The purpose of a two-year clinical/clinical research fellowship is to prepare ophthalmologists for an academic position. The goal of the program is to provide the trainee with a sufficiently thorough foundation in the field of glaucoma so that he/she will be capable of establishing a glaucoma service, initiating his/her own sub-specialist training program, and participate in intramural and extramural clinical research programs.

The fellowship is under the supervision of Drs. Robert Ritch, Jeffrey Liebmann, Celso Tello, and Christopher Teng. Dr. Ritch is Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at The New York Medical College and Surgeon Director and Chief of the Glaucoma Service. Dr. Liebmann is Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the New York University School of Medicine and Director of Glaucoma Services at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and New York University Medical Center. Dr. Tello is Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at New York Medical College and Director of Glaucoma Service at New York Eye & Ear Infirmary. Dr. Teng is Clinical Assistant Professor at New York Medical College and Clinical Instructor at New York University School of Medicine.

In the first year, the primary emphasis is on all aspects of diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. Fellows receive intensive instruction in:

• History taking as it pertains to diagnostic and therapeutic clues and prognostic indicators
• Slit-lamp examination
• Gonioscopy
• Direct and indirect stereo-ophthalmoscopy
• Visual field interpretation and familiarity with the different programs on the Humphrey automated perimeter.
• Familiarity with the functions and present limitations of computerized retinal nerve fiber layer (scanning laser polarimetry, optical coherence tomography) and optic disc (scanning laser topography) analysis.
• Awareness of the newer and presently investigational modalities available for clinical investigation of visual fields (frequency doubling perimetry, high pass resolution perimetry, multifocal ERG)

Fellows are expected to attend Grand Rounds at NYEEI and also certain of the lectures and conferences:

• The Glaucoma lecture series
• Glaucoma journal club
• Visiting Professor rounds and lectures
• The New York Basic Science Lecture Series
• NYEEI annual Resident and Fellow Research Day, at which fellows present the results of a research project
• The New York Society for Clinical Ophthalmology semi-annual meeting\
• Daily case presentations to attending physicians.
• Review of consultation reports

Fellows receive funding to attend the Annual Meeting of either the American Academy of Ophthalmology or the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. They are encouraged to submit an abstract for one of these during their first year of training and are expected to do so during their second year. If the fellow has performed sufficiently well to submit more than one abstract and have them accepted, then funding is provided for both meetings.

In the second year, the primary emphasis is on development and execution of clinical research protocols, including design of both retrospective and prospective studies. Fellows learn elements of statistical analysis, familiarity with computer statistical programs, and data analysis. Close mentoring is provided to teach writing and submission of manuscripts, paper and poster presentation, and creation of a basic stock of lectures on various topics in glaucoma. Fellows are invited to local society meetings (Manhattan Ophthalmological Society, Ophthalmic Laser Surgical Society, New York Intraocular Lens Society) and give presentations at each of these. They are expected to present at at least one national meeting and to publish results of their research. Current glaucoma research programs at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary include:

• Randomized, prospective, multicenter trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health/National Eye Institute (Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study and Colloborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study)
• Genetics studies of exfoliation syndrome, pigmentary glaucoma, congenital glaucoma, low tension glaucoma, and primary open angle glaucoma, drug development
• Ophthalmic imaging (optical coherence tomography, confocal scanning laser polarimetry, confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, and ultrasound biomicroscopy)
• Visual psychophysics
• Ocular blood flow using laser flowmetry
• Tissue culture and wound healing.

By the time they have finished the two-year program, clinical fellows are ready to return home to join a teaching faculty in a department of ophthalmology in a medical school and establish a glaucoma service within the department.

Fellows attend annual graduation ceremonies and are given a diploma from NYEEI. Evaluation sessions are held regularly with Drs. Ritch, Liebmann, Tello, and Teng.

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For questions, call (212) 477-7540 or email Dr. Robert Ritch at ritchmd@earthlink.net