Montefiore Einstein Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is advancing ophthalmic surgical education through an expanded, simulation-driven training model that emphasizes surgical readiness and patient safety before residents enter the operating room. In 2025, the Department further strengthened its approach by integrating high-fidelity microsurgical simulation, early medical student exposure and immersive virtual reality-based training into a comprehensive surgical education ecosystem.

At the Montefiore Einstein Center for Ophthalmic Innovation (COIN), ophthalmology residents and medical students train using advanced simulation technologies designed to replicate real-world surgical scenarios. These tools allow learners to practice complex microsurgical techniques in a controlled environment while benefiting from direct, real-time faculty feedback. Housed within the Center, the Ronald M. Burde, MD, Microsurgical Simulation Laboratory is among the nation’s most advanced ophthalmic surgical training facilities, attracting residents, fellows and visiting surgeons from across the country and around the world. An integral part of the residency curriculum, the Laboratory provides trainees with around-the-clock access to high-fidelity simulation and remote mentoring, enabling the safe development and refinement of microsurgical skills before entering the operating room.

Paired with a structured curriculum, the wet-lab environment supports stepwise skill development, from instrument handling and hand-eye coordination to mastering the nuances of ophthalmic equipment not typically encountered during medical school. Simulation-based training has been shown to improve technical proficiency and reduce surgical complications, reinforcing its critical role in modern ophthalmic education.

“When I trained as a resident, we had limited access to high-fidelity simulators before transitioning to live patient care,” said Anurag Shrivastava, MD, Attending Physician of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Montefiore Einstein and Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Assistant Dean at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Today, our simulation curriculum provides residents with a far stronger foundation, allowing them to build skill, muscle memory, procedural familiarity and technical precision before operating on patients.”

Expanding Early Exposure to Ophthalmology

In 2025, Montefiore Einstein also expanded access to microsurgical training for medical students through hands-on sessions led by Richard P. Gibralter, MD, Attending Physician of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Montefiore Einstein and Director of Medical Student Education and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, alongside our chief residents. Organized through the Einstein Ophthalmology Interest Group, these sessions introduce students to ophthalmology at a formative stage of training and have generated overwhelmingly positive feedback.

The impact is already evident, with growing interest in ophthalmology among Einstein students, reinforcing the Department’s commitment to early mentorship and exposure. COIN and Burde Laboratory were made possible through the generous support of alumni donors and the Henkind and Burde families, keeping Montefiore Einstein at the forefront of microsurgical education.

Advancing Surgical Training Through Virtual Reality

To further expand advanced surgical training opportunities, Montefiore Einstein complemented its in-house simulation programs in 2025. Junior residents participate in intensive cataract surgery skills-transfer courses under the direct supervision of expert faculty preceptors, coordinated by Viral V. Juthani, MD, Director of Surgical Simulation Education, and Zara Mian, Ophthalmology Research Coordinator.

Resident feedback highlighted the value of repeated practice, often more than 100 times per surgical step, in strengthening muscle memory, procedural fluency and technical precision. Montefiore Einstein is grateful to former program director and cornea specialist John J. Kim, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, whose generous contribution funded participation for an entire class of junior residents in 2024, providing foundational support that helped enable the Program’s latest projects

Montefiore Einstein’s expanded simulation curriculum, early learner engagement and immersive virtual reality training represent a significant evolution in ophthalmic surgical education, supporting safe, structured preparation across all stages of training. Through continued innovation in education and training, Montefiore Einstein remains committed to advancing ophthalmic care and improving patient outcomes.