Abstract:  Objective To explore the effectiveness of a centralized step-by-step teaching method for cataract surgery under ambulatory surgery pattern. Design Retrospective comparative study. Participants Fifteen young trainee doctors from Hainan Hospital of the PLA General Hospital were included. Among them, five received the traditional training model from 2014 to 2017 (Group 1), and ten received the centralized step-by-step training model after its reform from 2018 to 2023 (Group 2).  Methods In the traditional training model, doctors were responsible for comprehensive patient communication, medical record management, and surgical treatment. The centralized training model was divided into two phases: theoretical training and surgical skill training. The entire training process was completed under the guidance of the instructor for cataract surgery. After training, doctors from both groups independently performed routine cataract surgeries for three months. The training outcomes and experiences of the two groups were compared. Main Outcome Measures Operation time and incidence of complications in cataract surgery and training experience assessed using the Likert-type scale. Results Within three months post-training, the doctors of Group 1 independently completed 141 eyes of routine cataract surgeries, with an average complication rate of 11.35%. In contrast, the ten doctors of Group 2 independently completed 287 eyes of cataract surgeries, with an average complication rate of 6.62%. The difference in complication rates between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2=3.92, P=0.04). The average duration of a single surgery was (2215±857) seconds for the Group 1 and (1743±608) seconds for the Group 2, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (t=6.54, P=1.67). According to the Likert scale, there was no significant difference in the understanding of surgical steps before training between the two groups (P=0.075). However, the  scored of Group 2 higher in ease of mastering cataract surgery (P=0.001), reduced psychological burden during surgery (P=0.003), and satisfaction with the learning curve (P=0.001) compared to the Group 1. Conclusion The centralized step-by-step teaching model effectively improves the phacoemulsification cataract surgery skills of young ophthalmologists while ensuring the safety and efficacy of surgical procedures. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2025, 34: 161-164)

Key words: teaching, cataract/surgery