Ophthalmology Fellowship Programs
Thank you for your interest in our Ophthalmology Fellowship Programs.
We offer outpatient, inpatient, surgical training and research experiences in several sub-specialties.
The University of Colorado is an attractive choice because of our leading faculty, diverse pathology, high surgical volume, and cutting-edge research programs.
This 12-month fellowship is based at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) with activities at The Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC), Denver Health Medical Center (DHMC), Children's Hospital Colorado (CHC) and outlying private clinics. The fellow will rotate through the corneal service of each of the major affiliated hospitals. Primary supervision of the corneal fellow is by Doctors Michael Taravella and Richard Davidson; other attending physicians from other ophthalmology specialties may be involved. Doctors Taravella and Davidson are members of the full-time faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
The primary purpose of the fellowship will be to gain educational
experience in the area of corneal transplantation and laser vision
correction. The goals of training will be to develop the appropriate
clinical judgment in patient selection for corneal transplantation and
refractive surgery as well as obtaining the surgical skills to perform
these procedures effectively. An additional goal will be to obtain
expertise in the area of cornea and external disease and management of
common disorders relating to this specialty. Therefore, there is a
cognitive as well as a technical skill level of expertise to be attained
during this year of training.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FELLOW
CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES: The corneal fellow will rotate to UCH, DHMC, Children’s Hospital of Colorado, the U.S. Air Force base, and the VAMC. The corneal fellow will be expected to perform the majority of transplants at the VAMC and DHMC. In addition, he/she will be expected to assist Drs. Taravella and Davidson in performing corneal transplantation at UCH. The fellow will be expected to staff corneal clinics for each of these hospitals and supervise residents both in clinical care and cataract surgery. It is anticipated that the fellow will perform between 80 to 90 corneal transplants during the year of which 40 to 50 will be PKP and 40 to 50 will be partial thickness DMEK/DSAEK/DALK and will be exposed to a full range of corneal pathology during the training. The fellow will perform all corneal transplants under direct faculty supervision. During rotations at the above hospitals, the fellow will have the opportunity to recruit and perform laser vision correction under the direct supervision of Dr. Taravella as well as perform refractive surgery at the U.S. Air Force base. The number of procedures that the fellow will perform is anticipated to be between 100 and 140 including LASIK/PRK/SMILE and ICL surgery. The fellow will be responsible for all pre- and post-operative care of his/her refractive patients with Drs. Taravella, Davidson, or other appropriate faculty available for consultation and supervision. It is anticipated that the fellow's abilities will progress and improve with experience. The fellow will complete approximately 250 cataract surgeries including femtosecond assisted cataract surgery. Overall, the fellow will have the opportunity to certify in LASIK, PRK, SMILE, ICL, and femtosecond cataract surgery.
Core skills that the fellow is anticipated to learn include:
Pre-procedure evaluation of corneal transplant and refractive surgery patients
Performance of corneal transplantation and laser vision correction
Post-procedure care for these procedures
Supervision and teaching residents while performing cataract surgery
Management of routine and complex cornea external disease problems (see below)
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: The cornea fellow
will attend all educational conferences offered by the Department of
Ophthalmology including, but not limited to: Grand Rounds, Case
Conferences, Department sponsored symposia, and Basic and Clinical
Science Course lectures. It is anticipated that the cornea fellow will
teach portions of the cornea/external disease Basic Science Course. The
fellow will attend all journal clubs featuring cornea, external disease
or refractive surgery articles.
Educational Goals
The program will include teaching in at least the following subject areas:
1. Viral infections such as:
a. herpes keratitis
b. herpes zoster keratitis
c. adenovirus
2. Bacterial infections:
a. corneal ulcers
b. acute and Chronic Conjunctivitis
3. Unusual infections such as:
a. fungal keratitis
b. chlamydial infections
c. acanthamoeba keratitis
4. Immune-mediated disease such as:
a. ocular cicatricail pemphiyoid
b. allergic conjunctivitis
c. vernal conjunctivitis
d. corneal transplant rejection
e. Steven-Johnson syndrome
f. corneal complications of collagen-vascular disease
g. Cogan syndrome
h. interstitial keratitis
i. scleritis / episcleritis`
5. Dermatological problems:
a. rosacea
b. Steven-Johnson syndrome
6. Unusual problems such as:
a. Thygeson's punctate keratitis
b. Mooren's ulcer
7. Congenital anomalies of the anterior segment
8. Expertise in the following procedures:
a. pterygium with conjunctival autograft (supervised)
b. corneal biopsy (supervised)
c. surgical treatment of conjunctival tumors
d. lamellar keratopathy (supervised)
e. lid biopsy for suspected tumors
RESEARCH RESPONSIBILITIES: It
is anticipated that the cornea fellow will complete a project of
publishable quality relating to either clinical or basic aspects of
cornea, external disease or refractive surgery during the 12-month
training period. Presentation at the Annual Resident, Fellow and Alumni
Research Day is required.
