Basic and Clinical Science Course (BCSC) Reading Schedule

There's a lot of material to read in preparation for the OKAP, Written Qualifying Exam, and Oral Board Exam.  It's probably even more daunting as a first-year resident, when everything is completely new and unfamiliar.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has put together a reading schedule that lets you read through every single Basic and Clinical Science Course book (all except for Section 1, Update on General Medicine), starting from July 1 until the end of February.  It's broken up so that you average approximately 20 pages per night, which makes it slightly less painful.  The reading schedule is also arranged so that the higher-yield sections are presented first, to help first-year residents learn the key subjects first.  I think it's a great resource for people who are interested in reading through the BCSC material in less than 1 year.  With this schedule, it is very conceivable for an ophthalmology resident to read through the entire BCSC material 3 times in the course of residency (once per year).

When I was in residency, my fellow residents and I followed a similar reading schedule, with goals set at about 120 pages/week, taking a break for Thanksgiving.  We also decided not to go through Section 1 (Update on General Medicine) and Section 3 (Clinical Optics), instead using Last Minute Optics, by Drs. David Hunter and Constance West.

Since then, due to the many revisions of the BCSC and changes to my personal philosophies of studying, I've made some modifications to the previous reading schedule to ensure that all topics are still covered but the material is not as disjointed as it otherwise might be jumping from book to book with many areas of overlap. It doesn't completely mesh, but it should hopefully get pretty close. You can download a PDF version of the schedule on the Products page.

*This schedule is based on the 2020-2021 edition of the BCSC.


Week
 

Book(s) (Pages)

Total Pages

Pages Per Week

Topics
 


1

Section 2, Fundamental and Principles of Ophthalmology, Chapters 1-3 (5-140)

136

19

Anatomy, cranial nerves


2

Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology, Chapters 14-16 (335-450)

116

17

Free radicals;
ocular pharmacology


3

 



 

Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology, Chapters 7-8 (247-268)

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapters 5-6 (55-96)

Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters 1-2 (3-43)

114

 



 

16

 



 

Physiology of tear film and cornea

Pathology of conjunctiva and cornea

Structure and function, examination techniques 


4

 




 

Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters 3-6 (45-132)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 20 (237-252)

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapters 8 and 12 (129-135, 213-236)

135

 




 




 

19

 




 




 

Ocular surface disease, congenital anomalies, depositions and degenerations

Pediatric cornea and anterior segment abnormalities

Pathology of sclera and uveal tract

 


5

Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters 7-9 (133-242)

134

19
 

Corneal dystrophies, ectasias, systemic disorders with corneal/anterior segment manifestations, infection basics, viral infections


6

 



Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters 10-12 (243-350)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 21 (253-276)

132

19

Microbial/parasitic infections, inflammatory diseases, neoplasms

External diseases of the eye


7

 



 

Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters 13-15 (351-454)

Section 13, Refractive Surgery, Chapters 3-4, 7 (49-72, 127-136)

138

 



 

20

 



 

Corneal therapeutics, anterior segment trauma/toxic injury, corneal transplantation

Corneal refractive surgery and collagen crosslinking
 


8



 

Section 13, Refractive Surgery, Chapters 5-6, 8-12 (73-126, 137-208)

 

126



 

18



 

Photoablation, treatments for presbyopia, systemic considerations and post-surgical considerations, emerging technologies


9
 



 



 

Section 10, Glaucoma, Chapters 1-8 (3-151)

Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology, Chapter 9 (269-280)

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapter 7 (177-128)

173
 



 



 

25
 



 



 

Introduction to glaucoma, aqueous physiology, evaluation, open-angle glaucoma

Physiology of aqueous production

Pathology of anterior chamber and trabecular meshwork


10
 




 

Section 10, Glaucoma, Chapters 9-11 (153-286)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 22 (277-292)

150
 




 

21
 




 

Angle-closure glaucoma, pediatric glaucoma, medical and surgical treatment of glaucoma

Pediatric glaucoma
 


11
 



 



 

Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 1-3 (7-58)

Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology, Chapters 11-13 (293-333)

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapter 11 (163-211)

135
 



 



 

19
 



 



 

Retinal anatomy, diagnostic testing of the retina, electrophysiology

Physiology of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium

Pathology of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium
 


12

 




 

Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 4-8 (61-188)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 25 (325-335, 347-348, 358-360)

144

 




 

20

 




 

Choroidal neovascularization, retinal vascular disease, retinopathy of prematurity




 


13

 



 

Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 9-11 (189-248)

Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis, Chapters 9 (153-218)

126

 



 

17

 



 

