Director: Natalie Afshari, MD, FACS
Fellowship Preceptor: Stuart Brown, MD
Fellowship Preceptor: Weldon Haw, MD
Fellowship Preceptor: Christopher Heichel, MD
Fellowship Program Coordinator: Nikki Manalang

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The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Division of Cornea, External Diseases & Refractive Surgery offers a high volume 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 UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest. The fellow will be exposed to complex ocular procedures, such as: penetrating and endothelial keratoplasty, complex cataracts, scleral fixated 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 UCSD 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 frequent journal club meetings, formal resident teaching sessions and Departmental Grand Rounds presentations throughout the year. The fellow will work closely with the residents assigned to the Cornea & Refractive Surgery 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 is available. Presentations at important meetings are typical.

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Applicants for fellowship training in Cornea, External Diseases & Refractive surgery must register for the Ophthalmology Fellowship Match online (www.sfmatch.org) by submitting the required application, and supplemental materials listed therein. The deadline for this process is September 15th of the year prior to the start of the desired fellowship-training year. The fellow must have completed an ACGME accredited residency in ophthalmology and be eligible for a California Medical License, as medical licensure from the California Medical Board is required (www.mbc.ca.gov)

[cornea-book]

Copeland and Afshari's Principles and Practice of CORNEA

[books]

Challenging Cases in Cataract Surgery | Lens and Cataract

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UCSD Medical Center Hillcrest + VA San Diego Healthcare System