FUNDING: The
fellowship is funded and health insurance is included. An academic
appointment is provided at the "Instructor" level. An educational
allowance is provided for books and travel. Funding is provided for
travel of a fellow presenting a paper at the American Society of
Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.
FELLOW EVALUATION: The
overall responsibility for evaluating the fellow will reside with
Doctors Davidson and Taravella although all faculty members will have
the opportunity to comment on the fellow's performance during his/her
one-year training period. Cognitive and procedural competence will be
assessed in an ongoing fashion by all faculty members involved in he
fellows training. Both written and verbal feedback will be provided on a
quarterly basis.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES: To be considered for our fellowship programs, applicants must be able to be fully licensed in the state of Colorado by the start of the fellowship. The website from the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners has detailed information about licensing requirements for the state of Colorado. Successful completion of all three steps of the USMLE by the application deadline is required. If accepted, candidates must also pass a criminal background investigation (criteria specified in University background investigation policies).
The specific requirements for international medical graduates include, but are not limited to, graduation from a medical school approved by the Colorado Medical Board, 36 months of clinically-based postgraduate training in the United States or Canada, and one of the following: FLEX Exam (must also have passed the ECFMG exam), state written exam, or USMLE.
The CU School of Medicine recognizes that fellows enrolled in its programs are trainees, not employees. As such, all applicants also must be able to meet conditions of the institutional training agreement. Specifically, fellows in our program must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess the appropriate documentation to allow the resident to legally train at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine.
If, after reviewing these websites and requirements, you feel you qualify for our fellowship, please submit an application through the San Francisco Matching Program. We ask that you also submit a copy of your USMLE score report and a brief CV via email to ophthalmology.residency@ucdenver.edu by the application deadline.
Our application deadline is September 1 for a July 1 fellowship start date.
For more information, please contact the Fellowship Coordinator.
The University of Colorado Clinical Glaucoma Fellowship is a 12-month, AUPO compliant program designed to provide advanced training in the diagnosis and management (medical and surgical) of the various types of glaucoma in adults and children. This fellowship is available to graduates of an ACGME-accredited ophthalmology residency program who are eligible for licensure to practice medicine in the state of Colorado by the start of fellowship in July of each academic year.
The principal goal of the fellowship is to prepare trainees to become outstanding glaucoma specialists and anterior segment surgeons in either an academic or community setting. Graduates will gain the ability to not only assess and diagnose the various glaucomatous diseases, but to develop appropriate and effective medical and surgical treatment plans as well.
The fellowship is designed to be primarily clinical with a strong emphasis on surgical training, both in traditional glaucoma surgery as well as several new micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) techniques and devices. The fellow will also perform a large number of routine and complex cataract surgeries, with use of monofocal, toric and multifocal intraocular lenses as well as femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery (FLACS). As primary surgeon, fellows can expect to perform between 150-300 cataract procedures, over 100 glaucoma filtering surgeries (trabeculectomy/EX-PRESS/tubes), and 100-150 MIGS procedures. In addition, fellows will perform numerous clinic-based procedures and various glaucoma laser treatments. Most importantly, trainees will receive extensive training in the preoperative decision making and planning process as well as the post-operative management in routine and complicated surgical cases.
The fellowship is based at the University of Colorado Health Eye Center at Anschutz Medical Campus. Primary supervision of the glaucoma fellow is by Doctors Cara Capitena Young, Monica Ertel, Malik Kahook, Mina Pantcheva, Leonard Seibold, and Jeffrey SooHoo, who are all members of the faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. The fellow will also briefly rotate through the glaucoma service at Denver Health Medical Center, the Denver Veterans Affairs Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado (CHC), our three major affiliate hospitals.
