Download fulltext HTML
1.
Ali Javadi M, Tabatabai S. A Framework for Future Analysis of Ophthalmology Fellowships in Iran: Call for Action, Implications and Recommendations. JOVR [Internet]. 2024Mar.10 [cited 2024Apr.28];19(1):109–117. Available from: https://knepublishing.com/index.php/JOVR/article/view/15445

https://doi.org/10.18502/jovr.v19i1.15445

statistics

  • 169 Abstract Views
  • 125 PDF Views
  • 0 HTML Views

authors

  • Mohammad Ali Javadi

    Mohammad Ali Javadi

    Ophthalmic Research Center, Research Institute for Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Shima Tabatabai

    Shima Tabatabai

    Ophthalmic Research Center, Research Institute for Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7565-6974

Published Date

  • Mar 10, 2024
This journal is publishing all the articles under Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.

A Framework for Future Analysis of Ophthalmology Fellowships in Iran: Call for Action, Implications and Recommendations

Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research (JOVR) / Jan–Mar 2024, Volume 19, Issue 1 / Pages 109–117

Abstract

Ophthalmology fellowship is focusing on the educational advancement, medical research progress and academic productivity by transforming general ophthalmologists into superior clinical capacities in ophthalmology. There is a vast majority of ophthalmologists who wish to undertake fellowship degrees. The fellowship programs have several benefits for ophthalmologists and medical institutions. However, the expansion of ophthalmic fellowships has resulted in a greater number of ophthalmology visits, the possibility of unnecessary subspecialty eye examinations, induced demand and increasing eye-care costs. Moreover, sub-specialized ophthalmic services are not accessible to patients in remote regions. This can lead to a degree of inequity in the provision of healthcare services in the healthcare system. The massive expansion of fellowships in ophthalmology is revitalizing the necessity for evaluation of the need for post[1]residency education and providing effective planning for the future of the ophthalmic human[1]resource for eye health. This narrative review includes an integration and descriptive summary of the existing evidence on trends and different aspects that affect the future of ophthalmic fellowship education. Moreover, we pinpointed challenges such as maintaining standards in fellowship education, keeping an efficient production of graduates, and improving productivity in both patient care and education. We explored potential solutions to overcome these challenges. The 7-step framework for future analysis suggested here includes Determining educational needs and desired outcomes, Evaluating the current status of fellowship education, determining the gaps, and appropriate solutions, analyzing possible future trends and their impact on ophthalmology practice, investing in virtual educational technology, developing new educational horizons by foresight expert panels, and human-resource planning.

Keywords:

Educational Planning, Fellowships, Future Trends, Health Priorities, Need Assessment, Ophthalmic Education

References
1. Simoroosh N, Tabatabai S, Ziaee AM. Iran’s postgraduate medical education achievements over last 35 years. Br J Med Med Res 2015;10:6.

2. Lown BA, Newman LR, Hatem CJ. The personal and professional impact of a fellowship in medical education. Acad Med 2009;84:1089–1097.

3. Ruth Neumann. Policy and practice in doctoral educations. Stud High Educ 2007;32:459–473.

4. Thompson BM, Searle NS, Gruppen LD, Hatem CJ, Nelson EA. A national survey of medical education fellowships. Med Educ Online 2011;16:16.

5. Gupta RR, Lam WC. Medical students’ self-confidence in performing direct ophthalmoscopy in clinical training. Can J Ophthalmol 2006;41:169–174.

6. Searle NS, Hatem CJ, Perkowski L, Wilkerson L. Why invest in an educational fellowship program? Acad Med 2006;81:936–940.

7. Entezari A, Javadi MA, Einollahi B. National strategies of ophthalmic education in Iran. Iranian J Publ Health 2012;41:73–78.

8. Searle NS, Thompson BM, Perkowski LC. Making it work: The evolution of a medical educational fellowship program. Acad Med 2006;81:984–989.

9. Tabatabai S, Javadi MA. Ophthalmic education and ophthalmologists growth trends in Iran (1979–2016). J Ophthalmic Vis Res 2019;14:185–194.

