Ophthalmology
Medical Retina Fellowship (Boston)
This fellowship provides broad and extensive exposure to the management of diseases of the retina, as a basis for pursuing a subsequent career in academic medical retina or a medical retina practice. Our mission is to provide state-of-the-art clinical training and research experience in medical retina to the next generation of leaders in the field.
AUPO Compliant
This fellowship is Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology Fellowship Compliance Committee (AUPO FCC) compliant.
Highlights
- Fellowship Director: Deeba Husain, MD
- Program length: 1 year (beginning in July)
- Number of fellows accepted each year: 1
- SF Match number: 4845
- Additional faculty: Jason Comander, MD, PhD; Mohammad Dahrouj, MD, PhD; Jose Davila, MD; Dean Eliott, MD; Evangelos S. Gragoudas, MD; 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; and Lucy H. Y. Young, MD, PhD
Program Details
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, he/she will be able 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), the Retina Society, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
Clinical Facilities
The Retina Service, located on the 12th floor of Mass Eye and Ear, is fully equipped with examination lanes, procedure rooms, and state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. We routinely perform Heidelberg and Zeiss spectral domain OCT, digital fundus photography, autofluorescence, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, SLO videoangiography, RetCam and Optos photography and angiography, Electroretinography, B-scan and A-scan ultrasonography, and UBM.
A fully equipped Laser Center is also located on the 12th floor. The lasers include argon, diode, YAG, Pascal, and PDT systems.
Clinical Responsibilities
More than 2,500 fluorescein angiograms are performed annually in the Fluorescein Angiography Unit of the Retina Service. Indocyanine green angiography and SLO videoangiography are also performed. The fellow, working with the residents on the retina rotation, supervise the interpretation and reporting of angiograms. There is a weekly Retina Macula Conference, at which time particularly interesting cases are prepared and presented by the resident to the first year fellows. The Retina Macula Conference is a cornerstone in the teaching of fellows, and aims to create a systematic approach towards the diagnosis and treatment of retinal disease.
In addition, medical retina patients are seen in every clinic, and the fellows gain extensive experience in the diagnosis and management of macular diseases. The fellow also has an opportunity to treat patients with a variety of posterior segment inflammatory disorders and pediatric retinal diseases. Furthermore, a unique aspect to the fellowship is the extensive exposure to the diagnosis and management of intraocular tumors. The fellow will be involved in managing patients with retinal degeneration at the retinal degeneration clinics. The Medical Retina fellow will take the lead in the management of inpatients admitted for medical retina issues.
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
- Full medical license
Requirements
The Medical Retina (Boston) 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) 573-6120Research 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 Award to 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.
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.
Salary
Competitive annual salary.
Malpractice
Malpractice premiums are fully paid by Mass Eye and Ear.
Health Insurance
Mass Eye and Ear offers competitive benefits, including health insurance for the fellows and their families.
Vacation/Sick Leave
Each fellow is allotted vacation time. All vacation time must be planned in advance and be pre-approved by the Retina Service.
Professional Meetings
Attendance and participation at appropriate meetings is encouraged. Vacation time and travel reimbursement are available.
