Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Fellowship

Candidates who will have successfully completed their ophthalmology residency training in the U.S. or other countries and who are able to obtain a permanent or a training medical license in the state of Ohio are considered. Fellowship applicants from other countries must have passed Steps 1, 2 and 3 of the USMLE exams and have a valid Standard ECFMG Certificate for graduate medical education in the United States. All fellows, whether from U.S. or international residency programs, receive the same fellowship experience with the same responsibilities.

Goals and Objectives for Training

The goal of the fellowship is to provide training for a comprehensive practice in pediatric ophthalmology. While strabismus is the mainstay of the pediatric practice, the fellowship also emphasizes pediatric cataract, glaucoma and anterior segment surgery. Fellows can expect to receive experience in ROP, neuro-ophthalmology and oculoplastics as well. The schedule balances clinical examination and surgical exposure with opportunities for research and resident teaching. By the completion of the fellowship, we hope to have trained a confident and compassionate clinician that can become a leader in the field of pediatric ophthalmology.

The fellowship is clinically oriented with a major portion of the clinical material available in the practice of the fellowship preceptors. The fellow participates with the faculty members in the evaluation and treatment of children with a wide variety of ocular pathology and adults with strabismus. Approximately four days of the week are spent in these activities, with one or two days in the operating room.

In the operating room, extensive surgical experience is gained in complex childhood and adult strabismus, including the complex strabismus and anterior segment surgeries, lacrimal, lid and orbital surgeries. The fellow also participates in the screening and treatment of retinopathy of prematurity at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital approximately half a day a week under the supervision of Faruk Orge, MD, and Hayley Klein, MD. We host departmental grand rounds four times each year and have at least six Pediatric Ophthalmology Journal Club evening meetings each year. The research efforts can be geared towards a mixture of basic science animal research, new technology development, database and other clinical projects as well as possible new projects designed and furthered by the fellow of their own choosing under the supervision of Dr. Orge. We encourage fellows to submit their research to AAPOS, ARVO, AAO and/or other applicable meetings for presentation throughout the year.

Program Certifications

The one-year Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Fellowship program is certified by AUPO Fellowship Compliance Committee as well as AAPOS.

Facilities

• UH Westlake Health Center: Surgery and Clinic
• UH Eye Institute and UH Pediatric Ophthalmology: Clinic
• UH Cleveland Medical Center and UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital: Surgery, Clinic and ROP screening
• Visual Sciences and Research Center at Case Western Reserve University: Clinical Research

Contact

Faruk H Orge, MD
Program Director

Marilyn Taylor, MEd
Academic Residency Program Manager
marilyn.taylor@uhhospitals

Michelle Douglas
Program User
michelle.douglas@uhhospitals