Retina fellows experience an unparalleled amount and quality of didactics at the University of Iowa. The retina service holds daily, dedicated retina rounds. As all faculty have their own particular clinical and research areas of expertise, fellows get a wide breadth of case-based teaching in inherited retinal diseases, tumors, uveitis, infectious diseases affecting the posterior segment, common diseases such as AMD/diabetic retinopathy, and rare diseases referred from providers. In addition, there is a weekly retinal imaging conference that fellows (and/or residents on the retina rotation) present at on Monday evenings with faculty that are typically on rare, complex, or atypical presentation of common medical cases. Lastly, we have a detailed, comprehensive retina curriculum that integrates fellows into teaching residents in a structured, thoughtful manner.

In addition, the entire department has morning rounds at 8 a.m. that can range from case-based presentations by trainees, on-call rounds, sessions on tips for billing, ethics, advocacy, or research by faculty or visiting scientists. These are typically engaging sessions for all and represent a unique opportunity for all health care providers and staff in the department to be together. Friday mornings typically consist of BCSC lectures from 7—8:45 a.m.