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Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship
Overview
The Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship will run from 9 July 2007 through 8 July 2009, and has one open position per two-year period. The fellow can expect to perform 300-400 retinal surgeries, 50-100 gas pneumoretinopexies, 750-1000 retinal lasers, 200-300 intravitreal injections as well as photodynamic therapy treatment during his or her training.
The current fellowship schedule consists of four half days of operating room time with Drs. Maguire, Deglin, Greene and Will; five half days of private retina clinic with Drs. Maguire, Brucker, Fine, Dunaief and Will; and one half day of VA retina clinic.
Half-day participation in uveitis clinic with Dr. Kempen is available, as well as participating in ROP rounds and treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with Drs. Anninger and Quinn.
The fellow leads biweekly Wednesday morning Scheie Retina Service Conferences and attends weekly Grand Rounds on Thursday mornings.
Patients are seen at Scheie, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Education
This is a two-year comprehensive training program, which provides the highest possible level of clinical education regarding the diagnosis and management of surgical and medical diseases involving the retina and vitreous. During the fellowship, fellows will work closely with the faculty in the clinics and operating room, and learn to provide the most up-to-date care utilizing the most recent results of clinical trials.
Clinical Experience
The Scheie retina clinic boasts of a four-photographer staffed ophthalmic imaging suite that is equipped for standard IVFA, ICG, Autofluorescence, OCT and anterior segment / slit lamp photography. There is also a dedicated ultrasound / biometry suite staffed by a full-time, professional and certified ultrasonographer. All retina exam lanes and laser suites are equipped with a networked OIS fundus digital imaging system. The laser suite is equipped with a Coherent (now Luminis) "argon", an Iridex 810nm, and single frequency YAG. Also available from the onsite OR is a 523nm Iridex laser.
Surgical Experience
The fellow will start in the operating room on day one (9 July), and will be provided increasing surgical responsibility over both years of training. The fellow can take an active role in new technologies trial and purchasing. In the operating room, extensive experience is gained in scleral buckling and vitrectomy techniques (including bimanual techniques for membrane dissection, use of wide-field viewing systems, 23-gauge vitrectomy, etc.), and the management of ocular trauma and retinopathy of prematurity, as well as other pediatric vitrectomy techniques.
Academics
Participation in regular departmental teaching conferences is expected. The fellow leads the monthly Retina Journal Club and weekly IVFA conferences. There are also opportunities to teach residents and medical students as the schedule allows. Fellows will have access to the Ophthalmology and UPENN libraries, and will have a computer available in your office. The fellow should expect to attend one national conference (AAO, ASRS, Macula Society, etc) per year and is encouraged to present (poster or platform speaker)
Research
Clinical or translational research projects are undertaken with guidance from our vitreoretinal, medical retina and uveitis faculty members. Fellows are expected to complete one or more research projects. In addition, the fellow will participate in our current clinical trials (SAILOR, MUST, SCORE, DRCR, CAPT, etc). Fellows are encouraged to present their research at meetings. In addition, it is expected that fellows will publish one or more papers during their fellowship training. The fellow has extensive research resources available, including Center for Preventive Ophthalmology and Biostatistics with Dr Maureen Maguire; the FM Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology with Drs. Jean Bennett, Eric Pierce, Josh Dunaief, Ed Pugh, and Dwight Stambolian; and the Center for Hereditary Retinal Degenerative Diseases with Dr. Samuel Jacobson.
Salary & Benefits
This fellowship is funded by the University of Pennsylvania, which provides salary support, medical malpractice insurance, health benefits, parking, vacation time of 20 days per year, and up to 10 days of continuing medical education time. All fellows carry an academic appointment through the University of Pennsylvania as Clinical Instructor. First and second year fellows will be paid at the PGY-5 and PGY-6 levels, respectively, as established by the office of Graduate Medical Education. (For the 2006-2007 academic year, $50,836 (PGY-5) and $52,437 (PGY-6) were the established salaries.)
Licensure
Fellows MUST have an active, unrestricted Pennsylvania state medical license (MD, not MT) prior to joining the fellowship program.
Period of Training
Fellowship Training will begin on July 9 and continue for 24 months, through July 8 of the second year.
Evaluation Process
The Vitreoretinal faculty will evaluate the fellows' progress every three months during the two-year program. Assessments will be made of the fellows’ clinical, consultative, procedural, and behavioral skills in dealing with patients and working with others. Formal feedback to the fellows will be done at least every twelve months in a formal session with the Program Director.
Faculty
Fellows will be trained by the Vitreoretinal Faculty. Our faculty include:
- Alexander J. Brucker, MD
- Edward A. Deglin, MD
- Joshua Dunaief, MD, PhD
- Stuart L. Fine, MD
- Joshua Greene, MD
- John Kempen, MD, PhD
- Albert M. Maguire, MD
- Daniel V. Will, MD
Application Process (deadline: September 1, 2008, for position starting 2009)
Applicants for Glaucoma and Retina Fellowships should apply to the SFMatch and complete the CAS Fellowship application.