10. Bramer WM, Rethlefsen ML, Kleijnen J, Franco OH. Optimal database combinations for literature searches in systematic reviews: a prospective exploratory study. Syst Rev 2017;6:245.

11. Hashemi H, Haghdoost AA, Noori Hekmat S, Haji- Aghajani M, Janbabaee G, Maher A, et al. A successful implementation of an idea to a nationally approved plan: Analyzing Iran’s National Health Roadmap using the Kingdon model of policymaking. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2018;32:46.

12. Watkins R, Meiers MW, Visser YL. A guide to assessing needs. Washington DC: World Bank; 2012.

13. Wilson, A. It isn’t always a training issue. Training Industry; 2020.

14. Jamieson J, Towle A. Future health care trends: Impact on postgraduate medical education. Members of the FMEC PG Consortium; 2011.

15. Jauhar S. The disillusionment of an American Physician one patient, too many doctors: The terrible expense of overspecialization. Time. 2014.

16. Advantages-and-challenges-specialisation. In Final report: A national legal response = (ALRC Report 114. 32. Specialisation). Australian Law Reform Commission; 2010. Available from: https://www.alrc. gov.au/publications/Specialisation/advantages-andchallenges- specialisation-0ds

17. Lee PP, Hoskins HD Jr, Parke DW III. Access to care: Eye care provider workforce considerations in 2020. Arch Ophthalmol 2007;125:406–410.

18. Sloan FA, Picone G, Brown DS, Lee PP. Longitudinal analysis of the relationship between regular eye examinations and changes in visual and functional status. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005;53:1867–1874.

19. Lee PP, Feldman ZW, Ostermann J, Brown DS, Sloan FA. Longitudinal rates of annual eye examinations of persons with diabetes and chronic eye diseases. Ophthalmology 2003;110:1952–1959.

20. Mets B. The ophthalmologist of the future Marilyn. Arch Ophthalmol 2012;130.

21. Garson Jr A, Levin SA. Ten 10-year trends for the future of healthcare: Implications for academic health centers. The Ochsner Journal 2001;3:10–15.

22. Tabatabai S, Ziaee AM. Trends in postgraduate medical education in Iran. BMC Health Ser Res 2014;(Suppl 2):P124.

23. Christensen BD. Needs assessment or needs analysis? Workplace Performance; 2018.

24. Bleich C. How to conduct a training needs analysis. EdgePoint Learning; 2018.

25. Tabatabai S, Simforoosh N. Health care and medical education to promote women’s health in Iran; Four decades efforts, challenges and recommendations. Arch Iran Med 2020;23(7):469–479. https://doi.org/10.34172/aim.2020.44

26. Coates WC, Lin M, Clarke S, Jordan J, Guth T, Santen SA, et al. Defining a core curriculum for education scholarship fellowships in emergency medicine. Acad Emerg Med 2012;19:1411–1418.

27. Simforoosh N, Tabatabai S. Fundamental values of the healthcare and medical education system: Evolution of the Iranian-religious progress model. J Relig Health 2021;60:2138–2153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01118-0

28. Alkahtani E, Assiri A, Alrashaed S, Alharbi M, Almotowa S, Khandekar R, et al. Medical professionalism in ophthalmology: Design and testing of a scenario-based survey. BMC Med Educ 2020;20:160.

29. Tabatabai S. Simulations and virtual learning supporting clinical education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adv Med Educ Pract 2020;11:513–516.

30. Masters K, Ellaway RH, Topps D, Archibald D, Hogue RJ. Mobile technologies in medical education: AMEE guide no. 105. Med Teach 2016;38:537–549.

31. Tabatabai S. Necessity of designing a national model of foresight-based policy-making in medical education. Strides Dev Med Educ 2017;14:e67446.

32. Hideg E. Theory and practice in the field of foresight. Foresight 2007;9(6).

33. UNIDO Technology Foresight Manual. Organization and Methods Volume 1. Vienna: United Nations; 2000.

34. Simforoosh N, Ziaee SAM, Tabatabai S. Growth trends in medical specialists’ education in Iran; 1979 – 2013. Arch Iran Med 2014;17:771–775.