All institutions offer excellent clinical and surgical facilities during the fellowship. The fellow will have full access to all the facilities of the UCHealth Eye Center. This will include access to the Denison Library Web Site, access to major medical journals online, as well as access to a library of ophthalmic reference materials ranging from textbooks to atlases.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FELLOW
Clinical Responsibilities: The glaucoma fellow will participate in tertiary care clinics with Drs. Kahook, Pantcheva, Seibold, SooHoo, and Capitena Young at the UCHealth Eye Center. In addition, the fellow will be responsible for staffing his/her own glaucoma clinics on a weekly basis at the UCHealth Eye Center. In the clinic, the fellow will routinely use one of several diagnostic imaging technologies available and become fluent in the indications for use and interpretation of each modality. A list of currently available entities includes:
⦁ Humphrey and Goldman Visual Fields
⦁ Spectral-Domain OCT
⦁ B-scan ultrasonography
⦁ Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM)
⦁ Other experimental/novel devices
A large number of laser procedures will be routinely performed including:
⦁ Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI)
⦁ Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)
⦁ Laser suture lysis
⦁ Laser bleb revision
The fellow will be active in the surgical care of patients and will act as primary surgeon on numerous traditional and novel surgical procedures including:
⦁ Trabeculectomy
⦁ Glaucoma drainage devices (Ahmed, Baerveldt, Clearpath)
⦁ Ex-PRESS filtration device
⦁ Endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ECP)
⦁ Trans-scleral Cyclophotocoagulation (mpCPC and CPC)
⦁ Pediatric Goniotomy and Trabeculotomy
⦁ iStent trabecular bypass device
⦁ Clear corneal phacoemulsification (including complex, traumatic, pediatric and pseudoexfoliation cataracts)
⦁ LenSx Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery
⦁ Kahook Dual Blade
⦁ XEN gel stent
⦁ Hydrus microstent
⦁ Gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT)
⦁ Novel technology to assist with phacoemulsification (Zepto, MiLoop)
⦁ Other novel minimally invasive glaucoma surgical techniques
The bulk of pediatric glaucoma patients will be seen on Dr. Seibold and SooHoo’s service with surgeries performed at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Due to frequent ocular comorbities, these complex pediatric cases will often be treated in concert with the pediatric, cornea, and retina services to provide the most appropriate and comprehensive treatment plan. Pediatric glaucoma patients may also be seen as necessary at the CHC eye clinic.
Call: At-home general ophthalmology call will be split between department faculty and fellows. The glaucoma fellow can expect to take approximately 5 weeks of call per academic year, serving as the attending for residents on call.
RESEARCH RESPONSIBILITIES: The glaucoma fellow is expected to complete one or more research projects during their training. They will also participate in ongoing clinical trials involving medical therapies, surgical interventions, glaucoma imaging, and others. The fellow is encouraged to present their research at academic meetings such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), and American Glaucoma Society (AGS), as well as other subspecialty glaucoma meetings. Presentation at the University of Colorado Annual Resident, Fellow, and Alumni Research Day in July is required. It is anticipated that the fellow will publish one or more papers during his/her fellowship.
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: The glaucoma fellow will attend all educational conferences offered by the Department of Ophthalmology including but not limited to:
⦁ Grand Rounds
⦁ Clinical Case Conferences
⦁ Glaucoma Clinical Conferences
⦁ Department sponsored symposia
⦁ Basic and Clinical Science Course lectures
⦁ Glaucoma-related journal clubs
It is anticipated that the glaucoma fellow will teach portions of the Glaucoma Basic Science Course. The fellow will attend all journal clubs featuring glaucoma diseases. The fellow will be required to prepare and present at teaching conferences and participate in the teaching of residents and medical students.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE (pre and post COVID): An optional 1-week rotation may be completed in Lausanne, Switzerland where the fellow will participate in glaucoma subspecialty clinics and observe surgery under the direction of Dr. Kaweh Mansouri. Additional global ophthalmology outreach opportunities may be available for fellows seeking a broader international experience.
FUNDING: The fellowship is funded by the Department of Ophthalmology and includes a very competitive salary with health care benefits. An academic appointment is provided at the "Instructor/Fellow" level in the School of Medicine. Funding is provided for the fellow to travel each year to present a paper or poster at the AAO, AGS, or other national meeting.
FELLOW EVALUATION: The overall responsibility for evaluating the fellow will reside with the full-time glaucoma faculty. All faculty members involved in the fellows' training will assess cognitive and procedural competence in an ongoing fashion. Both written and verbal feedback will be provided on a quarterly basis. The fellow will maintain a surgical log, as well as a log of research activity and conferences/lectures given or attended.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES: To be considered for our fellowship programs, applicants must be able to be fully licensed in the state of Colorado by the start of the fellowship. The website from the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners has detailed information about licensing requirements for the state of Colorado. Successful completion of all three steps of the USMLE by the application deadline is required. If accepted, candidates must also pass a criminal background investigation (criteria specified in University background investigation policies).
The specific requirements for international medical graduates include, but are not limited to, graduation from a medical school approved by the Colorado Medical Board, 36 months of clinically-based postgraduate training in the United States or Canada, and one of the following: FLEX Exam (must also have passed the ECFMG exam), state written exam, or USMLE.
