Ophthalmology resident perceptions and preparedness for short-term global health electives

Introduction: There are currently 124 accredited ophthalmology residency programs in the United States. As of spring 2022, an internet-based review identified more than 20 programs offering a global ophthalmology elective, a number that continues to increase. These electives vary widely in duration, global partnerships, and faculty engagement. The existing literature emphasizes the importance of adequately preparing medical students, residents, and faculty for overseas medical programs and highlights the risks associated with the lack of preparedness. Despite this, only a small number of ophthalmic residency programs have any established formalized planning guidelines. Materials and methods: This study involved different key stakeholders [groups] to perform a formative evaluation of a newly implemented global elective program for residents at Yale Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science. A cross-sectional design relying on semi-structured interviews with stakeholder groups was used to identify expectations, challenges, reservations, and perceptions regarding residents working overseas. Results: This study explores several important factors including predeparture preparation, ethical considerations, and clinical training in low-resource settings, and highlights best practices for program improvement. Conclusions: The study findings offer guidance to help ensure that residents and faculty are well-equipped to meaningfully contribute to global eye care program electives. This paper outlines residents’ preparedness for and perceptions of traveling during global elective programs as perceived by key stakeholders.