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Andrew Walkden, James F Young, Anne F Spencer, Jane AshworthManchester Royal Eye Hospital, Manchester, UKProblem: Starting ophthalmic specialty training can be daunting as new basic clinical examination and surgical skills must be acquired before meaningful assessment of patients can begin. No formal clinical induction currently exists with the aim to teach clinical and practical skills to new starters.Aim and objectives: To determine the experience and needs of ophthalmic trainees entering into specialist training. Using this information we developed and implemented a clinical skills training programme for Ophthalmology ST1s.Intervention: Using SMART objectives, PDSA cycles and Chartered Institute of Personnel Development guidance we implemented a clinical skills induction week. Pre-course skills evaluation took place in the form of a questionnaire in order to tailor the course content to the skill level of the group. Course material was made and simulation techniques devised for teaching practical skills. Qualitative data was collected via a pre- and post-course questionnaire.Outcome: All 9 participants rated the course as “extremely useful” it increased their confidence in terms of commencing clinical ophthalmology. 100% of participants felt that this course should be delivered to new ST1s. All participants reported improved confidence in managing ophthalmic emergencies and their clinical skills technique.Lessons learned: A sustainable induction programme was implemented tailored to the prior experience and skills of ST1 trainees. All participants felt it improved their confidence and clinical skills prior to commencing clinical activities. Basic clinical skills can be taught in a cost effective manner early on in postgraduate training.Keywords: ophthalmic training, starting ophthalmology, ophthalmology run-through training, ophthalmic clinical skills, ophthalmic training needs &nbsp

The purpose of this grant was to provide support to allow a student working under the preceding grant, F49620-94-1-0017 to transition to new funding and to finish his graduate degree. Both objectives were met. The research program involved two projects. The first focused on the development of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) sources, and their application to the development of high resolution, microscopic imaging techniques. That project came to close shortly after the beginning of this grant. The second project investigated unique approaches to building multiuser optical fiber networks.

The focus of this program was the development of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) sources, and their application to scientific problems. Laser development concentrated on the laboratory-scale Xe Auger laser at 109 nm; we also developed broad bandwidth incoherent sources. The primary application area was the development of high resolution, microscopic imaging techniques. Such techniques should have a number of applications, and be particularly useful in the life sciences. This report presents a summary of the program accomplishments, presentations, and copies of papers published.

The primary goal of this contract is to pursue research studies of tunable optical sources, to develop coherent sources in new spectral regions, and to conceive and to investigate new nonlinear optical devices of interest to the Air Force. During this contract our efforts have been concentrated on two primary projects: experimental studies of possible metal vapor excimer laser systems, and a unique cesium vapor infrared to visible frequency converter for imaging. Early in this program a number of metal vapor excimer laser systems were investigated experimentally with the hope of demonstrating net optical gain. Based on a number of factors, it was hoped that such excimer systems might prove useful as high efficiency, high power density amplifiers or lasers in the visible or near infrared portion of the spectrum. Because of the lack of detailed knowledge of the interatomic potential of such systems, our investigaton was primarily experimental. Na-Ze, Li-Xe, and Na-Na systems were studied, but no net gain was observed in any case. In addition, these experiments revealed a number of severe technical problems related to the construction of high temperature, high pressure cells containing reactive metals.

A sample of forty-eight pairs of superordinates and subordinates were selected from missile operations crews. Since each superordinate responded to each of three subordinates on the SSET, it was possible to relate not only his contengent role responses but also to operationally define his flexibility in terms of his range of scores on each of the three superordinate roles being measured. The findings indicated that they responded with counteractive role patterns rather than the long term adaptive roles found in earlier studies. They claimed to use authoritarian roles with rebels, permissive roles with ingratiators, and equalitarian roles with critics. Long term data indicates the opposite behavior to exist. Flexibility seemed to be more closely related to the superordinate's own roles than those of subordinates. Permissives were least flexible and equalitarians the most.