Our joint internship (PGY-1 year) is based on a strong relationship between the  internal medicine and ophthalmology departments. The joint internship is required for our interns.

This internship will include four-week rotations on the medicine service and three four-week rotations on ophthalmology. The interview for the internship will occur along with our ophthalmology residency interview.

As an intern on the ophthalmology service, you will learn basic examination skills and be ready to take care of most simple problems and triage complex eye problems. While on the ophthalmology service, you will have no call, thus allowing you to focus on study.

The intern year will be divided into thirteen 4-week rotations:

• Two 4-week ophthalmology rotations at the Iowa City VA Medical Center, caring for patients in clinic.
• One 4-week rotations on the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics comprehensive ophthalmology service, caring for patients in clinic, the emergency department, and the inpatient units. 
• Two 4-week rotations focusing on medical imaging and emergency medicine.
• Eight 4-week rotations on the medicine service, covering the wards at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and Veterans Affairs.  Two of the eight rotations will be outpatient ambulatory medicine rotations, 1 block of rheumatology and 1 block of either general ambulatory medicine or endocrinology, during these blocks there is no call, allowing further time for study.   The objective during these rotations will be to hone your basic medical skills, including the management of inpatients.
• Three weeks of vacation over the year, two during medicine blocks and one during ophthalmology blocks

We believe there are many distinct advantages to our joint internship program:

• Providing ophthalmology experience before taking any call, will make the transition to clinic and call responsibilities smoother and more effective.
• Becoming an integrated member of our ophthalmology team early in your training.
• Avoiding multiple interviews for other intern year positions, saving time, money and stress.
• Monthly lunch lectures directed towards interns on basic, commonly encountered diagnoses in ophthalmology.
• Moving only once during residency.
• Gaining familiarity with the hospital, electronic medical record, and members of other services with whom you will be working throughout the remainder of your residency.
• Having access to our structured wet lab and EyeSi surgical simulator.
• Acquiring exposure to a broad range of available research projects that can be carried forward through your ophthalmology residency.

We are excited to offer this joint opportunity that we believe makes our program the best in the country. In the additional time in ophthalmology training, our residents will learn systems-based skills, have ample time for independent study, and learn basic ophthalmology exam and assessment skills which will put them far ahead by the time they begin their PGY-2 year.

Questions?

For questions regarding our new combined internship feel free to contact our program staff or any of our current joint IM/Ophthalmology interns:

• Pavlina Kemp, Program Director (pavlina-kemp@uiowa.edu)
• Thomas Oetting, Associate Program Director (thomas-oetting@uiowa.edu)
• Laura Pitlick, Program Coordinator (laura-pitlick@uiowa.edu)

The first year is spent in a combination of comprehensive ophthalmology service and subspecialty clinics. The year is arranged to allow the resident to acquire skills in complete ocular examination and refraction of ophthalmic patients at the UIHC Comprehensive Ophthalmology Clinic and during a 10 to 12 week rotation at the VA.

In this year, Residents also rotate through subspecialty clinics with the intent of learning some of the vocabulary, examining techniques, and equipment used in each area. There are 5 rotation blocks per year, however, some of these rotations are split between two or more services. This in the first year, the resident will spend time in the following services (See Ophthalmology Rotations page for details):

• Comprehensive Ophthalmology Clinic
• Cornea/External Disease
• Glaucoma
• Neuro-Ophthalmology
• Oculoplastics
• Ocular Pathology
• Pediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Strabismus
• Retina
• VAMC-Iowa City

  Also see about our Research Requirement in Research Training to follow.

During the second year, residents begin their surgical rotations. They have five rotations spending ten to 12 weeks in pediatric ophthalmology/strabismus, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, retina, and at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City. While on the neuro-ophthalmology rotation, residents spend one day a week on cataract surgery. They spend less time on call during this phase of the residency program and often work on their required research project and case presentations for eyerounds.org.

• Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Service
• Glaucoma Service
• Neuro-Ophthalmology Service
• Vitreoretinal Service
• VAMC-Iowa City

The third year the resident has increased clinical responsibility. This year is mostly spent with leadership and surgical experiences in the Iowa City and Des Moines VAMCs and University Comprehensive Service. Residents also train in Oculoplastics, office management, and Cornea.

