Second-Year Rotations (PGY-3)

Second-year ophthalmology residents refine exam, diagnostic, and surgical skills by rotating through subspecialty clinics and functioning as independent consultants (with appropriate attending supervision) for the Harvard Medical School (HMS) hospitals.

The residents work closely with leading figures in each subspecialty and are exposed to a wide variety of ocular disease. They see patients from around the world with various stages of rare hereditary retinal degenerations at the Berman-Gund Laboratory and are exposed to the ophthalmic manifestations of rare genetic and metabolic at the Children’s Hospital in Boston. They work directly with the inventor of the Boston Keratoprosthesis and participate in the care of patients with keratoprostheses in both the clinics and the OR.

Attending ophthalmologists perform chart rounds to discuss interesting clinical cases and review salient teaching points at the conclusion of most subspecialty clinics at MEEI. This is an exceptional learning opportunity, which helps the residents understand management decisions made during the clinic and highlights the attending’s clinical decision-making process.

The second year residents spend a significant amount of their time on each rotation in the operating room performing oculoplastics, strabismus, vitreoretinal, and cataract surgeries. They also perform intra-vitreal injections and retina and glaucoma laser procedures.

The second year is divided into 8 rotation blocks, each 6-7 weeks in duration. The rotations are as follows:

Neuro-Ophthalmology
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC)
Children’s Hospital Boston
Eye Plastics and Orbital Surgery
Boston VA Medical Center
Retina
Pediatric Ophthalmology

Neuro-Ophthalmology

Supervising Attendings: Simmons Lessell, M.D., Joseph Rizzo, III, M.D., Dean M. Cestari, M.D., Neil Snebold, M.D.

Clinical experience:

Residents spend 2 rotations evaluating and managing patients with complex neuro-ophthalmic diseases. Weekly teaching conferences promote discussion and review of the diverse and complex patient population cared for in this clinic. 

Surgical experience:

Residents participate in anterior segment and strabismus surgery on this rotation on a weekly basis.

Call responsibilities:

All non-trauma in-patient consultations at the Massachusetts General Hospital during the hours of 8 am to 5 pm are performed by the neuro-ophthalmology residents. In addition, the residents take home call for neuro-ophthalmology every other night.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC)

Supervising Attendings: Jorge G. Arroyo, M.D., M.P.H., Frank G. Berson, M.D., Mark C. Kuperwaser, Timothy Murtha, M.D., Nurhan Torun, M.D., Don C. Bienfang, M.D.

Clinical Experience:

During this rotation, residents participate in the comprehensive ophthalmology and subspecialty clinics including retina, glaucoma, and neuro-ophthalmology at the BIDMC.

Surgical Experience:

Surgical training is a focus of this rotation; the resident spends a significant amount of time participating in and serving as primary surgeon for cataract, retina, and glaucoma surgeries.

Call Responsibilities:

During the weekdays, residents serve as consultants for in-patient and Emergency Room consults from the BIDMC and the Brigham and Women's Hospital between the hours of 12 noon until 5 pm. In addition, the residents are on home call for night and weekend consults for a total of 2 weeks during their 6-7 week rotation. Covering two major tertiary care hospitals provides exposure to significant eye pathology including a large number of ocular trauma cases.

Children’s Hospital Boston

Supervising Attendings: David G. Hunter, M.D., Ph.D, Linda R. Dagi, M.D., Deborah K. VanderVeen, M.D., Anne B. Fulton, M.D., Robert A. Petersen, M.D., Lois E. H. Smith, M.D., Ph.D, Carolyn Wu, M.D., Alexandra Elliott, M.D.

Clinical Experience:

The Children’s Hospital in Boston is one of the top pediatric hospitals in the country. Residents work closely with the ophthalmology faculty at Children’s Hospital and gain experience in the exam, work-up, and management of the routine and complicated pediatric ophthalmology patient.

