Cornea and Refractive Surgery
About
The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Division of Cornea, External Diseases & Refractive Surgery offers a one-year AUPO certified fellowship in the study of diseases of the cornea, external eye, and refractive surgery. Clinical experience consists of participation in the faculty clinics of members of this division, as well as independent patient care provided in the fellows’ own Cornea clinic. Fellows will gain surgical experience by assisting faculty preceptors, performing independent and supervised surgery, and supervising resident surgical cases.
Refractive procedures will be performed, under faculty supervision, at an upscale refractive surgery center and the Naval Medical Center San Diego. Fellows will also supervise patient care, and perform surgery in the cornea clinics of the Department of Veteran Affairs Healthcare Center on campus, as well as UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest. The fellow will be exposed to complex ocular procedures, such as: penetrating and endothelial keratoplasty, complex cataracts, sutured intraocular lenses, amniotic membranes, keratoprostheses, as well as refractive procedures. Knowledge and experience in the realm of contact lens fitting and management, as well as related aspects of corneal physiology, will also be instilled.
The fellow will hold an official appointment in the UC San Diego Department of Ophthalmology as a Clinical Instructor. Fellows are also expected to actively participate in teaching activities in the Department of Ophthalmology. The Cornea division has quarterly journal clubs, formal resident teaching sessions and Departmental Grand Rounds presentations throughout the year. The fellow will work closely with the residents assigned to the Cornea service. In addition to clinical and surgical experiences, all fellows are expected to participate in clinical or basic science research and to present findings at local, regional or national meetings. Excellent statistical support, tissue processing, and confocal microscopy are available. Presentations at important meetings are typical.