Residents have a ten-week rotation in the Des Moines VAMC that includes a clinic at the affiliated Broadlawns Hospital two afternoons a week.

A rotation in office management allows the resident to begin learning the ever-changing domain of billing, coding, and compliance with federal and state regulations. This rotation takes place in our departmental Billing Office to allow residents to learn the basic coding and billing principles needed for practice in today’s health care environment. This is a split rotation, with oculoplastic surgery covered every other Friday.

• Oculoplastics/Orbital Oncology Service  
• Cornea / External Diseases and Refractive Surgery
• Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Cataract Surgery
• Veterans Affairs Medical Centers
  • VAMC Des Moines
  • VAMC Iowa City  
• International Ophthalmology Experience Option

Also see about our Research Requirement in Research Training to follow.

Rotations in Ophthalmology are ten to 12 weeks in length. Most are located at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.

Rotation Goals

• 1st year: 4 rotations at UIHC, 1 rotation at VA Iowa City
• 2nd year: 4 rotations at UIHC, 1 rotation at VA Iowa City
• 3rd year: 3 rotations at UIHC, 1 rotation at VA Iowa City, 1 rotation in Des Moines (VA and Broadlawns)

THE COMPREHENSIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY CLINIC AND CATARACT SERVICE

The Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service examines all patients desiring a general eye examination, cataract surgery, as well as those referred to the hospital because of vision problems. The university student population of over 30,000 provides a major source for routine refractions. The Comprehensive Ophthalmology Clinic provides general ophthalmic care for more than 16,000 patient visits annually. Patients are screened for specific ocular problems and, if necessary, referred to appropriate specialty services. In addition, the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Clinic provides a daytime on-call service for emergent eye problems, diagnosis, care, and consultations.

Each resident is expected to do a complete ophthalmic examination on each patient. This includes a manifest or cycloplegic refraction by retinoscopy, slit lamp biomicroscopy, gonioscopy when indicated, and direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy of the retina. Residents are expected to become thoroughly familiar with all techniques and methods of the ocular examination.

CATARACT SERVICE: One day a week during the 10-12 week Neuro-ophthalmology rotation in the second year will be spent in the Cataract Service. The resident on this service develops increasing responsibility for the care of patients before, during and after cataract surgery. They use deliberate practice of the capsulorhexis and post-surgical video formative feedback to hone their surgical skills. Residents on this service will hone their professional communication skills by helping with the preoperative, operative, and post-operative documentation on this busy service

During the third year, the resident will rotate through the comprehensive service for a ten to 12 week continuous period.  During this time, the resident develops comprehensive ophthalmologic care, evaluates and manages ophthalmic emergencies, and performs high-quality, efficient, anterior segment surgery. 

CORNEAL/EXTERNAL DISEASE AND REFRACTIVE SURGERY SERVICE

On the Corneal/External Disease and Refractive Surgery Service, residents receive extensive training in the medical and surgical management of corneal diseases, including eye banking and refractive surgery. Each resident will rotate through this service twice during their training.  The first-year resident, under the direction of the faculty, fellows, and more senior residents, are introduced to cornea and external disease examination techniques and treatment strategies, they also spend two days each week during the last five weeks of this rotation in contact lens.The third-year resident has greater responsibility in the management of patients with cornea and external diseases. In the third year, refractive surgery is done under faculty supervision. There is a one-year fellow working with residents.

CONTACT LENS SERVICE

A full-time optometrist supervises the Contact Lens Service. Under the supervision of the optometrist and optician, residents will enhance their knowledge of optics and develop an understanding of basic contact lens design and materials. During this time reisdents will experience fitting uncomplicated and cosmetic-type contact lenses, as well as post cataract surgical patients, infants as young as 2 weeks old, and others.

In the third year, the resident spends one day per week for 5 weeks in the Contact Lens Service under the guidance of a full-time optometrist. During this time, the resident continues study in the specialty of contact lens fitting and problem solving, evaluation, and dispensing of contact lenses. 

