WELCOME TO OCULUS
The Part 2 FRCOphth Revision Course
OCULUS 2023 CANCELLED
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we have just been made aware that we will be unable to hold OCULUS in 2023.
We apologise for the inconvenience caused and hope that our widely acclaimed Part 2 FRCOphth Revision Course will be up and running in 2024 and will reflect the hybrid nature of the exam.
The OCULUS Team wishes you well in the forthcoming exams.
We will keep you posted of our progress.
WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?
At each OSCE Station candidates are examined by two examiners but the main difference from the actual exam is that candidates go around in pairs. This has the benefit of each candidate being able to learn from any feedback given to his/her fellow candidate plus the chance to quickly see any physical signs on the patients used for their fellow candidate.
Every effort is made to ensure that on the second OSCE circuit candidates do not have the same examiners or see the same patients as on their first OSCE circuit.
Want an idea of what the real exam is like? Then download the Public Report of the November 2022 Part 2 FRCOphth Oral Examination in Oxford here.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?
Dress as you would for the exam, i.e. smart!
You are expected to bring the equipment you would take to the exam:
Hand held lenses (always better to use the ones you are used to)
Occluder
Pen torch (e.g. Mini Maglite)
Cover Test target
Hat pins for VF
Rulers (clear)
P.S. Don’t forget about hand hygiene when examining patients
OCULUS
OCULUS is an intensive exam revision course designed to mimic the Structured Viva and OSCE stations of Part 2 FRCOphth. It has been running for over 25 years and is acknowledged as the foremost revision course for the Part 2 Fellowship Oral Component.
The Course Organiser is Professor Philip I. Murray but is run by a dedicated team of trainees (Lead: Mr. Jesse Panthagani, University of Birmingham Clinical Lecturer) and administrative staff. The candidates benefit from over 40 examiners and around 80 patients.
The course is run over one day and is mainly taken up with two circuits of OSCEs and one Structured Viva circuit. These replicate the actual exam:
OSCE
Station 1: Anterior Segment
Station 2: Glaucoma and Lid
Station 3: Posterior Segment
Station 4: Strabismus and Orbit
Station 5: Neuro-ophthalmology
Station 6: Communication Skills (using professional role players)
Structured Viva
Station 1: Patient investigations and data interpretation
Station 2: Patient management 1
Station 3: Patient management 2
Station 4: Attitudes, ethics and responsibilities
Station 5: Audit, research and evidence based practice
Station 6: Health promotion and disease prevention
EXAMPLE OCULUS TIMETABLE
(2019)
Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre
MORNING
08:45 Registration and refreshments (Academic Unit, 1st Floor)
09:00 Welcome
09:05 – 09:30 Prof. Murray: ‘How to fail’, ‘ADDIT’
09:30 – 09:45 Sponsors talk: SCOPE Ophthalmics
09:45 – 09:50 OSCE briefing
09:50 – 10:00 Relocate to Out Patient Department (Ground Floor)
10:00 – 12:00 OSCE 1
Red OSCE circuit (12 candidates in pairs)
Blue OSCE circuit (12 candidates in pairs)
12:00 – 12:45 Candidates debrief and lunch
AFTERNOON
13:00 – 15:00 OSCE 2
Red OSCE circuit (12 candidates in pairs)
Blue OSCE circuit (12 candidates in pairs)
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee / Refreshments / Debrief
15:30 – 17:00 Structured Viva circuits 1 and 2
17:00 – 17:10 Refreshments / Debrief (Academic Unit, 1st Floor)
17:10 – 17:20 Viva feedback
17:20 – 18:00 ‘How I passed’ – recent successful candidates / Communication Skills video
18:00 Close
“Amazing course. Gives a real time feedback of the exam ”
“Well organised, excellent range of patients with brilliant signs. I feel more confident about the exam and would highly recommend the course to anyone thinking about sitting the FRCOphth Oral exam.”
“Examiners were helpful in providing constructive feedback. Viva was well detailed.”
Satisfied candidates from
OCULUS 2019.
Candidate feedback is consistently positive with the 2019 course achieving overall 4.8/5.0
FEEDBACK
HOW TO REGISTER
Please check back to see when Registration for OCULUS 2024 will open
HOW TO FIND US
Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre (BMEC)
City Hospital
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Dudley Road
Birmingham B18 7QH
The main hospital telephone number is: 0121 554 3801.
A contact mobile number will be given to those who have been accepted on the course.
If coming by car the entrance to BMEC is in Western Road and there is a Car Park directly outside.
If coming by train the nearest station is Birmingham New Street. There are regular buses that stop on Dudley Road, the bus numbers are: 82, 87 and 88. An alternative is Snow Hill Station and the 101 bus stops a short walk from BMEC.
SPONSOR
OCULUS is supported by an Educational Grant from SCOPE Eyecare
Their range supports Clinicians and Patients in managing a variety of Ocular Surface
Diseases. Their products include the well known HYLO® and Hycosan® ranges
of preservative-free lubricants, the OPTASE® Eyecare Range, for all
severities of Dry Eye Disease, MGD and Blepharitis.
Introducing the Scope Educational Hub
Free registration for the exciting new Scope Education Hub, your 'one stop shop' that provides all your Scope educational resources conveniently in one place.
YOUR TRUST CHARITY
Your Trust Charity is the registered charity of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust incorporating not only our hospital sites at City, Rowley Regis, Sandwell and the forthcoming Midland Metropolitan University Hospital but our GP sites and partners.
Our mission is:
“To enhance the experience of all people using our services including staff, patients and their families. We will do this by providing additional facilities and supporting innovative projects that create a comfortable and secure environment.”