The Wills Eye Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellowship is a one year unfunded program. The fellowship period begins in the first week of July and ends the last week of June. Candidates are encouraged to find external funding.
The Director of the Fellowship Program is Dr. Kammi Gunton.
This subspecialty fellowship will include active, full-time participation in all aspects of the Wills Eye Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Program. The Fellow will have some shared responsibilities in the clinics and administratively. We are very busy and see an enormous range of pathology in both adults and children that includes strabismus, amblyopia, routine vision care, childhood cataract/glaucoma/uveitis, inherited retinal degenerations, congenital ocular malformations, and metabolic diseases that affect the eye.
The year will include rotations in other subspecialty services at Wills including the Diagnostic Center and the retinoblastoma service of Dr. Carol Shields. Over half of all retinoblastoma cases in the U.S. come to Wills.
The Fellow will have the opportunity to participate in the full range of didactic and other educational activities at Wills Eye Hospital including subspecialty rounds, weekly grand rounds, and neuro-radiology rounds. The Fellow is also expected to give supervision to medical students and residents who rotate through the pediatric ophthalmology service.
Research is an important part of the fellowship and opportunities range from bench laboratory to clinical. Fellows are expected to write and submit at least one manuscript, and present at least one research paper in the Wills Eye Annual Conference. Additionally, the Fellow is encouraged to submit their research papers to local/national/international ophthalmology meetings.
REQUIREMENTS
Candidates must have completed their general ophthalmology training or be senior house officers. Candidates who have not passed all three steps of USLME and/or do not have ECFMG certification will be welcomed as observers with much clinical exposure and involvement, and receive full credit for a nonsurgical fellowship year.
TO APPLY
If you are interested in our Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellowship Program, please complete and return the following:
- A maximum one page personal statement as to why you want to do this fellowship and what you plan to do with the training once finished. Preference is shown to applicants who have a Pediatric Ophthalmologist position in advance to do so. If you have such a position, please also send a letter confirming this from your future Chair/Employer.
- Photocopy of your certificate of registration/medical license.
- Current curriculum vitae
- Photograph of yourself (not required but very helpful)
- If you have previously published (not required), a copy of the 1-2 publications of which you are most proud
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Documentation of USLME and ECFMG
All documents should be sent electronically by January 15. The recommendation letters must also be sent as hard copy on original letterhead with original signature.
Only completed applications will be considered for interviews (offered by phone if not available to attend in person – in person interviews greatly preferred). Formal language testing is not required.
For more information, please contact:
Karen Scannapieco
Administrative Assistant to Kammi Gunton, MD, Fellowship Director
Wills Eye Hospital
840 Walnut Street, Ste. 1210
Philadelphia, PA 19107-5109
Phone: 215-928-3914
Fax: 215-928-3983
Email: kscannapieco@willseye.org