GLAUCOMA SERVICE

The Glaucoma Service provides experience with medical and surgical decision-making in the management of these patients.

The first-year resident spends time in this clinic three to five days a week for ten weeks. This initial exposure serves as the introduction to the clinical evaluation of glaucoma patients. The resident learns and performs diagnostic skills including visual fields and OCT needed for the evaluation of anterior segment disease as it pertains to glaucoma.

The second-year resident spends ten weeks managing challenging glaucoma patients. The resident does complete evaluations of new glaucoma patients and provides continuing care to patients returning for follow-up care. The resident gains experience at gonioscopy, optic nerve head examination, kinetic perimetry, and static threshold perimetry. Laser therapy for glaucoma, including Argon laser trabeculoplasty and laser peripheral iridotomy, is performed by the resident under staff supervision. Glaucoma filtering surgery and cataract surgery on patients with glaucoma are performed during this rotation. There is a one-year fellow on the Glaucoma Service.

NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY SERVICE

The Neuro-ophthalmology Service is both an outpatient clinic and an inpatient consultation service. Many patients have complex problems that require extensive evaluation. Each patient is seen by a resident or fellow and staffed by faculty. Patients requiring an in-hospital work-up are admitted to Neurology but are followed by the Neuro-ophthalmology Service. Consultations for temporal artery biopsies are handled by this service. All patients are presented to staff at the time they are seen and are then discussed during daily working rounds. Residents from Neurology and Neuro-surgery may take elective rotations in the Neuro-ophthalmology Clinic. There are usually one or two fellows in the Neuro-Ophthalmology Service.

First-year residents spend one day per week for 10 weeks on this rotation. In the second year, the rotation occupies 10-12 weeks. The second-year resident on the Neuro-op Service is also responsible for moderating morning rounds.

Residents on the Neuro-ophthalmology Service are also responsible for moderating morning rounds.

OCULOPLASTICS/ORBITAL ONCOLOGY SERVICE

The Oculoplastics Service is involved with the evaluation and management of patients with diseases of their eyelid and adnexa, lacrimal system, and orbit.

The first-year resident spends one day per week on this service for five weeks during this rotation. (The rotation is split in the first year between Cornea, Oculoplastics, Pediatrics, and Contact Lens). The resident is instructed on the techniques in the evaluation of these patients, including exposure to the interpretation of radiologic studies of the orbit. The resident is also expected to be present in the operating room for the first case on every Wednesday morning while on this rotation.

A third-year resident spends ten to 12 weeks on this service. The clinic is conducted two days per week, with the residents and fellow seeing all patients prior to examination by the staff. The third-year resident performs or assists in surgery two days per week under the direction of staff or a fellow. Faculty provide guidance in ophthalmic plastic and orbital examination techniques, diagnosis and treatment of oculoplastic/orbital disorders, pre-operative and post-operative evaluation, management of surgical patients, and surgical management of oculoplastic/orbital problems. The oculoplastics fellow spends 24 months in training. The fellowship is approved by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

OPHTHALMIC PATHOLOGY / CONSULTATION SERVICE

While on this rotation, residents perform gross examinations on tissues passing through the laboratory including whole eyes, corneal buttons, and all varieties of biopsy material. This gross examination is entirely supervised by faculty from the Division of Eye Pathology. Each resident is responsible for studying the microscopic appearances of tissues and for discussing these cases. There will be no unsupervised handling of tissues.

In the first year of residency, the afternoons of the Glaucoma-Consults/Pathology rotation are spent in the ocular pathology laboratory. Each resident is responsible for studying the microscopic appearances of tissues and for discussing these cases. Each rotation includes at least two presentations in Morning Rounds of a histopathologic clinical correlation. Residents are responsible for inpatient consultations during the work week.

PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY AND ADULT STRABISMUS SERVICE

All pediatric eye problems other than routine refractions are directed to Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus. Faculty, fellows, residents, and orthoptists examine and evaluate children and adults with motility problems. Two certified orthoptists and student orthoptists participate in the clinic. There are usually one or two postgraduate fellows on the service as well.

