At Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School we offer two positions for one-year fellowships in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus. Beginning in 2008, both positions will be AUPO- (Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology) approved.

International applicants who are interested in a fellowship should contact either Dr. David Hunter, the Ophthalmologist-in-Chief, or Dr. Deborah VanderVeen, the Fellowship Director, well in advance of the usual deadline to determine whether an international, non-AUPO approved position is open for the upcoming academic year.

Our goal

The goal of our training program is to provide broad and extensive clinical activity, academic stimulation and research experience in order to train the next generation of leaders in the field of pediatric ophthalmology.

Our faculty

The faculty at Children's Hospital Boston includes tenfull-time pediatric ophthalmologists and three pediatric optometrists with a variety of interests:

• Anna Maria Baglieri, OD, is the most recent optometrist to join our team. She has a particular interest in performing visual function evaluations for individuals with disabilities and an interest in traumatic brain injury.
• Linda R. Dagi, MD, has clinical interests in strabismus of children and adults, craniofacial and eye muscle surgery, thyroid eye disease and ectopia lentis. She is coordinating the departmental participation in the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigators Group (PEDIG), a national coalition performing multicenter clinical trials, including the Amblyopia Treatment Studies.
• Alexandra Elliott, MD, is dual fellowship trained in adult oculoplastics and pediatric ophthalmology. She specializes in all types of eyelid and orbital surgery in children and adults, bringing the latest in adult oculoplastic techniques to pediatric ophthalmology.
• Anne Fulton, MD, is a worldwide authority in pediatric retinal degenerations and genetic disorders. Dr. Fulton's clinical facility is equipped with extensive pediatric electrophysiology capability. She is performing NIH-sponsored research in photoreceptor function in ROP.
• David G. Hunter, MD, PhD, is our Ophthalmologist-in-Chief. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of AAPOS. His clinical interests include complex strabismus in children and adults, treatment of strabismus with adjustable suture surgery and botulinum toxin injections, and detection of amblyopia. Dr. Hunter is also an engineer developing new diagnostic instruments and he is performing NIH-sponsored research in the genetics of strabismus.
• Suzanne Johnston, MD, will be joining our team in August. She has a clinical interest in both pediatric and adult strabismus, retinopathy of prematurity, and glaucoma.
• Danielle Ledoux, MD, has experience in all areas of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. She has special expertise in cataract surgery and retinopathy of prematurity.
• Kathryn Miller, OD, is a pediatric optometrist with extensive expertise fitting aphakic contact lenses and pediatric low vision evaluations.
• Robert A. Petersen, MD, has 30-plus years of experience in all areas of pediatric ophthalmology. His emphasis includes retinoblastoma, oculoplastics and strabismus. Dr. Petersen is part of the Boston area retinoblastoma study group and he has participated in all major multicenter studies of ROP.
• Sonia Sethee, OD, is a pediatric optometrist with specialized training in vision therapy and accomodative disorders.
• Lois E. H. Smith, MD, PhD, has clinical expertise in hemangiomas, vascular tumors and storage diseases. Dr. Smith is performing NIH-sponsored research in the diagnosis and treatment of ROP and other vascular disorders.
• Deborah VanderVeen, MD, has clinical interests in pediatric cataracts, retinopathy of prematurity, glaucoma and strabismus. Dr. VanderVeen has pioneered endoscopic surgery for nasolacrimal duct obstruction and is participating in the Early Treatment of ROP study and Infant Aphakia Treatment Study.
• Carolyn Wu, MD, has a broad range of experience in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, with clinical interests in pediatric cataracts, ptosis, glaucoma and retinopathy of prematurity. Dr. Wu is a participant in PEDIG studies and in studies using Retcam imaging to simplify eye examinations for premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. She also serves as the director of the residency program.

Our department has affiliations with leading subspecialists in pediatric ophthalmology, including Shizuo Mukai, MD, who has an interest in pediatric retina, and Douglas Rhee, MD, who specializes in both adult and childhood glaucomas. Ronald Hansen, PhD, works closely with Dr. Fulton evaluating pediatric electrophysiology. Our support staff includes four orthoptists and three ophthalmic technicians.

Program experience

The clinical experience includes broad exposure to every aspect of pediatric ophthalmology that would be expected at a leading children's hospital, including state-of-the-art pediatric cataract, glaucoma and oculoplastic surgeries, plus evaluation and treatment of complex adult strabismus. Fellows have access to advanced equipment including a RetCam, supine yag laser, and digital video for recording surgical cases.

Our office includes a scanned medical record system so records are available online. The fellow interacts closely with, and supervises, two residents: one rotating from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, the other from Boston University. Nights and weekends on call are shared with the rotating residents and supervised by faculty.

Educational activities include regular conferences and special lectures, including invited speakers from national and international locales. Fellows are required to undertake a research project under the guidance of a faculty member, to present the results at a national meeting, and to submit a manuscript prior to completion of the fellowship year. Our former fellows include Mohammed Jaafar, MD, Chair of Ophthalmology at Washington Children's National Hospital, Washington D.C., Douglas Fredrick, MD, Clinical Professor at Stanford Children's Hospital, San Francisco, Monte Mills, MD, Chair of Ophthalmology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Richard Levy, MD, head of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Cornell University.

A full PGY-5 stipend, including benefits, is provided. Fellows are encouraged to defray the cost of the stipend through external support, such as a Heed Ophthalmic Foundation award, when possible. Applicants must obtain a full Massachusetts Medical license for billing and credentialing purposes.

Our fellowship program is approved by the AUPO Fellowship Compliance Committee. Only graduates of AUPO-approved fellowships may apply for AAPOS (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus) membership after graduation.

If you are interested in applying for a fellowship at Children's Hospital Boston you must apply through the SF Match Central Application Service at www.sfmatch.org. To get to the application select Ophthalmology from the Fellowship Match Tab. You will then be able to select the Central Application tab which will take you to the application. The fee for this service is $250. This includes your registration, the distribution of up to 8 applications, distribution of rank lists, and the actual matching process.

International applicants will need to submit the application form online and at least three letters of recommendation from ophthalmologists who have been involved in your training. Medical School transcripts are optional. A one page Personal Statement is also needed.

If you have any questions please contact:

Nikole Kupetz
Fellowship Program Coordinator
Ophthalmology - Fegan 4
Children's Hospital Boston
300 Longwood Ave
Boston, MA 02115

Phone: 617-355-8531
Fax: 617-730-0392
Email: Nikole Kupetz.