Vitreoretinal Disease & Surgery Fellowship Program

The Vitreoretinal Fellowship at the New England Eye Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, is a two-year clinical and research fellowship that offers comprehensive training in the surgical and medical management of vitroretinal diseases. The fellow is supervised by staff surgeons in the evaluation of patients, and actively participates in laser photocoagulation and vitreoretinal surgery. An introduction to electrophysiology and retinal degenerations is provided as well. The fellow is expected to develop independent judgement and technical skills in an environment devoted to excellence in patient care. The fellow also works closely with residents and medical students with ample opportunity for teaching.

Vitreoretinal Surgery

The fellow is directly involved in the pre-operative evaluation, intra-operative decision making, and post-operative management of all surgical patients. The case mix includes both scleral buckling and vitrectomy techniques such as membrane peeling with delamination and segmentation, air/fluid exchange, retinotomy and retinectomy, endolaser, and the use of gas, silicone oil and perffuorocarbon liquid tamponade. It is anticipated that the fellow will gain proficiency in the management of retinal detachments, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, intraocular foreign bodies, giant retinal tears, macular disorders, intraocular tumors, epiretinal membranes, endophthalmitis, IOL-related posterior segment complications, retinopathy of prematurity, and AIDS-related disorders.

Medical Retina

The fellow will gain an in-depth exposure to both diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to all types of medical retinal problems including retinal vascular disorders, macular degeneration, posterior uveitis, intraocular tumors, and inherited retinal degenerations. This will include the comprehensive evaluation of patients as well as the review of ancillary tests, such as angiography, ultrasonography and electrophysiology.

Extensive exPerience with both conventional and digital angiography systems is provided. Standard fluorescein as well as indocyanine green (ICG) angiograms are routinely performed. With staff supervision, the fellow will interpret and assist in the reporting of all angiograms. He/she will teach residents assigned to the retina rotation, and help organize the biweekly fluorescein conference.

Fellows will be introduced to the basics of electroretinography and related diagnostic techniques and gain exPerience with both adult and pediatric patients. Interested fellows will have the opportunity for a more extensive exposure to both clinical and research applications of ERG.

Research

Rich opportunities exist for research projects in a variety of basic science and clinical areas. These include exPerimental and clinical studies of new laser technology, the use of exogenous chromophores (dyes) for selective ablation of blood vessels, and exPerimental investigations of pharmacologic inhibitors of neovascularization. On-going clinical projects include studies in age related macular degeneration, endophthalmitis, HIV-related retinopathies, and nutritional aspects of eye disease.

Affiliated Hospitals

The bulk of the exPerience is at the New England Eye Center which is a private practice setting for subspecialty referral opthalmologic care within the Tufts Medical Center. Additionally, the fellow is responsible for examining premature infants at the Floating Hospital for Infants and Children, which is in the Tufts Medical Center complex.

Staff

Jay S. Duker, MD
Dr. Duker is the Director of the New England Eye Center. He completed both his residency and fellowship training at Wills Eye Hospital.

Caroline Baumal, MD
Dr. Baumal completed her residency at the University of Toronto, as well as a fellowship in Vitreoretinal Surgery at Wills Eye Hospital and a fellowship in Medical Retina and Laser at the New England Eye Center.

Arnold Kroll, MD
Dr. Kroll completed his residency at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary and his fellowship at Bascom-Palmer Eye Institute.

Frank McCabe, MD
Dr. McCabe completed his residency with New England Eye Center and his fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital.

Elias Reichel, MD
Dr. Reichel is the Director of Vitreoretinal Services as well as Electroretinography Service. He completed his residency at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary and his fellowship at the New England Eye Center.

Adam H. Rogers, MD
Dr. Rogers completed his residency at Boston University School of Medicine and his fellowship at the New England Eye Center.

Samuel Sokol, PhD
Dr. Sokol is the Director of Visual Physiology and Psychophysics Service.

Felipe I. Tolentino, MD
Dr. Tolentino is a consultant to NEEC. He completed residencies at Philippine General Hospital, University of Philippines Medical Center and St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, NY and Homer G. Phillips Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri.

Appointment

Application

Deadline for application completion is September 1 of the year prior to beginning of fellowship. The following must reach our files before your application will be considered:

•	USMLE Documentation - Parts I, II, III (For this position you must be eligible for an unrestricted Massachusetts medical license at application.)
•	A completed application form To open and print this form, you are required to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.
•	Three letters of recommendation
•	An updated curriculum vitae
•	A personal statement describing what you expect to gain from your fellowship, as well as your long-term career goals (500 words maximum)
•	A recent passport-sized photograph

Please send application materials for Vitreoretinal Surgical Fellowship to:

Adam H. Rogers, MD
Director, Vitreoretinal Surgical Fellowship Program
New England Eye Center
Tufts University School of Medicine
750 Washington Street, Box 450
Boston, MA 02111

Telephone: 617-636-4604
Fax: 617-636-4866

Please send application materials for Medical Retina Fellowship to:

Elias Reichel, MD
Director, Medical Retina Fellowship
Director, Vitreoretinal Surgery & Diseases Service
New England Eye Center
Tufts University School of Medicine
750 Washington Street, Box 450
Boston, MA 02111

Telephone: 617-636-4604
Fax: 617-636-4866

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all materials are received prior to the deadline.

Application Form

To open and print this form, you are required to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.

Education