First-year residents spend Monday, Tuesday, and Tuesday of a second 5 week block in this clinic, Most of the first-year rotation time is spent with the orthoptists learning the basic pediatric eye exam.

An additional ten weeks on this service occurs full time in the second year. The second-year residents on the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Service work up all patients referred to the service. Surgical cases are supervised and handled by the senior attending staff, fellows, and the residents on the service.

In advance of the rotation on the Pediatric Ophthalmology Service, a study outline with pertinent references is given to each resident. At various times, topics are discussed. Reading of the prescribed outline is essential in understanding these discussions.

MEDICAL RETINA

The Medical Retina rotation introduces first-year residents to medical retinal diseases. The first-year resident is not expected to be in the operating room. Emphasis is placed on vascular disorders of the eye, diabetic retinopathy, macular disease, and retinal detachment. The resident also receives instruction on fluorescein angiography, indirect and direct ophthalmoscopy, slit lamp biomicroscopy, and diagnostic contact lens examination, and other techniques for the diagnosis of diseases of the retina and vitreous.

VISION REHABILITATION

The medical retina rotation also involves the evaluation of patients with low vision.  In the Vision Rehabilitation Service, the first-tear resident is exposed to the various vision rehabilitation aids. The work-up and rehabilitation of low vision patients is done with faculty supervision. The resident will first observe a vision rehabilitation practitioner providing vision rehabilitation services.  As the rotation progresses, the resident will perform the basis elements of the vision rehabilitation evaluation.  Following this rotation the resident will be able to evaluate the needs of individuals who are visually impaired.

VITREORETINAL SERVICE

The Vitreoretinal Service provides an opportunity for residents to gain a broad experience in disease and surgery of the retina and vitreous. The resident will be trained in the use of laser photocoagulation to treat retinal breaks and diabetic retinopathy.  Residents will receive an introduction into the theory and practical application of scatter laser treatment for diabetic proliferative disease. 

During the second year of residency, the resident becomes skilled in the use of indirect ophthalmoscopy, scleral indentation, contact lens examination of the fundus, and fluorescein angiography. They perform laser treatment on diabetic patients under faculty or fellow supervision. The quality of the resident's work-up, skill in indirect ophthalmoscopy and Goldmann lens examination, and surgical dexterity are important factors in ascertaining the resident's qualifications for this type of surgery. Faculty and fellows actively participate in resident training. Four fellows spend 24 months studying vitreoretinal diseases and surgery and ocular oncology. The vitreoretinal fellowship is staggered so that two new fellows begin each July.

VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITALS

Residents rotate through the Iowa City VA Medical Center in each of the three years of residency.

During their first-year rotation, residents share primary patient responsibility in the VA clinic with a second-and third-year resident. The first-year resident begins to work in the OR starting in the simulator and wet lab. Faculty supervise the clinic and assist the second-year residents in cataract surgery. All pre-operative patients will be examined and approved by a staff member. Subspecialty surgery is supervised by members of the appropriate service.  Faculty supervise the clinic and assist residents in surgery.

The Veterans Administration Medical Centers in Iowa City and Des Moines allows the third-year resident to supervise and run a busy outpatient clinic, with faculty supervision available promptly on request. Third-year residents spend ten to 12 weeks at the Des Moines VAMC, which includes a clinic at the affiliated Broadlawns Hospital.

• VAMC Des Moines
• VAMC Iowa City

UVEITIS

This intensive experience in a busy Uveitis Clinic takes place on 10 half-days during a 10 week rotation during the first year.  The resident develops the history-taking and examination skills to care for complex uveitis patients.  The resident learns to navigate the system of care to allow for consultation with various services and laboratory assessment to properly care for uveitis patients.

Grand rounds are held Monday through Thursday from 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. in the Braley Auditorium. All residents and staff attend unless operating or engaged in acute medical care. During rounds, residents and fellows develop their public speaking skills by making presentations. Discussion by the faculty and house staff follows each case.

The cases and discussions presented by Residents and Fellows at Grand Rounds are often further developed and published as case reports and tutorials on EyeRounds.org.

