From April to May 2016 I spent six weeks at the Prince of Wales hospital in Randwick, Sydney, in their adult and paediatric ophthalmology department.  The Prince of Wales is a large hospital in central Sydney with both a public and a private hospital on the same site, and it serves diverse population.

Ophthalmology theatres for the hospital were situated in the nearby Sydney Eye Hospital.

During my elective I spent time in theatre, in outpatient clinics and occasionally on the wards. In adult and paediatric theatre I had the opportunity to observe a variety of surgeries that I had not previously been exposed to.

I also sat in many adult and paediatric outpatient clinics where I learnt valuable practical skills. I have become much better at using a slit lamp with lenses, and the indirect ophthalmoscope to visualize the retina clearly and detect retinal pathology. I was able to observe many procedures during clinic time, such as anti-VEGF injections, laser such as the Yag and laser for diabetic retinopathy. I was also exposed to paediatric ophthalmology for the first time – where I saw a completely different range of pathology and I was able to appreciate the different aims of treatment when treating children vs adults (for example patching to improve eyesight).

I felt that doing my elective in an area that I saw much less of in medical school gave me an opportunity to learn a lot of new skills and to broaden my knowledge in a way I would not have other wise done.

I found the Sydney Jewish community incredibly warm and welcoming whilst I was there and this really enhanced my experience.

I am very grateful to the association for their generous contribution towards my elective.

Jessica Solomon
UCL