The CU School of Medicine recognizes that fellows enrolled in its programs are trainees, not employees. As such, all applicants also must be able to meet conditions of the institutional training agreement. Specifically, fellows in our program must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess the appropriate documentation to allow the resident to legally train at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
If, after reviewing these websites and requirements, you feel you qualify for our fellowship, please submit an application through the San Francisco Matching Program. We ask that you also submit the following supplemental materials via email to ophthalmology.residency@ucdenver.edu by the application deadline: Complete CV and a copy of your USMLE scores.
For more information, please contact the Fellowship Coordinator.
Program Directors: Leonard Seibold, MD & Malik Kahook, MD
University of Colorado School of Medicine Faculty: Cara Capitena Young, MD, Monica Ertel, MD, PhD, Malik Kahook, MD, Mina Pantcheva, MD, Leonard Seibold, MD, and Jeffrey SooHoo, MD, MBA.
Program Director: Victoria Pelak, M.D.
The University of Colorado offers a one-year AUPO FCC compliant Neuro-Ophthalmology fellowship for qualified physicians who have completed residency training in neurology or ophthalmology.
The fellowship is jointly offered by the Department of Neurology and Department of Ophthalmology. Core program faculty include: Prem Subramanian, MD, PhD (Ophthalmology Chief); Victoria Pelak, MD (fellowship director); and Jeffrey Bennett, MD, PhD. Fellows in the Neuro-Ophthalmology fellowship will be appointed as clinical instructors in Neurology and Ophthalmology. Clinical activity takes place in the UCHealth Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center on the Anschutz Medical Campus, which is headquartered in the 135,000-square-foot Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute building. A graduate of the Neuro-ophthlamology Fellowship program will be exceptionally well-prepared to diagnose and mange all aspects of neuro-ophthlamic conditions. The presence of ophthalmology-trained and neurology-trained core faculty allows fellows the opportunity to pursue their specific interests.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants for this fellowship program must:
- Be eligible for full University of Colorado Hospital credentialing.
- Meet *requirements to obtain a Colorado medical license prior to the start of the fellowship.
- Complete a residency in neurology or ophthalmology prior to the start of fellowship.
- Be board-certified or board-eligible in neurology and/or ophthalmology.
Application Information
Applications for the Neuro-Ophthalmology program will begin to be received through the San Francisco Match beginning in July 2023 for the 2024-2025 fellowship year.
Fellowship Application Status
2022-2023 – Fellowship position filled
2023-2024 – Fellowship position filled
2024-2025 – Fellowship position open – through the San Francisco Match (more details to follow)
To apply for 2024-2025 fellowship, applications will go through the San Francisco Match
Starting approximately 7/1/23 (for 2024 fellowship start date), registration and application for neuro-ophthalmology fellowship will begin through the ophthalmology fellowship match (subspecialty neuro-ophthalmology) on the San Francisco Match website.
For application information or for other questions please contact:
Fellowship Coordinator
Department of Neurology University of Colorado School of Medicine 12700 E. 19th Ave., Mail Stop B182 Aurora, CO 80045 Office: (303) 724-5899 Fax: (303) 724-4764
This 24-month American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) fellowship is based at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) with activities at The Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC), Denver Health Medical Center (DHMC), Children's Hospital Colorado (CHC) and outlying preceptor practices.
Primary preceptor is Eric Hink, MD; Associate preceptors are Sophie Liao, MD, Robert Fante, MD, Michael Hawes, MD, FACS, Michael McCracken, MD, and Brian Willoughby, MD.
The objectives and goals of the ASOPRS fellowship at the University of Colorado School of Medicine are to train a professional, ethical, and outstanding academic oculoplastic and orbital surgeon. During the course of the fellowship, the fellow is expected to gain comprehensive experience in both medical and surgical aspects of functional and cosmetic oculofacial plastic surgery. Additionally, training will include ample opportunity for research and education. The ASOPRS fellowship will also provide the fellow the opportunity to participate in patient care in the fields of otolaryngology, general plastic and reconstructive surgery, neuro-ophthalmology, MOHS dermatologic surgery, cosmetic dermatology, neurosurgery, head and neck surgery, and ophthalmic pathology.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FELLOW
Clinical Responsibilities: Core skills that the fellow is anticipated to learn include:
- Diagnosis and treatment of adult orbital diseases and tumors
- Diagnosis and treatment of pediatric orbital diseases and tumors
- Management of facial and orbital trauma
- Techniques in facial cosmetic surgery
- Multi-disciplinary approach to patients with complex orbital, facial, and neurologic conditions
Educational Responsibilities: The ASOPRS fellow will attend all educational conferences offered by the Department of Ophthalmology including but not limited to: Grand Rounds, Case Conferences, Department sponsored symposia, Journal Club, Mock Oral Boards, and Basic and Clinical Science Course lectures. It is anticipated that the fellow will teach portions of the oculofacial plastic surgery Basic and Clinical Science Course. The fellow will attend all journal clubs featuring oculofacial plastic and orbital surgery articles. The fellow will be required to prepare and present teaching conferences and participate in the teaching of residents and medical students.