Choroidal disease, retinal inflammations

Noninfectious posterior uveitis and panuveitis


14
 

Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis, Chapters 7-8, 10-13 (115-152, 219-311)

131

19

Scleritis, anterior and intermediate uveitis, infectious uveitis, endophthalmitis, masquerade syndromes
 


15

 



 




 

Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis, Chapter 5-6 (67-114)

Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 12-15 (249-306)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 24-25 (311-323, 335-347)

132

 



 




 

19

 



 




 

Clinical approach to uveitis

Congenital and stationary retinal disease, retinal and choroidal dystrophies, retinal degenerations, toxicities

Pediatric uveitis, pediatric retinal disease 


16

 



 

Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 16-20 (307-404)

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapter 10 (149-162)

Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis, Chapters 14-15 (313-334)

133

 



 

19

 



 

Retinal detachment, vitreous disease, trauma, lasers, injections, and surgery

Pathology of vitreous

Complications of uveitis, ocular involvement in AIDS


17

 

Section 5, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Chapters 1-3 (5-98)

94

 

13

 

Neuroanatomy, imaging, clinical evaluation of vision loss


18

 




 



 

Section 5, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Chapters 4-6 (99-181)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 26 (361-374)

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapter 15 (285-297)

107

 




 



 

15

 




 



 

Approach to vision loss, transient visual loss, illusions and hallucinations

Pediatric optic disc anomalies

Pathology of optic nerve




 


19

 




 

Section 5, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Chapters 10-14 (253-358)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapters 20 (267-268)

108

 




 

16

 




 

Pupil, eyelid/face, head/eye/facial pain, nonorganic disorders, systemic diseases

Pediatric pupil abnormalities

 


20

 



Section 5, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Chapters 7-9 (183-251)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 13, 28 (147-157, 385-416)

112

 




 

16

 




 

Diplopia, nystagmus

Childhood nystagmus, pediatric systemic diseases


 


21




 

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapters 7-12, 14 (63-146, 159-176)

 

102




 

15




 

Diagnostic evaluation of strabismus, eso- and exo-deviations, pattern deviations, vertical deviations, special forms of strabismus, strabismus surgery, botulinum


22

 



 

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapters 1-6, 15-16, 27 (3-62, 179-190, 375-384)

 Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology, Chapter 4 (143-168)

108

 



 

16

 



 

Pediatric exam, strabismus terminology, amblyopia, sensory and motor physiology

Growth and development of eye, decreased vision, ocular trauma in childhood

Embryology


23

 




 

Section 7, Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery, Chapters 1-5 (5-108)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 18 (203-226)

128

 




 

18

 




 

Orbital anatomy, evaluation of orbital disorders, congenital anomalies, inflammations, infections, neoplasms, malformations

Pediatric orbital disorders
 


24

 




 



 

Section 7, Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery, Chapters 6-10 (109-212)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 17 (191-202)

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapter 14 (261-284)

134

 




 



 

19

 




 



 

Orbital trauma, orbital surgery, anophthalmia, facial/eyelid anatomy, lid disorders

Pediatric eyelid disorders

Pathology of orbit



 


25

 




 



 

Section 7, Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery, Chapters 11-15 (213-318)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 19 (227-236)

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapter 13 (237-260)

136

 




 



 

20

 




 



 

Eyelid malpositions/involutional changes, lacrimal system

Pediatric lacrimal system disorders

Pathology of eyelids



 


26


 


 



 




 

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapters 1-4, 9 (5-54, 137-147)

Section 11, Lens and Cataract, Chapters 1-5 (5-78)

Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology, Chapter 10 (281-291)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 23 (293-310)

154


 


 



 




 

22


 


 



 




 

Pathology basics, wound healing, stains, special testing, pathology of lens

Lens basics

Physiology of lens

Pediatric cataracts and lens abnormalities





 


27
 

Section 11, Lens and Cataract, Chapters 6-9 (69-242)

125
 

18
 

Cataract surgery
 


28

 


 

Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis, Chapters 1-4 (1-66)

Section 13, Refractive Surgery, Chapters 1-2 (7-48)

108

 


 

16

 


 

Basics of immunology

Basics of refractive surgery


 


29


 




 

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors, Chapters 16-20 (301-388)

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Chapter 25 (349-360)

Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology, Chapters 5-6 (173-241)

145


 




 

21


 




 

Intraocular tumors

Pediatric retinal tumors

Genetics


30
 

Section 3, Clinical Optics, Chapters 1-3 (3-145)

143
 

21
 

Geometric optics, optics of human eye


31


 

Section 3, Clinical Optics, Chapters 4-9 (147-329)

 

183


 

26


 

Contact lenses, intraocular lenses, keratorefractive surgery, instruments, low vision, geometric optics