I. Administration
Goals:
1. Know the basic principles of leadership and administration.
2. Understand the function of a neuro-ophthalmology department within the institution and its relationship with other departments.
3. Understand the importance of quality improvement and risk management programs.
4. Understand the function of accrediting agencies and their relationship with neuro-ophthalmology.
Topics:
1. Credentialing, career development, recruitment, budgeting, health care financing, managed care, public relations, personel management, marketing, hospital administration, practice management, contracts, work schedule.(3)
2. JCAHO requirements relating to neuro-ophthalmology (staffing, equipment and supplies, facilities, quality insurance).(3)
II. Research
Goals:
1. Understand various types of study design and methodology.
2. Understand basic statistical methods.
3. Learn techniques of analyzing biomedical research.
4. Know methods of obtaining consent for biomedical research.
5. Understand the ramifications of ethical considerations in research.
6. Understand HIPPAA, Institutional Review Boards, Human Subjects Research Education Programs.
7. Understand grants and funding for research.
Topics:
1. Read and analyse scientific articles.(3)
2. Research funding.(3)
3. Development of a research project.(3)
4. Ethical issues in research, including consent and researchers' interactions with corporate funding sources.(3)
5. Write and publish a manuscript.(3)
III. Large previous and ongoing studies addressing specific neuro-ophthalmic issues
Goals:
1. Read scientific publications reporting the results of major studies in the field of neuro-ophthalmology.
2. Understand the clinical applications of these studies in terms of evidence-based medicine.
Topics:
1. Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial (ONTT)(1)
2. Longitudinal Optic Neuritis Study (LONS)(1)
3. CHAMPS study(1)
4. Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Decompression Trial (IONDT)(1)
IV. Ethics and professionalism
Goals:
1. Apply ethical principles to specific patient encounters to assist in decision making.
2. Learn basic legal principles relevant to ophthalmology (surgery) and neurology.
Topics:
1. Proper documentation in medicolegal proceedings(2)
2. Knowledge of cost, resource allocation, quality of care and access to care issues.(2)
3. Basic familiarity with medical malpractice.(2)
4. Physician-physician relationships.(2)
5. Laws relating to drug dispensing, regulation, and abuse.(1)
6. Role of expert witness in medicolegal procedures.(3)
V. Neuro-ophthalmologic resources
Goals:
1. Know about available educational resources in neuro-ophthalmology.
2. Participate in improvement of resources.
Topics:
1. Organizations
- NANOS
- INOS
- EUNOS
- AAN
- ANA
- AAO
- ARVO
- Regional organizations
- NEI
- NINDS
2. Journals
3. NOVEL database
Proposed by the Curriculum of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS)
Next: I. References