Educational Goals:
- The program will include teaching in at least the following subject areas:
- Anatomy and physiology of the orbit, eyelids, lacrimal system, nose, sinuses, and head and neck as it relates to the orbits and adnexa;
- Orbit:
- Eyelid including congenital syndromes, inflammation, trauma, ectropion, entropion, trichiasis, blepharoptosis, eyelid retraction, dermatochalasis, blepharochalasis, eyelid tumors, blepharospasm, facial nerve palsy, eyebrow, midface and lower face function and aesthetics, and histology and pathology of the facial skin including medical and surgical management of these conditions;
- Lacrimal system including congenital tearing, acquired tearing and trauma;
- Ocular surface pathology including cicatricial processes affecting the bulbar and palpebral conjunctiva, management of corneal and conjunctival exposure, and relationship of the lids, mid-face and brow to ocular exposure;
- Regional anatomy including graft donor sites frequently used such as cranial bone, ear, nose, temporal area, mouth and neck, abdomen, buttocks, legs, supraclavicular area and arm.
- Fundamentals of ocular and orbital anatomy, chemistry, physiology, microbiology, immunology, and wound healing;
- Experience in neuroradiology for radiologic interpretation of images (ct, mri, mra, arteriography, ultrasound)
- Ocular pathology to interpret ocular and periocular pathology and dermatopathology
- Documented ten hours of pathology slide review with clinical correlation;
- Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures with comprehensive examination of the eyelids and periorbital region should be documented;
- Examination of the lacrimal system, nasal exam with speculum and endoscope;
- Eyebrow and face examination assessing the eyebrow position for brow ptosis, paralysis, and determining its relation to upper eyelid dermatochalasis, assessing facial paralysis and evaluation of the effects of mid-face cicatricial, paralytic and involutional changes on lower eyelid position. Also assess the face in terms of harmonious aesthetic units and evaluation of the inter-relationships of each;
- Examination and measurement of orbital structures and functions;
- Understanding and interpreting imaging techniques;
- The principles of plain films, ct, mri, and ultrasound imaging relating to the head and neck with particular emphasis on the orbit;
- The type of scan/imaging to order, given the clinical setting and be able to read the film or scan; and,
- Skills in the use of information technology for study of reference material, including electronic searching and retrieval of relevant articles, monographs, and abstracts;
- Diagnosis and management of facial trauma including naso-orbital ethmoid fractures, zygomatico-maxillary complex fractures, frontal sinus fractures, nasal fractures and mandible fracture;
- Repair of soft tissue injuries including those of the nose, lip and ear;
- Evaluation microfat grafting and liposuction;
- Reconstructive and cosmetic rhinoplasty
- Rhytidectomy and necklifting
The fellow will receive experience in the following procedures:
- Enucleation, evisceration, exenteration, secondary implants of the orbit
- Orbitotomy for exploration, biopsy, and tumor removal using anterior, lateral, medial and superior approaches and orbital reconstruction
- Fracture repair of bones involving the periorbital region and orbit
- Eyelid retraction repair
- Blepharoptosis repair
- Ectropion and Entropion Repair
- Blepharoplasty (upper and lower eyelids, functional and aesthetic)
- Eyelid reconstruction (following congenital defects, trauma or tumor excision)
- Repair of trichiasis (cryoablation, lid split and excision, mucous membrane graft)
- Conjunctivoplasty
- Trauma and laceration repairs
- Tissue transfer, grafts and flaps
- Dacryocystorhinostomy and other lacrimal procedures
- Excision of tumors involving the periorbital and adjacent regions-benign and malignant
- Facial flaps including temporal, midface, lower face/neck for functional and aesthetic conditions related to the management of periorbital processes. Rhytidectomy including the periobital and adjacent areas
- Management of upper face and brow conditions including brow ptosis Repair
- Turbinectomy and nasal surgery as related to the management of lacrimal and periorbital processes
- Nasal endoscopy as related to the management of lacrimal and periorbital processes
- Sinus surgery and endoscopy as related to periorbital and lacrimal processes
- Use of neuromodulators (botulinum toxin), dermal fillers, other technologies (eg. laser) and chemical/pharmaceutical agents for the management of contour and skin quality abnormalities (functional and aesthetic)
- Mandible fracture repair including open and closed reduction and removal of teeth as it pertains to mandible fractures and subsequent physiotherapy
- Microfat grafting and liposuction
- Frontal sinus fracture repair
- Cosmetic and reconstructive rhinoplasty
- Otoplasty
- Evaluation and management of facial hypoplasia and its correction with augmentation / implants
- Evaluation and management of complex maxillary fracture, e.g. Le Fort I/II/III
Research Responsibilities: It is anticipated that the ASOPRS fellow will complete a project of publishable quality relating to either clinical or basic science aspects of oculofacial plastic and orbital surgery during the 24-month training period. Presentation at the Annual Resident, Fellow and Alumni Research Day is required.
