Overview

The mission of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Washington is simple:  we seek to protect and improve vision through the treatment of eye disease.  We do so by practicing the state-of-the-art in ophthalmology, extending the state through scientific research, and by sharing our knowledge with our students, our colleagues, and our community.  To that end, the Department offers an ASOPRS approved two-year fellowship in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery.  This extremely competitive training program is designed to provide exposure to all aspects of ophthalmic plastic surgery.

Goals

The overall objective of this fellowship is to offer an exceptional blend of clinical opportunities and research experience in an academic setting.  Our goal is to teach competent and compassionate practitioners the medical judgment and special skills required of an oculoplastics surgeon.  Our fellowship graduates are both community practitioners and faculty members at academic medical centers.

The patient populations we serve, and the institutions we cover, provide a rich experience in functional, aesthetic, and trauma-related eye surgery.  Fellows will receive training in the diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases of the eyelids, orbit, and lacrimal system.

Accreditation

The Fellowship is sponsored by the Department of Ophthalmology at University of Washington.  The fellowship is approved by and monitored by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Application

One fellow is selected every other year for this two-year fellowship.  Positions are available on odd-numbered years.  (The next available spot will begin in July 2013). 

Interviews will be offered to candidates after a review of the application material.  The position will be offered through the San Francisco Matching Program  (see www.sfmatch.org ^[1] for registration and information).  Only candidates who will have successfully completed their ophthalmology residency training and who are able to obtain a license to practice medicine in the state of Washington will be considered.

Clinical Experience

The Fellow will be granted the academic title of Acting Instructor at the University of Washington, and will be based in the UW Medicine Eye Institute, the newly opened center for ophthalmology clinical services.  The Oculoplastics Suite within the 27,000 sf institution has dedicated consultation and treatment rooms, as well as a fully-equipped surgical suite and recovery room for use by oculoplastics patients.  The Eye Institute is based on the campus of Harborview Medical Center, one of the country’s leading trauma centers and the only Level I trauma center in the Pacific Northwest.

In addition to working at the UW Medicine Eye Institute, the fellow will spend one day each week at the Puget Sound Veterans Administration Hospital.  The inpatient service and outpatient clinics of this medical center, located 3 miles from the UW Medicine Eye Institute, are a rich source of age-related and functional reconstructive ocular surgery.

The Fellow will also cover oculoplastics consultations at the University of Washington Medical Center.  Located on the campus of the University of Washington, this 450 bed hospital has been consistently ranked by US News and World Report as one of the nation’s top patient care institutions (#12 in the 2009 ranking).  The UW School of Medicine is the top public medical school in receipt of federally funded research dollars.  Serving as the medical academic hub for the region, UWMC draws patients from Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.   The fellow is likely to provide complex patient care alongside specialists from the departments of dermatology, otolaryngology and head and neck surgery, pathology, radiology, neurosurgery and plastic surgery.

Our fellows also spend time each week working in the private offices of some of our voluntary clinical faculty.  This opportunity teaches the fellow the aesthetic side of the specialty, as well as exposes the fellows to the skills needed to succeed in private practice.

The varied experience including a top university medical center, a renowned trauma center, VA hospital, and private physician offices can be matched in only a few programs nationwide.

Research Experience

Fellows are expected to attend and participate in weekly Grand Rounds.  The fellow will also be expected to assist with resident training in the OR, and will lecture the residents on subjects related to the specialty.

The fellow is required to complete a scholarly thesis to gain entrance to ASOPRS.  Preceptors meet with the fellow early in the training to develop a research topic and meet regularly to assess progress.  Throughout UW, there are numerous researchers conducting vision research.  There is ample opportunity to become involved with a new or ongoing project with basic science scientists based in a number of departments.

On-Call

Residents take primary call for the Department.  The fellow takes second call for emergencies requiring the services of the Oculoplastics Division.

Benefits

Salary is paid at the R-5/R-6 level.  The fellow receives life insurance and health benefits through the University of Washington.  Fellows are provided with malpractice insurance for their fellowship-based activities.  The fellow has traditionally attended specialty meetings or conferences as part of their advanced training.

Program Director:

• James Orcutt, MD, PhD ^[2]

Professor of Ophthalmology

Chief of Ophthalmology, Puget Sound VA Hospital

ASOPRS Member

Teaching Faculty:

• A.J. Amadi, MD ^[3]

Clinical Assistant Professor, ASOPRS Member

• Holly Chang, MD ^[4]

Clinical Associate Professor, ASOPRS Member

• Kristen Tarbet, MD

Clinical Associate Professor, ASOPRS Member

• James Hargiss, MD

Clinical Professor, ASOPRS Member