The Academy’s premiere online educational resource, the Ophthalmic News and Education (ONE®) Network includes hundreds of clinical and surgical videos as well as cases and self-assessment quizzes. The ONE Network also offers hundreds of bite-size pieces of knowledge that allow you to learn on the go or during a brief pause in a busy day. Be sure to check out the weekly “Diagnose This” quizzes, including the lively comments that follow.
This series of books is the foundational resource of a resident’s ophthalmic education. Published by the Academy, the BCSC serves as the basis of questions that appear on the exam. The books provide a high density of information and demand a strict schedule to review all the information they offer. Follow our reading schedule as a cheat sheet: aao.org/young-ophthalmologists/yo-info/article/first-year-resident-reading-guide. Leverage the questions at the end of each book to gauge your retention and understanding of the contents.
The Academy provides a new online resource for residents that was developed in collaboration with residency program directors to direct learning and OKAP prep. The BCSC Self-Assessment Program is written and approved by an Academy committee of experienced question writers, with well-formed discussions for each answer. There are currently more than 1,600 questions and the collection is always growing. Questions are tied directly to BCSC content, and each is supplemented with excerpts from the BCSC and complete references to guide further study.
4. Review of Ophthalmology
By William Trattler, MD, Peter K. Kaiser, MD, and Neil Friedman, MD
This review uses an abridged, rapid-fire style to highlight the highest-yield information. Reading through the many bullet points will take you on a densely packed but well-organized journey. As with any guide book, add in your own commentary and references as you read along to make your own map of ophthalmology.
5. Last-Minute Optics: A Concise Review of Optics, Refraction, and Contact Lenses
By David G. Hunter, MD, PhD, and Constance E. West, MD
This quick reference can be useful in the weeks before the exam to brush up on optics, a topic residents often overlook. There is also a four-part lecture series available on iTunes.
6. The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Review Manual for Ophthalmology
By Veeral S. Sheth, MD, Marcus M. Marcet, MD, Paulpoj Chiranand, MD, Harit K. Bhatt, MD, Jeffrey C. Lamkin, MD, and Rama D. Jager, MD, MBA
This portable reference book offers many high-yield photos and quick reviews covering every subspecialty in ophthalmology. As you review, you can use the question-and-answer sections to track your progress.
7. Review Questions in Ophthalmology: A Question and Answer Book
By Kenneth C. Chern, MD, and Kenneth W. Wright, MD
This resource is not a standalone source of knowledge — it really just provides questions and short reviews. However, it is a nice, complementary piece for your exam prep. The questions aren’t too difficult, but they can be used to help guide your study plan.
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About the author: James G. Chelnis, MD, is chair of the
YO Info Editorial Board. He is an oculoplastics surgeon in private practice in New York City.