Comparison of International Ophthalmology Specialty Training Models

DOI: 10.12201/bmr.202608.00004

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  Abstract: Objective This study aimed to systematically compare the core elements of ophthalmology specialty training curricula across China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan, to identify similarities and differences in their training models, and to provide evidence-based recommendations for refining China’s standardized residency training system.Methods A content analysis methodology was adopted. Current national ophthalmology specialty training curricula and official policy documents from the five countries were collected. The comparative analysis was structured around four key dimensions: training structure and duration, curricular content, quantitative standards for surgical procedures, and assessment and evaluation methods. The analyzed materials comprised China’s 2022 Detailed Rules for Standardized Ophthalmology Residency Training; the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) program requirements for ophthalmology in the United States; the 2024 curriculum of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in the United Kingdom; the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) competency framework; and the specialty training program of the Japanese Ophthalmological Society.Results Notable differences were observed among the five training systems. Training length varied: 3 years in China, 4 in the United States, 5 each in Canada and Japan, and 7 in the United Kingdom. Regarding training phases, China follows a year-by-year progressive model, whereas the other four countries use a multi-stage, tiered approach. For surgical volume requirements, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan have set minimum cataract surgery caseloads at 86, 350, 150, and 100 cases, respectively; China currently lacks a nationally unified standard for surgical caseloads. Assessment methods also differed: the United States employs milestone evaluations, the United Kingdom relies on specialty qualification examinations, Canada emphasizes entrustable professional activities (EPAs), Japan conducts a unified board examination, and China combines a written theoretical examination with clinical skills assessments.Conclusion The divergence in training models reflects different healthcare systems, educational traditions, and certification mechanisms. To improve ophthalmology residency training in China, it is advisable to learn from mature international experiences while building upon the existing standardized residency framework. Specific measures should include refining a competency-based, tiered training model, introducing quantitative evaluation criteria for surgical skills, and strengthening the assessment system, thereby further optimizing the standardized training program and enhancing ophthalmologists’ comprehensive clinical competence.

  Key words: Ophthalmology; Residency training; International comparison; Competency-based medical education

  Submit time: 3 August 2026

  Copyright: The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted biomedRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.
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  2	2026-05-21	10.12201/bmr.202608.00004V2	Download
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