EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Another exciting project that the Department has initiated is an exchange program with KEIO University in Tokyo, Japan. Each semester, 8-10 second year residents from KEIO University will visit and spend 2 weeks at UIC to observe our clinicians. Additionally, our Departments’ second year residents visit Japan for 2 weeks to both observe clinical practices and to enjoy their time in Tokyo. Past residents reported having greatly enjoyed the sightseeing and the hospitality of the faculty, residents, and staff at KEIO University. One of the most important things to come out of this exchange program will continue to be the relationship formed with the KEIO University and the relationships with the doctors and residents.

EDUCATION

On the clinical end, some surprising cultural differences in clinical approaches have emerged. In Japan, not only are all patients insured, but all costs are covered. The residents are also able to observe surgeries they may never see in the US due to differential treatment approaches. In the US, only pediatric glaucoma is treated with trabeculotomies; but in Japan, open-angle glaucoma among adults is treated with trabeculotomy. Because some approaches are different, the residents experience patient complications that they may never see in the US (for example, corneal decompensation post laser surgery due to the argon laser).

The approach to training residents differs in some interesting ways as well. Notably, when using teaching scopes to examine dry eyes in patients, the doctors are able to show patients and residents videos of what happens in the eye that causes dry eye. Because the scopes are connected to video equipment, the physicians are able to rewind the tape and show patients what happens in their own eyes.