Afternoons are, in general, reserved for rotation-specific conferences. Some services such as glaucoma, cornea, neuro-ophthalmology, and pediatric ophthalmology have "chart rounds". These conferences focus on interesting patients that presented that day. Discussions center on patient care but also cover other areas such as communication, ethics, and systems based care. Other services such as retina have formal conferences, such as Fluorescein conference on Monday afternoons, and Dr. Ed Stone's molecular ophthalmology rounds on Tuesday nights.

Once a week during the academic year, didactic lectures on ophthalmology are presented. These two-hour lectures are organized to coincide with the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Basic and Clinical Sciences Course. Lectures cover most aspects of basic and clinical ophthalmology. Once every 10 weeks these sessions include a journal club covering recent journal articles in that subject area to help develop skills in practice based learning.

Six, day-long clinical conferences are held during the academic year. Clinics are closed on these days. Ophthalmologists from throughout Iowa and Illinois attend and present challenging clinical problems for discussion by faculty and guests. These meetings feature a visiting professor who presents a lecture based on his/ her research interests. The day is balanced by the presentation of a more clinically oriented topic. This conference has contributed to the excellent rapport between practicing ophthalmologists and the ophthalmology staff at the university. 

Each year in June, alumni and other members attend a two- to three-day Iowa Eye Association meeting with invited speakers and a focus on a specific subspecialty topic.

Presentations of research are made annually during the Resident/Fellow Research Conference at the end of the academic year.

Ophthalmology Upcoming Event Calendar

Duty hours are defined as all clinical and academic activities related to the program, i.e., patient care (both inpatient and outpatient), administrative duties related to patient care, the provision for transfer of patient care, time spent in-house during call activities, and scheduled academic activities such as conferences. Duty hours do not include reading and preparation time spent away from the duty site.

Duty hours must be limited to 80 hours per week, averaged over a four-week period, inclusive of all in-house call activities.

Residents must be provided with one day in 7 free from all educational and clinical responsibilities, averaged over a 4-week period, inclusive of call. One day is defined as one continuous 24-hour period free from all clinical, educational, and administrative activities.

Adequate time for rest and personal activities must be provided. This should consist of a 10-hour time period provided between all daily duty periods.

At-home call (pager call) is defined as call taken from outside the assigned institution.

• The frequency of at-home call is not subject to the every-third-night limitation. However, at-home call must not be so frequent as to preclude rest and reasonable personal time for each resident. Residents taking at-home call must be provided with one day in 7 completely free from all educational and clinical responsibilities, averaged over a 4-week period.
• When residents are called into the hospital from home, the hours residents spend in-house are counted toward the 80-hour limit.

The program director and the faculty must monitor the demands of at-home call in their programs and make scheduling adjustments as necessary to mitigate excessive service demands and/or fatigue. Residents should report time spent at hospital after 2:00 AM to the Program Director or Program Coordinator the next morning and will most likely be released at noon to avoid fatigue related errors.

Weekend Call Duties

The weekend on-call residents have the same responsibilities as weekday call. Additionally, any patient scheduled for admission or work-up on the weekend is the resident's responsibility. If an operative permit is required, it will be explained to the patient by the surgical team who will come in to the hospital to examine the patient and answer the patient's questions. Any questions about weekend patients should be directed to the senior resident on call or the appropriate service.

The second call physician (a senior resident) will be available to the first call resident for consultation. In addition, he or she will decide, after clearing it with the senior staff member on call, when and if emergency operations should be done. No surgery is to be performed without approval of the senior faculty. Intraocular trauma or orbit cases may only be performed in the presence of a senior faculty member. The senior resident must be available by telephone at all times. The senior resident is required to come in to see any patient on whom the "First Call" resident requests consultation.

Finally, there are four "Senior Staff Call" lists. 1) The senior staff member on general call will be consulted by the third-year resident and will be contacted before any patient is admitted to the hospital or before an operation is planned. 2) The senior staff retina call list is made up of members of the Vitreoretinal Service, who will assist in handling posterior segment trauma and retinal detachments. 3) The Oculoplastic Service covers the plastic call and assists in any problems involving trauma to the lids, adnexae, and orbit. 4) The Neuro-ophthalmology on call staff. The senior staff members also have pagers.

