The AUPO Consortium of Ophthalmology Researchers in Education (CORE) is a collaborative network designed to support multi-institutional research in ophthalmology education. CORE brings together educators and researchers from AUPO member institutions to study and improve how ophthalmology is taught and how trainees develop across the continuum of medical education.
Through coordinated projects across multiple academic departments, CORE helps investigators conduct studies that benefit from broader participation, shared expertise, and larger data sets. This collaborative approach strengthens research design, improves statistical power, and helps produce findings that are meaningful across institutions.
CORE initiatives focus on research related to ophthalmology training at several stages, including:
- Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) – improving ophthalmology education for medical students, including curriculum development, teaching methods, and understanding the residency match process.
- Graduate Medical Education (GME) – advancing residency and fellowship training through research on surgical education, competency-based training, assessment methods, and trainee development.
- Clinician-Scientist Development (future initiative) – exploring strategies to strengthen training and mentorship pathways for ophthalmology clinician-scientists.
CORE periodically invites AUPO members to submit proposals for multi-institutional education research projects. Selected projects receive support through the CORE network, which may include coordination across institutions, access to shared data resources, and statistical support.
Participating institutions collaborate on study design, data collection, and dissemination of results, helping advance evidence-based approaches to ophthalmology education.
Any AUPO member and their academic department of ophthalmology may participate in CORE projects. Institutions collaborate as study sites, contributing expertise and data to help advance education research that benefits the broader ophthalmology community.
 Director |  Associate Director |  Associate Director |
- Underrepresented in Medicine and International Graduate Bias in the CASPer Situational Judgment Test for Ophthalmology Residency Applicants in 2022–2023
Moore, D.B.; Rosenberg, J.B.; Moon, J.Y.; Pettey, J.; and Faridi, A. - Morbidity and Mortality Conference in Ophthalmology: Pilot Study on Maximizing Quality while Optimizing Education
Mudalegundi, S.; Melson, A.; Zhang, A.; Tu, D.; Rosenberg, J.; Moore, D.; Knoch, D.; Kang, J.M.; Woreta, F.; Green, L.; Swamy, R.; Tannan, A.; and Ramanathan, S. - Impact of an Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) Pre-Test: A Pilot Study at Two Institutions
Fields, L.S.; Moon, J.Y.; Ramanathan, S.; Wieder, M.S.; and Rosenberg, J.B. - Ophthalmology Educators’ Perspectives on Supporting Medical Students to Become Competitive Residency Applicants
Shinbashi, M.; Zook, Z.; Elkin, Z.; Tu, D.; Healey, J.M.; Woreta, F.; Kaplan, A.; Goyal, A.; Parikh, N.; Wilson, L.; and Faridi, A. - Well-being Curricula and Retreats in United States Ophthalmology Residency Programs
Tedla, S.; Ponsetto, M.K.; Faridi, A.; Clements, J.L.; Green, J.L.; Kang, J.M.; Ramanathan, S.; Redfern, A.; Woreta, F.; and Tu, D. - The Impact of a Gap Year on the Strength of Ophthalmology Residency Applications
Zheng H.; Lee T.F.; Hu, J.; Boente, C.; Vegunta, S.; Kaplan, A.; Ma, J.; Ramanathan, S.; Moore, D.; and Elkin, Z.
AUPO CORE studies are designed to foster collaboration across ophthalmology education programs nationwide. Faculty and residency programs interested in joining an active study are encouraged to contact the project's Principal Investigator for information about participation, study timelines, and onboarding.
RASCAL (Rapid Assessment of Surgical Competency and Learning)Principal Investigator: Seth Patanelli ([email protected]) The RASCAL study is a national, multi-institutional effort to advance competency-based surgical education in ophthalmology. By tracking resident surgical performance longitudinally across a broad range of procedures, the study aims to better define learning curves, improve assessment methods, and support data-driven approaches to surgical training.
Participating Institutions:
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Ergonomics in ResidencyPrincipal Investigator: Jamie Rosenberg ([email protected]) Musculoskeletal injury is a common occupational hazard for ophthalmologists. This collaborative study evaluates residents' knowledge, attitudes, and experiences related to ergonomics education to inform the development of evidence-based curricula that promote surgeon wellness, longevity, and safe surgical practice.
Participating Institutions:
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AMORE (Assessment of Mental Health in Ophthalmology Resident Education)Principal Investigator: Anjali Shah ([email protected]) AMORE is a prospective, multi-center study examining resident mental health and well-being throughout ophthalmology training. By identifying trends over time and factors associated with burnout and resilience, the project seeks to inform strategies that foster healthier learning environments and support resident success.
Participating Institutions:
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Self-Guided Neuroradiology Curriculum for Ophthalmology ResidentsPrincipal Investigator: Saras Ramanathan ([email protected]) Neuroimaging interpretation is an essential skill for ophthalmologists. This multi-institutional educational study evaluates a self-directed neuroradiology curriculum designed to improve residents' confidence and competency in interpreting neuroradiologic studies. The collaboration provides valuable evidence on scalable educational approaches that can be implemented across residency programs.
Participating Institutions:
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Preference Signaling in OphthalmologyPrincipal Investigator: Ryan Diel ([email protected]) Preference signaling has become an important component of the residency application process. This collaborative study uses national SF Match data to evaluate how preference signaling influences interview offers and match outcomes, with the goal of informing applicants, residency programs, and future policy decisions.
Participating Institutions:
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