Mission
The Department of Ophthalmology offers a two-year Vitreoretinal Fellowship that is both AUPO and ASRS compliant. The focus of this Fellowship is to evaluate, diagnose, and medically or surgically manage vitreoretinal diseases. The Retina Fellows work very closely with the Retina Faculty and Retina Resident as part of the “Retina Team” to run the Service.
For more information, view and download the Fellowship Brochure
Contact Information
Vitreoretinal Fellowship Director
Seenu M. Hariprasad, MD
Email: retina@uchicago.edu
Phone: 773-702-3671
Applying for the Vitreoretinal Fellowship
Please visit SF Match. Follow the instructions on the website to complete the general CAS application. Once your application is received by our Fellowship Coordinator, you will receive further instructions regarding the submission of supplemental materials. We will only begin consideration of your application when it is complete.
Application Deadline: August 31
The first year of the Fellowship is primarily devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of vitreoretinal disease and ROP. The first-year Fellow gets extensive hands on experience in the operating room with specialists Drs. Seenu Hariprasad and Dimitra Skondra. Rotations in this year consist of retina clinics at the University of Chicago along with the private practice retina service at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center. Additionally, the first-year Fellow spends time under the tutelage of Drs. Sarah Hilkert-Rodriguez and Michael Blair, learning the diagnosis and management of complex pediatric vitreoretinal pathology.
During the first year, the Fellow is expected to become facile with retina laser treatment for a wide breadth of vitreoretinal pathology. Intravitreal injections, cryopexy of peripheral retinal pathology and other basic procedures are mastered. Additionally, the first-year Fellow will have ample opportunity to learn basic vitreotomy technique, endolaser and tractional and rhematogenous retinal detachment repair. Diagnostic and treatment modalities available include fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, new generation OCT, ICG, A-and B-scan ultrasonography, electrophysiological testing, PASCAL and micropulse lasers. Opportunities are provided for ample experience in each of these areas.
The first-year Fellow is strongly encouraged to spend time in clinical research. Although there is no block research time, opportunities exist for involvement in clinical research projects and travel to national meetings. Fellows are encouraged to produce several manuscripts during each year of the Fellowship; additionally, Fellows are listed as sub-investigators on clinical trials.
During the second year of the Fellowship, in addition to the expectations outlined above, the Fellow has the opportunity to assume primary responsibility for the management and treatment of complex vitreoretinal pathology in the clinic and OR. The Fellows are expected to continue research started during the first year, present data at national meetings, and submit research for publication.
The Fellows attend several meetings which include: AVTT, Retina Society, Rabb Retina Study Club, Fellows Forum, and the Chicagoland Midwest Retina Update. ASRS, AAO and ARVO attendance is dependent on presentation of a research project.
Since 2005, we have been proud to be a part of numerous large national and international clinical trials. Recently, we have opened a new state of the art clinical trials research center. All of our fellows are sub-investigators in each of our clinical trials. Below is a partial list of past and current clinical trials that we are investigators in:
- Alimera C 01-05-001
- Alimera DME Studies
- Allergan DME
- Allergan MEAD DME Studies
- Eyeguard Uveitis Studies
- Genentech BRAVO
- Genentech CRUISE
- Genentech HARBOR
- Genentech HORIZON
- Genentech SHORE
- Pfizer DEGAS
- Pfizer LPath
- Santen Sakura Uveitis Study
- XOMA
