Assessing General Doctors' Ophthalmic Competency and the Impact of Continuing Professional Development
Keywords:
ophthalmology education, general practitioners, medical education, diagnostic confidence, Continuing professional developmentAbstract
Abstract
Background: Eye conditions are commonly encountered in primary care, requiring general practitioners (GPs) to possess adequate ophthalmic knowledge and skills. However, many GPs report limited confidence in diagnosing and initiating treatment for eye conditions. With ongoing advances in medical knowledge, continuing professional development (CPD) is crucial for maintaining and enhancing clinical competence. This study aimed to assess the current ophthalmic competence of GPs and to explore how CPD can improve their ability to diagnose and manage common eye conditions.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among GPs who had graduated within the past five years. Data were collected via an online questionnaire comprising demographics, confidence in diagnosing and managing eye diseases, multiple-choice knowledge questions, and perceptions of ophthalmology education and CPD. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed.
Results: Sixty GPs completed the survey. The mean age was 26.2 years (SD 1.93), mean time since graduation was 19.9 months (SD 13.45), and mean overall GPA was 3.44 (SD 0.35). The mean ophthalmology knowledge score was 81.7% (SD 13.9). Confidence was highest for common eye diseases such as pterygium, hordeolum, and conjunctivitis, and lowest for emergency conditions such as central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) and acute angle-closure glaucoma. GPA correlated positively with knowledge scores (r = 0.467, p < 0.001), and ophthalmology course grade significantly predicted performance (Spearman’s ρ = 0.42, p = 0.004). Most respondents preferred CPD activities every 6–12 months.
Conclusion: Although GPs demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of common eye conditions, their confidence in managing ophthalmic emergencies remained limited. Academic performance during medical school was a strong predictor of retained knowledge, underscoring the need for enhanced ophthalmology teaching and regular, case-based CPD to strengthen practical skills after graduation.
References
Spencer SKR, Ireland PA, Braden J, et al. A systematic review of ophthalmology education in medical schools: The global decline. Ophthalmology. 2024;131(7):855–863. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2024.01.005.
Lippa LM, Boker J, Duke A, Amin A. A novel 3-year longitudinal pilot study of medical students’ acquisition and retention of screening eye-examination skills. Ophthalmology. 2006;113(1):133–139. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2005.09.003.
Quillen DA, Ali MJ, Ma JJ, et al. Impact of a 1-day ophthalmology experience on medical students. Ophthalmology. 2006;113(12):2307–2309. doi:10.1016/S0161-6420(06)00878-5.
International Task Force on Ophthalmic Education of Medical Students; International Council of Ophthalmology. Principles and guidelines of a curriculum for ophthalmic education of medical students. Klin Monbl Augenheilkd. 2006;223(Suppl 5):S1–S19. doi:10.1055/s-2006-951844.
Krungkraipetch L, Krungkraipetch N, Leelawongs S. Global disparities in ophthalmology education and alignment with International Council of Ophthalmology guidelines among medical students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Med Educ. 2025;25:452. doi:10.1186/s12909-025-07012-1.
Grant J. Learning needs assessment: Assessing the need. BMJ. 2002;324(7330):156–159.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Medical and Health Professions Education
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Articles published in the Journal of Medical Education for Medical Personnel (Medical and Public Health Professional Education) are copyrighted by the Office of Promotion, Support, Production, and Development of Physicians and Medical Personnel.
