Medical Retina Fellowship

Overview

Objectives

Clinically, the fellow will be able to demonstrate competency in the evaluation and management of diseases of the retina, vitreous, and choroid. They will gain experience with the following techniques:

• Comprehensive examination of the retina, vitreous and choroid
• Fluorescein angiography
• ICG angiography
• Ultrasonography
• Optical coherence tomography
• Autofluorescence
• Electroretinography

Additionally, the fellow will be able to demonstrate competency in laser treatment of retinal and choroidal diseases. They will be exposed to evaluation and management of retinal conditions including vascular, infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic, degenerative and hereditary disorders.

As a researcher, the fellow will be able to critically review clinical and research articles and successfully carry out a significant research project that can be presented at national or international meetings and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Curriculum

• Participate in Retina Service clinics, minor procedures and laser treatments.
• Participate in the Retina/Macula Conference, Tutorials in the Retina Service, Grand Rounds, and the Fellows’ Course.
• Conduct research under supervision of Retina Service preceptors.
• Supervise and teach residents and medical students in the Retina Service and Emergency Department.
• Attend and present at meetings, such as the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Atlantic Coast Retina Meeting, the Retina Society, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).

Additional Activities

Fellows play an integral role in the education of residents. They serve as attending staff to the residents in the Emergency Department one half-day per week.

Although fellows will not be responsible for giving didactic lectures to the residents, they will be involved in helping organize retina cases. In addition, the fellows will be responsible for presenting cases at Grand Rounds, Boston-wide medical retina/imaging conferences, and the Fellows’ Course at Mass Eye and Ear.

Fellows are also expected to work under the mentorship of faculty to write a review paper that will be published in an ophthalmic journal.

Research Experience

Research opportunities are currently available in many areas. The Retina Service faculty members are involved in a wide variety of projects encompassing the full spectrum of investigation from clinical trials and epidemiology to basic science bench research.

Fellows who have strong academic inclinations should be aware that Mass. Eye and Ear holds an NIH career development grant allowing the institution to extend a K12 Awardto a fellowship-trained ophthalmologist. While competition for this award is typically fierce, Mass Eye and Ear fellows who demonstrate strong research potential will be given careful consideration for this award. K12 awards give a graduating fellow junior faculty status with 80% protected time for research.

Requirements

Eligibility

All applicants must:

• Be board eligible in ophthalmology
• Have completed an ACGME-accredited ophthalmology residency program or equivalent
• Passed parts I, II, and III of USMLE
• Have full medical license

How to Apply

Program length: 1 year (beginning in July)

Number of fellows accepted each year: 1

The Medical Retina Fellowship participates in the San Francisco Match Program: #4845.

Applications must include an updated CV and three letters of recommendation. At least one letter should be from a retina specialist in your residency program. Do not send more than three letters unless the fourth letter is from a research preceptor. Only completed applications will be considered for an interview in October or November

Questions:

Call Liz Portante at (617) 573-6120

Fellowship and Faculty Contacts

Fellowship Director: Deeba Husain, MD

Additional faculty:

• Grayson W. Armstrong, MD, MPH
• Jason Comander, MD, PhD
• Mohammad Dahrouj, MD, PhD
• Jose Davila, MD
• Dean Eliott, MD
• Michalis Georgiou, MD, PhD
• Dan A. Gong, MD
• Ivana Kim, MD
• Leo Kim, MD, PhD
• Ines Lains, MD, PhD
• K. Matthew McKay, MD
• Joan W. Miller, MD
• John B. Miller, MD
• Shizuo Mukai, MD
• Nimesh Patel, MD
• Elizabeth J. Rossin, MD, PhD
• Lucia Sobrin, MD, MPH
• Demetrios Vavvas, MD, PhD
• David M. Wu, MD, PhD
• Frances Wu, MD
• Lucy H. Y. Young, MD, PhD