[Undergraduate teaching in ophthalmology. Do standardized practical examinations make sense?].

Background: University teaching in ophthalmology has tended to focus on imparting knowledge rather than practical skills. The new skills laboratory at the University Medical Center in Göttingen enables practical skills to be taught. The focus is on basic skills that could help all physicians. The learning goals set are techniques considered basic in ophthalmology that can be mastered without requiring any physician to operate major equipment.
Methods: The design and results from four semesters of an ophthalmological objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) following students engaged in peer-teaching, as well as feedback from a student questionnaire are described.
Results: Practical skills can successfully be taught and mastered within 1 week and 68-100 % of all students achieved the maximum scores in the individual tests. The OSCE and peer- eaching were well received by the students.
Conclusions: Practical skills and peer teaching fulfill student educational goals in ophthalmology and are well accepted by undergraduates.