No operation may be performed without the consent and assistance of the senior staff member.

Research Training

Each ophthalmology resident and fellow is expected to complete a research project based on clinical or laboratory experience. Research is usually performed within the department, but can take place in another department or, occasionally, at another institution. The research interests of the faculty are varied, and many projects are in progress. Presentations of research are made annually during the Resident/Fellow Research Conference at the end of the academic year. The P.J. Leinfelder Award is given annually by a faculty committee to the fellow who has made the most significant contributions in preparing and delivering their research.

Research in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

The Carver College of Medicine is internationally recognized for its excellence and leadership in biomedical research. Among public medical schools, the College of Medicine ranks 11th in NIH funding in both the number of grants and total grant dollars per research faculty in public medical schools. In 2013, Stephen A. Wynn made a $25 million gift to the University of Iowa and the Institute for Vision Research continues to garner philanthropic funding for its ground-breaking research.

Carver College of Medicine faculty have been awarded approximately half of the University's total research funding and more than 80 percent of its National Institutes of Health funding. The University of Iowa is at the forefront among research universities in this country, and its contribution has been nationally recognized by such eminent authorities as the Carnegie Foundation, which classified The University of Iowa as having "very high research activity" among research universities.

The Laboratory for Disease Gene Discovery (LDGD), directed by Val C. Sheffield, MD, PhD, has as its primary goal the identification and characterization of genes involved in hereditary human disease with special emphasis placed on the study of hereditary retinopathies including age-related macular degeneration. The main strategies used by the laboratory are the use of genetic mapping methods and genomic resources to identify disease genes based on their position within the genome and/or putative function. The LDGD has developed thousands of highly polymorphic human genetic markers and novel genetic mapping methods to aid in the efficient mapping of disease loci. In collaboration with the MOL, the LDGD has succeeded in the mapping of over thirty human disease loci, and the identification of ten disease-causing genes including genes involved in glaucoma, macular degeneration and syndromic retinopathies (Bardet-Biedl Syndrome).

The Iowa Glaucoma Center, directed by Dr. Wallace L.M. Alward, researches the causes of glaucoma and develops tools to aid in diagnosis and treatment.

The Glaucoma Genetics Laboratory, directed by John Fingert, MD, PhD, is dedicated to identifying these genes and investigating their role in the development of disease with the ultimate goal of preventing vision loss by improving diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

The Glaucoma Cell Biology Laboratory, directed by Markus Kuehn, PhD, is located in the Medical Education and Research Facility. The goal of this laboratory is to determine the molecular events that lead to retinal ganglion cell death in a variety of retinal diseases. While the research focus is glaucoma, the lab is also investigating ganglion cell death in retinal ischemia and other optic neuropathies, such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

The Chorioretinal Degenerations Laboratory is directed by Rob Mullins, PhD. The major focus of this laboratory is to understand the cellular and molecular basis of macular diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), central serous retinopathy and Best vitelliform macular degeneration.

The laboratory is exploring the role of the choroid in the development of AMD and other diseases. It is also looking at the pathogenesis of other macular diseases including Best disease, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Leber congenital amaurosis, retinitis pigmentosa, uveitis, and other acquired and inherited diseases of the retina.  It utilizes animal models, human donor eyes, cell culture approaches, biochemical methods and genetic resources unique to the Carver Family Center for Macular Degeneration to approach this problem.

The Iowa Visual Field Reading Center is directed by Michael Wall, MD. The University of Iowa Visual Field Reading Center was established to provide clinicians and researchers a means to quickly access and evaluate both raw and processed visual field data and to provide timely feedback to researchers, clinicians, and patients. The Center is located at the Oakdale Research and Technology Innovation Campus.

Research in Gene Therapy for eye diseases is under the auspices of Stephen R. Russell, MD and Arlene V. Drack, MD. The University of Iowa is a leader in finding genetic causes of common and uncommon eye diseases such as Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA).  Under the Carver Family Center for Macular Degeneration in the Department of Ophthalmology Institute for Vision Research, Drs. Russell and Drack are collaborating with pioneer gene therapists at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to treat children blind from birth with Leber’s congenital amaurosis. In addition, Drs Drack and Russell are investigating gene replacement therapies and gene directed therapies in mice for other inherited retinal conditions.