Funding: The ASOPRS fellowship is funded: salary, health benefits, and malpractice insurance are provided. An academic appointment is provided at the "Instructor" level. An educational allowance is provided for books and educational travel. Funding is provided for travel of a fellow presenting a paper at the ASOPRS annual meeting.
Fellow Evaluation: The overall responsibility for evaluating the fellow will reside with Dr. Eric Hink, although all faculty members will have the opportunity to comment on the fellow's performance during his/her two-year training period. Cognitive and procedural competence will be assessed in an ongoing fashion by all faculty members involved in the fellow’s training. Feedback will be provided on a regular basis. The fellow will maintain a surgical log, as well as a log of research activity and conferences/lectures given or attended.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
To be considered for our fellowship programs, applicants must be able to be fully licensed in the state of Colorado by the start of the fellowship in July of even numbered years. The website from the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners has detailed information about licensing requirements for the state of Colorado. Successful completion of all three steps of the USMLE by the application deadline is required. If accepted, candidates must also pass a criminal background investigation (criteria specified in University background investigation policies).
The specific requirements for international medical graduates include, but are not limited to, graduation from a medical school approved by the Colorado Medical Board, 36 months of clinically-based postgraduate training in the United States or Canada, and one of the following: FLEX Exam (must also have passed the ECFMG exam), state written exam, or USMLE.
The CU School of Medicine recognizes that fellows enrolled in its programs are trainees, not employees. As such, all applicants also must be able to meet conditions of the institutional training agreement. Specifically, fellows in our program must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess the appropriate documentation to allow the fellow to legally train at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
If, after reviewing these websites and requirements, you feel you qualify for our fellowship, please submit an application through the San Francisco Matching Program. We ask that you also submit the following supplemental materials via email to ophthalmology.residency@ucdenver.edu by the application deadline: Complete CV, and a copy of your USMLE scores.
For more information, please contact the Fellowship Coordinator.
The University of Colorado Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Fellowship is a 12-month program designed to provide advanced training in the diagnosis and management of medical and surgical ophthalmic conditions of children and adults with strabismus. This fellowship is available to graduates of an ACGME accredited ophthalmology residency program who are eligible for licensure to practice medicine in the state of Colorado by the start of fellowship in July of each academic year.
The fellowship is primarily based at Children’s Hospital Colorado, a top-10 children’s hospital. Additional clinical and surgical experience is also provided at the University of Colorado Hospital, Denver Health Medical Center, and two Children’s Hospital Colorado satellite campuses. Weekly ROP rounds are performed at the main campus of Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado Hospital NICU. Some exposure to tele-ROP is also provided during fellowship. Primary supervision of the Pediatric Fellow is by our Fellowship Director, Emily McCourt, MD, Robert Enzenauer, MD, Rebecca Braverman, MD, Jennifer Jung, MD, Mariam Ahmad, MD, Michael Puente, MD, and Lauren Mehner, MD.
The Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Fellowship provides trainees with the knowledge and surgical skill to care for patients with both common and rare disorders within the realm of the specialty. In addition to exposure in pediatric and adult strabismus, fellows gain experience in complex anterior segment, glaucoma, uveitis, oculoplastics, retinoblastoma, retinal dystrophies, ROP, and pediatric eye trauma. The fellow also has exposure to complex and often rare diseases on the inpatient consult service at Children’s Hospital Colorado. The fellow has a weekly fellow’s clinic, where you will cultivate your decision-making skills with access to one of the staff physicians.
Various subspecialty clinics take place at the hospital and are available to the fellow, including:
- Pediatric Glaucoma: Drs. Monica Ertel and Michael Puente
- Pediatric Oculoplastics: Dr. Eric Hink
- Pediatric Cornea: Drs. Ronald Wise and Emily McCourt
- Pediatric Uveitis and Rheumatology/Uveitis: Dr. Jennifer Jung and Dr. Clara Lin
- Contact Lens Clinic: Pediatric Optometry
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FELLOW
CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES: The Pediatric Fellow is an integral member of the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Division. They work closely with the faculty and residents to provide care for patients in the outpatient clinical setting, inpatient wards, emergency department, and our busy surgical service. The fellow will provide after-hours on-call coverage on a rotating basis with the rest of the Department of Ophthalmology fellows and faculty (approximately 3-4 weeks a year).
