgan Micheletti, MD, FACS

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