Stem Cell Research for retinal, eye and related diseases is directed by Budd Tucker, PhD. New to the UI in 2010, Dr. Tucker’s research on combining state-of-the-art patient-specific stem cell and biodegradable tissue engineering technologies for the treatment of blinding retinal degenerative diseases has earned a 2010 National Institutes of Health Director's New Innovator Award.

Computer-Aided Diagnosis. Dr. Michael Abramoff and coworkers have established large retinal imaging networks in the Midwest of the United States and the Netherlands, with widespread networks of retinal cameras connected through the internet to the University of Iowa, for screening of diabetic retinopathy. The research combines clinical ophthalmology, visual neuroscience, and bioinformatics to study the phenotypes and genotypes of diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Many of our faculty are investigators for the Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss at the Iowa City Veterans Administration Medical Center. Investigators: Randy Kardon, MD, PhD; Michael D. Abramoff, MD, PhD; Chris A. Johnson, PhD; Markus Kuehn, PhD; Young H. Kwon, MD, PhD; Thomas A. Oetting, MD; Milan Sonka, PhD; Michael Wall, MD.

See additional information at The University of Iowa Institute for Vision Research. The IVR supports and coordinates the vision research activities of nine existing research units at the University of Iowa.  

Each ophthalmology resident and fellow is expected to complete a research project based on clinical or laboratory experience. Research is usually performed within the department, but can take place in another department or, occasionally, at another institution. The research interests of the faculty are varied, and many projects are in progress. Presentations of research are made annually during the Resident/Fellow Research Conference at the end of the academic year. The P.J. Leinfelder Award is given annually by a faculty committee to the fellow who has made the most significant contributions in preparing and delivering their research.

The University of Iowa provides a global perspective. Ophthalmology Residents have an opportunity to participate in an international training experience during their third year of training. This experience exposes residents to different health care systems around the world and helps shape practice and career choices. In some cases, residents travel with Iowa alumni on global health and mission trips. Our residents have traveled to places such as Nigeria, Philippines, India, Peru and the Dominican Republic.

By the Numbers

• Number of residents accepted each year: 6
• ACGME approved residents for our training program: 16
• Length of Residency: 3 years
• Graduates who go on to fellowships: 54%  
• Faculty Members who train Ophthalmology residents: 28

Required rotations

• 1st and 2nd year: four of five 10-12 week rotations are scheduled at University of Iowa Hospital
• One rotation annually is at the VAMC, Iowa City
• 3rd year: one of five rotations is in Des Moines at the VA Medical Center

Benefits

• Competitive Stipends
• Comprehensive medical, dental, hospitalization and pharmacy benefits for residents/fellows and their dependents
• Vacation each year: 3 weeks

Board Certification Requirements

• Visit the American Board of Ophthalmology for specifics on board certification requirements

Contact Us

Laura Pitlick, Resident Program Coordinator
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1091
319-353-8585
e-mail: laura-pitlick@uiowa.edu

Accreditation of Ophthalmology training PROGRAMS is provided by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The ACGME sets general requirements for all residency training programs as well as special requirement and prerequisite information for each specialty. These requirements are enforced by the various Residency Review Committees (RRC). For additional information visit www.acgme.org. 

 ACGME-accredited programs in ophthalmology must be 36 months in length.

Certification of INDIVIDUALS trained in Ophthalmology is provided by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO). To be eligible for examination you must have satisfactorily completed 12 months of broad clinical training (PGY-1) and a formal residency training program in Ophthalmology of at least 36 months (some programs require 48 months). All training must be in accredited programs in the U.S. or in Canada. It is possible that a State Licensing Board will give you credit for foreign training, whereas the ABO will not. You should check with the ABO about this before you enter the match or start your training.

The Board Certification process must be completed not more than 6 years after your training. All Certificates require completion of a designated renewal program every 10 years. For more detailed information visit the American Board of Ophthalmology's website at www.abop.org.