The fellow is active in the surgical care of patients and will act as primary surgeon on procedures such as:
- Strabismus surgery on children and adults
- Nasolacrimal duct probing and intubation
- Congenital and pediatric cataract extraction
- Surgery for congenital glaucoma
- Eyelid lesion and dermoid excision
- Examinations under anesthesia
- Corneal cross linking
- ROP laser and injections
FELLOW EDUCATION: The Pediatric Fellow will attend all educational conferences offered by the Department of Ophthalmology including but not limited to:
- Grand Rounds
- Clinical Case Conferences
- Department-Sponsored Symposia
- Pediatric-Related Journal Clubs
FUNDING: The fellowship is funded by the Department of Ophthalmology with health care benefits. The fellow is provided with an educational fund to cover the costs of attending academic meetings, and a book fund to use at the fellow’s discretion. An academic appointment is provided at the “Instructor/Fellow” level in the School of Medicine.
FELLOW EVALUATION: The overall responsibility for evaluating the fellow resides with the faculty. All faculty members involved in the fellow’s training assess cognitive and procedural competence in an ongoing fashion. Both written and verbal feedback are provided on a quarterly basis. The fellow maintains a surgical log, as well as a log of research activity and conferences/lectures given or attended.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES: To be considered for our fellowship programs, applicants must be able to be fully licensed in the state of Colorado by the start of the fellowship. The website from the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners has detailed information about licensing requirements for the state of Colorado. Successful completion of all three steps of the USMLE by the application deadline is required. If accepted, candidates must also pass a criminal background investigation (criteria specified in University background investigation policies).
The specific requirements for international medical graduates include, but are not limited to, graduation from a medical school approved by the Colorado Medical Board, 36 months of clinically-based postgraduate training in the United States or Canada, and one of the following: FLEX EXAM (must also have passed the ECFMG exam), state written exam, or USMLE.
The CU School of Medicine recognizes that fellows enrolled in its programs are trainees, not employees. As such, all applicants also must be able to meet the conditions of the institutional training agreement. Specifically, fellows in our program must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess the appropriate documentation to allow the resident to legally train at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. There is no non-compete or restrictive covenant limiting your geographic options after fellowship.
If, after reviewing these websites and requirements, you feel you qualify for our fellowship, please submit an application through the San Francisco Matching Program. We ask that you also submit the following supplemental materials via email to Lauren McCloskey by the application deadline: Complete CV and copy of USMLE scores. Our application deadline is September 1 for a July 1 fellowship start date.
For more information, please contact the Fellowship Coordinator.
Program Director: Emily McCourt, MD
This two-year fellowship is designed for advanced training in vitreoretinal diseases and surgery following an ophthalmology residency. The training focuses on both medical and surgical retinal diseases in adults and children. This is a fellowship available to graduates of ophthalmology residency programs and is available only to applicants with licensure to practice in the state of Colorado by the start of fellowship.
The two-year fellowship is organized as a comprehensive training period in both medical and surgical retinal disease. Standard best vitreoretinal fellowship programs require two years of rigorous vitreoretinal training in order to meet the high standards set by the academic vitreoretinal community. This two-year fellowship at the University of Colorado will meet or exceed academic expectations because of the breadth and depth of experience that our multiple institutions have to offer. Training takes place at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH), the Denver Health Medical Center (DHMC), the VA Medical Center (VAMC), and Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHC).
Program Directors: Naresh Mandava, MD, and Scott Oliver, MD.
Full-time
University of Colorado School of Medicine Faculty: Naresh Mandava,
MD, Jeffrey Olson, MD, Scott Oliver, MD, Marc Mathias MD, Niranjan Manoharan, MD, and Jesse Smith, MD.
The facilities for clinical care are excellent in all four institutions. The fellow will have access to the ophthalmology library and will have a computer available to him or her at the Eye Institute. Outside of work the fellow will be expected to have access to a computer for research and for the preparation of didactic lectures. The patient populations are diverse in all four institutions UCH, DHMC, VA, CHC making this an exceptional fellowship experience.
The principal goal of the fellowship is to train comprehensive vitreoretinal specialists who are second to none in the field. Graduates will have the ability to diagnose complex vitreoretinal disorders and interpret fluorescein angiograms (standard and ultra-widefield), ultrasonography of the eye, as well as newer retinal imaging modalities including spectral domain optical coherence tomography and Autofluorescence imaging. In addition, the ability to carefully select and perform both traditional as well as cutting edge laser and surgical techniques will be routine for the graduate. Management of ocular oncology as well as uveitic disease of the posterior segment is expected in our clinics. The retina faculty has expertise in all these areas.
