Fellowship Applicants

M. Bowes Hamill, M.D.
Douglas D. Koch, M.D.
Stephen C. Pflugfelder, M.D.
Mitchell P. Weikert, M.D., M.S.

The Fellowship in Cornea, Anterior Segment, and Refractive Surgery consists of one year of post-residency training in the Department of Ophthalmology under the direction of Dr. M. Bowes Hamill ,Dr. Douglas D. Koch, Dr. Stephen C. Pflugfelder and Dr. Mitchell P. Weikert. Two positions are available each year for the period from July 7 through July 6.

Pre-requisites:

At the time of appointment, the trainee should have satisfactorily completed 36 months of residency training in a United States program approved by the Residency Review Committee in Ophthalmology and accredited by the Accreditation council for Graduate Medical Education, or in a Canadian program approved by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or in an equivalent program. Texas medical licensure is mandatory.

Description of the program:

The Fellowship in Cornea, Anterior Segment and Refractive Surgery at the Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, is designed as a comprehensive one-year program dedicated to the preparation of the post-residency fellow for an academic or consultative cornea, anterior segment and refractive surgical practice. The fellow will divide time among Drs. M. Bowes Hamill, Douglas D. Koch, Stephen C. Pflugfelder and Mitchell Weikert and will gain hands-on experience in the pre-operative evaluation, performance and post-operative care of the full spectrum of cornea and anterior segment surgical procedures. These will include penetrating and lamellar keratoplasty, limbal stem cell and amniotic membrane transplantation, complex cataract and intraocular lens surgery, anterior segment reconstruction, early and late repair of corneal trauma and refractive surgery (PRK/LASEK, LASIK and incisional procedures). Additionally, the fellow will learn to manage infectious and inflammatory corneal conditions as well as ocular surface and unusual anterior segment disorders. The fellow will participate in resident education and in a monthly corneal conference. Research is strongly encouraged.

Facilities:

The Department comprises full-time clinical and research faculty members, principally located with the Roy and Lillie Cullen Eye Institute of the Neurosensory Center. This building includes a complete eye library; 100-seat auditorium; inpatient facilities; eight eye operating rooms; multiple research laboratories; vivarium; and microsurgical training laboratory. The Neurosensory Center is structurally linked with three affiliated hospitals: The Methodist Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital; and two outpatient clinic facilities: The Smith Tower and the Scurlock Tower. Patients referred to the private consultative practices are examined in the adjoining clinical facilities in the Alkek Eye Center of Smith Tower. This clinic provides 40 examining rooms, a photography unit, and the refractive surgery center.

Houston:

Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States and is home to the Texas Medical Center. The medical environment in Houston is unique in that medical care for the most part is centralized at the Texas Medical Center. It makes medical care very convenient because the most up-to-date and progressive medical technologies and knowledge are all available here in one site. The Medical Center is situated in a very livable part of Houston. Most faculty, resident, and fellows live close by, either within walking distance or a ten to fifteen minute drive. This gives Houston a small town feeling while still having the culture, sports, and entertainment of a major metropolitan city.