Enhancing Residency Education
HCP sponsors 53 ophthalmology residents from partner institutions in Ghana and Ethiopia to sit for the ICO Basic Science and Optics & Refraction Exams.
On April 19th, HCP sponsored 53 residents from partnering institutions in Ghana and Ethiopia to sit for the International Council of Ophthalmology’s (ICO) Basic Science and Optics & Refraction Exams.
The ICO Examinations are the only worldwide medical-specialty examinations. They are independent and free of any outside influence and can be taken in the candidate’s own country. The questions are prepared by an international group of examiners and set at the same standard as the highest board and qualifying examinations anywhere.
Each year, the ICO offers examinations throughout the world to help ophthalmologists evaluate their knowledge in the basic science and clinical sciences related to ophthalmology. The ICO started to offer examinations (initially called “Assessments”) in 1995. Since then, more than 22,000 candidates have taken the ICO Examinations. In 2016, there were just over 5,000 ICO examinations taken in 130 test centers in 80 countries.
In Ethiopia, 40 doctors from the five main teaching hospitals in the country participated, while in Ghana, 13 doctors from KATH and Korle Bu hospitals participated. HCP’s sponsorship is one example of the effort HCP is making to align the ophthalmology residency programs in Ghana and Ethiopia with the ICO Standards.