First year fellows will have a busy clinical experience involving rotations with the faculty at UCH and DHMC. The fellow will often assist in surgeries generated from the clinics at VAMC, DHMC, UCH, and CHC. For the first 6 months, all operative procedures will be performed with an attending present. Following this 6-month period, the Program Director, with consultation from retina faculty, will decide if the fellow will have full privileges to operate without supervision. From the beginning of the fellowship, the fellow will have the privilege to function as an attending at all 4 institutions in the clinics, to perform office procedures and take emergency call.
The objective of the first year is to develop the skills to diagnose and develop a treatment plan for all retinal conditions. Laser procedures will be mastered in the first year and most surgical procedures can be performed by the end of the first year.
The second year fellow will perform on the attending level at UCH, DHMC, CHC, and VAMC. The second year allows opportunity for the fellow to staff retina clinics and attend surgical cases at all the institutions. Hands-on experience with more complicated cases such as proliferative vitreoretinopathy and combined tractional and rhegmatogenous detachments will be plentiful. The second year fellow will also have the opportunity to operate on patients from the attending clinics with attending supervision and will have ample opportunity to fine-tune surgical skills in preparation for a comprehensive vitreoretinal practice.
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: The fellow will be in charge of a monthly Fluorescein/Case Conference at which interesting cases are presented to the faculty and residents on the retina service. The residents on the retina service as well as the fellow will provide patients for the conference. In addition, retina attendings will present interesting cases to the group. The fellow will be responsible for electronically storing these cases so that they are available in a case library for future fellows and attendings. In addition, the fellow will attend other departmental conferences, including weekly Case Conference, twice-monthly Grand Rounds and monthly Quality Assurance reviews. The fellow will report his/her research at the annual Resident, Fellow and Alumni Research Day. The fellow will attend all journal clubs featuring vitreoretinal diseases. The fellow will be required to prepare and present teaching conferences and participate in the teaching of residents and medical students.
RESEARCH RESPONSIBILITIES: Research opportunities abound and each fellow is expected to complete one or more projects. Specifically, the fellow will participate in clinical trials; current clinical trials include pharmacological studies in macular degeneration, retinal vascular disease, and diabetic retinopathy. In addition, research in new imaging modalities will be required. Fellows are encouraged to present their research at such meetings as the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) as well as other subspecialty vitreoretinal meetings. It is anticipated that the fellow will publish one or more papers during the two year fellowship.
FUNDING: The fellowship is funded by the Department of Ophthalmology and health insurance is included. An academic appointment is provided at the "Instructor" level in the School of Medicine. Funding is provided for the fellow to travel each year to present a paper at the AAO or ARVO meeting.
FELLOW EVALUATION: The overall responsibility for evaluating the fellow will reside with the full-time vitreoretinal faculty. All faculty members involved in the fellows' training will assess cognitive and procedural competence in an ongoing fashion. Both written and verbal feedback will be provided on a quarterly basis. The fellow will maintain a surgical log, as well as a log of research activity and conferences/lectures given or attended.
The exposure to vitreoretinal diseases in the adult and pediatric populations will prepare the fellow for a rigorous career in academic vitreoretinal medical and surgical disease. The variety of pathology as well as the exposure to cutting edge technologies make this an exceptional vitreoretinal fellowship.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES: To be considered for our fellowship programs, applicants must be able to be fully licensed in the state of Colorado by the start of the fellowship. The website from the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners has detailed information about licensing requirements for the state of Colorado. Successful completion of all three steps of the USMLE by the application deadline is required. If accepted, candidates must also pass a criminal background investigation (criteria specified in University background investigation policies).
The specific requirements for international medical graduates include, but are not limited to, graduation from a medical school approved by the Colorado Medical Board, 36 months of clinically-based postgraduate training in the United States or Canada, and one of the following: FLEX Exam (must also have passed the ECFMG exam), state written exam, or USMLE.
The CU School of Medicine recognizes that fellows enrolled in its programs are trainees, not employees. As such, all applicants also must be able to meet conditions of the institutional training agreement. Specifically, fellows in our program must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or possess the appropriate documentation to allow the resident to legally train at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine.
If, after reviewing these websites and requirements, you feel you qualify for our fellowship, please submit an application through the San Francisco Matching Program. We ask that you also submit a copy of your USMLE score report and a brief CV via email to ophthalmology.residency@ucdenver.edu by the application deadline.
Our application deadline is September 1 for a July 1 fellowship start date.
For more information, please contact the Fellowship Coordinator.
Ophthalmology (SOM)
CU Anschutz
Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute
1675 North Aurora Court
F731
Aurora, CO 80045
Administration: 720-848-2500 Appointments: 720-848-2020
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