Surgical Experience:

The residents spend 1-2 days per week in the OR and perform primary strabismus surgeries as well as assist in a variety of pediatric oculoplastic and anterior segment surgeries.

Call Responsibilities:

In-patient consults are performed by the residents and are staffed by the pediatric ophthalmology fellows and attendings. Residents have 2 half days of dedicated consult time each week. During the week, the resident takes home call every other night for emergencies. Each resident also takes home call one weekend per month.

Eye Plastics and Orbital Surgery

Supervising Attendings: Aaron Fay, M.D., Francis Sutula, M.D.

The format of the 2nd year rotation is similar to the first year rotation. However, the second year resident plays a more active role in the operating room and participates in more complex operative cases. The second year resident takes home call for oculoplastics emergencies and gains valuable experience in triaging and managing a variety of oculoplatic cases.

Boston VA Medical Center

Supervising Attendings: Mary K. Daly, M.D., Joanne Haney-Tilton, M.D., Milhim I. Aswad, M.D., Donna Siracuse-Lee, M.D., Christine S. Ament, M.D., Babak Eliassi-Rad, M.D., Li-Wei Lin, M.D., Nabil I Jarudi, M.D.

Clnical Experience:

The second year residents spend one rotation at the VA medical center in Boston. The second year residents participate in the sub-specialty clinics including retina, glaucoma, cornea, and eye plastics clinics.

Surgical Experience:

The majority of the intravitreal injections, glaucoma and retinal laser procedures are performed by the second year residents at the Boston VA Hospital. The residents also serve as primary surgeons for extracapsular cataract extractions and are in the oculoplastics OR one half day every other week where they participate in a variety of eye plastics surgeries.

Call Responsibilities:

During the VA rotation the second year residents take home call one day each week. They have back-up coverage by the retina fellows, and an attending.

Retina

Supervising Attendings: Joan W. Miller, M.D., Eliot L. Berson, M.D., Evangelos Gragoudas, M.D., John I. Loewenstein, M.D., Jorge G. Arroyo, M.D., M.P.H., Lucy H. Young, M.D., Ph.D., Lucia Sobrin, M.D.

Clinical Experience:

Residents rotate through the retina clinics and get broad exposure to a variety of retinal diseases from age-related macular degeneration to posterior segment inflammatory and infectious conditions to the management of retinal tears and detachments. In addition, one day per week is spent with Dr. Berson evaluating and treating adults and children with retinal degenerations in the renowned Berman-Gund Laboratory. The residents also attend the weekly Macula conference

Surgical Experience:

Residents spend 1 day per week in the operating room. During this time, the resident serves as primary surgeon for scleral buckles and 20 gauge vitrectomies, and assists in a variety of complex retinal surgeries. Residents perform intra-vitreal injections and retinal laser procedures each week.

Call Responsibilities:

There is no call on this rotation. If the residents choose to do so, the may take call with the retina fellows which generates primary surgical cases for the residents.

Pediatric Ophthalmology at MEEI

Supervising Attendings: Melanie Kazlas, M.D., Kimberley Chan, O.D., David G. Hunter, M.D., Ph.D, Linda R. Dagi, M.D., Carolyn Wu, M.D., Shizuo Mukai, M.D.

Clinical Experience:

The clinical experience focuses on mastering pediatric eye exam skills including retinoscopy and prismatic measurements for strabismus as well as participating in the evaluation and management of pediatric eye disease and adult strabismus.

In addition, the residents participate in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) rounds at MGH one half day per week. During ROP rounds the residents learn the eye exam of the premature baby as well as the necessary management and treatment options for ROP.

Surgical Experience:

One to 2 days each week are spent in the operating room during which time the residents perform primary pediatric and adult strabismus cases, often with adjustable sutures.

Call Responsibilities:

The residents are on-call during week days for MGH pediatric consults and serve as the subspecialty consultant for pediatric cases the come through the MEEI Emergency Department.

 

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