International Retina -
Vitreous Fellowship Program

The New England Retina Research and Education Foundation is offering a post-residency clinical retina fellowship. The fellowship focuses on providing a broad and extensive exposure to retina and vitreous diseases and a basis for pursuing a subsequent fellowship in academic or clinical practice. The fellowship offers a variable time period from 6 months to two years with the opportunity to obtain clinical, surgical, and research experience. Clinical training focuses on the diagnosis and treatment ( medical and surgical ) of retinal diseases including hereditary macular degeneration, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, ocular tumors, uveitis, trauma, and proliferative vitreoretinopathy. We offer a large and active clinical trials program, which at present includes programs in macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, and ocular tumors.

Air transportation, modern living quarters, use of a car, health insurance, and stipend of $1200 to $1500 per month will be furnished depending on level of experience and length of stay.

Our offices are located throughout coastal Connecticut. You will be living in a furnished apartment in New Haven, Connecticut among Yale University students and faculty in the housing. New Haven offers many activities, restaurants and clubs due to the presence of Yale University. New Haven is 1.25 hours by car or train from New York and 2.5 hours by car or train to Boston.

Duration of Fellowship: Six months to two years

Goal

The Goal of the vitreoretinal fellowship program is to provide the widest possible exposure to surgical and medical retina. The fellowship is suitable for those who are considering a career in retina academic ophthalmology of clinical practice.

The fellowship involves one-on-one involvement with Dr. Liggett and his retinal referral practice. Surgical cases are performed at Yale Hospital. The fellow scrubs on roughly 200 cases during the year. Extensive exposure is provided to the wide angle viewing systems in vitreous surgery, silicone oil surgery, and perfluorochemical vitreous substitutes. Experience in macular and subretinal surgery is also provided. The operating room is fully equipped with a new Zeiss ceiling-mounted microscope with video camera, an argon and diode laser with endo and indirect delivery systems, Alcon Accurus vitrectomy system, fragmatone, illuminated forceps and scissors, a complete array of retinal instruments from Grieshaber, Mentor, DORC, and Synergetics, as well as subretinal instruments from DORC, sew-on lens sets, the Grieshaber MPC, and the Richard James silicone oil injection system. Silicone oil and liquid perfluorochemicals are available. The VOLK wide angle viewing systems are available.

The laser photocoagulation techniques for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, and neovascular age-related macular degeneration are important aspects of the educational program. The use of retinal images (fundus photographs, fluorescein angiograms, indocyanine green angiograms and optical coherence tomographs) for clinical diagnosis and as outcome variables will be emphasized in the program.

Our offices are located throughout coastal Connecticut. Connecticut is a beautiful New England state with a beautiful spring, summer and fall. Winter, while cold, is usually moderate due to the proximity of the ocean.

You will be living in a furnished apartment in New Haven, Connecticut among Yale University students and faculty in the housing. New Haven offers many activities, restaurants and clubs due to the presence of Yale University. New Haven is 1.25 hours by car or train from New York and 2.5 hours by car or train to Boston. The fellow will participate in retina clinics at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut and at Cornell University in New York. Interested individuals will also be eligible to spend time with Hugo Quiroz-Mercado, MD for additional surgical experience in Mexico City and Virgil Alfaro in Charleston, South Carolina.

One half day per week of unstructured time for research may be available for interested individuals. Research activities are strongly encouraged and submission of an abstract for presentation at major scientific meeting is expected including ARVO, American Academy of Ophthalmology, The Retina Society, Macular Society, Gonin Society or The Vitreous Society.

Please contact Donna Connerton at New England Retina Associates, Spring Glen Medical Center 2200 Whitney Avenue, Suite 300, Hamden, CT 06518, or (203) 288-2020, to obtain application forms.