The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) division of Glaucoma offers a one-year AUPO certified fellowship for glaucoma management and surgery at the Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology and Shiley Eye Institute.
The goal is to provide fellows a fundamental understanding of glaucoma pathophysiology, diagnostics, and clinical/surgical care accomplished using the most cutting-edge ophthalmic tools and advances.
The environment supports this with world-renown glaucoma leaders and next generation technological innovations to openly explore how we can continue to advance how to understand, diagnose, and treat glaucoma.
More than 180 individuals have obtained clinical and/or research training in glaucoma at the University of California, San Diego. Many of these individuals hold distinguished academic positions and are glaucoma leaders throughout the world. Other fellows have distinguished themselves in their community in clinical practice or in industry. View our UCSD Glaucoma Fellows
There is much to learn during one short year of glaucoma fellowship: clinical management and data interpretation, surgical techniques (traditional glaucoma surgery, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, and complex cataract surgery), and patient education/communication skills. When I was applying to glaucoma fellowship programs, the Shiley Eye Institute at UCSD was at the top of my list.
Under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Weinreb, a world expert in glaucoma treatment and research, as well as the rest of the glaucoma faculty, I was able to gain a strong foundation in clinical and surgical management of glaucoma. There are few programs in the country that offer training in not only traditional glaucoma surgery (particularly the art of the trabeculectomy) but also minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (angle surgery and subconjunctival filtration surgery) as well as cataract surgery. I am so grateful for the mentorship and training that I received at UCSD, and I look forward to seeing future generations of glaucoma fellows carry on the legacy of excellence.
After fellowship, I will be joining a physician-owned private practice in Portland, Oregon. There is a large population of patients with glaucoma in the area and few fellowship-trained glaucoma specialists. My fellowship training at UCSD has prepared me to provide efficient and high-quality patient-centered care in the areas of cataract, glaucoma, and comprehensive ophthalmology. I have experience with complex cataract surgery, premium intraocular lenses, and nearly all types of glaucoma surgery. I also feel prepared to learn and adopt new techniques as the landscape of glaucoma surgery evolves in the coming years.
After 10 years of medical education, I am excited for the opportunity to establish myself as a cataract and glaucoma specialist within my new community. In my free time, I hope to explore the endless hiking trails in Oregon and spend more time connecting with nature.
It is an absolute honor to be able to train under the mentorship of one of the most prominent leaders in the field, Dr. Weinreb, as well as other esteemed faculty at UC San Diego Shiley Eye Institute. The clinical and surgical experience is simply outstanding. I am beyond grateful to be able to learn such a diverse set of surgical procedures to provide the best possible care to my future patients. If I go back in time, I will again rank UCSD as my number one fellowship choice without question.
Clinical experience consists of participation in glaucoma faculty clinics as well as independent fellows’ clinics at the Shiley Eye Institute in La Jolla and at the UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest. Fellows gain surgical experience by performing independent and supervised surgery and working with faculty preceptors.
The fellow holds an appointment in the UCSD Department of Ophthalmology as Clinical Instructor. Fellows also are expected to actively participate in numerous didactic activities of the Glaucoma Division and the Department of Ophthalmology. The Glaucoma division has monthly journal clubs, lectures, and weekly resident/fellow teaching conferences. There also are weekly Departmental Grand Rounds presentations throughout the year. The fellow will work closely with residents assigned to the Glaucoma service.
In addition to clinical and surgical experiences, all fellows participate in clinical or translational research and will have the opportunity to present their findings at local, regional, and national meetings. Fellows also have the opportunity for involvement in ongoing innovative clinical trials.
Opening in 2003, the Hamilton Glaucoma Center is dedicated to clinical and translational glaucoma research. This 13,500 sq. ft. facility is adjacent to the Shiley Eye Institute. Each fellow has an office on the first floor. The first floor also has space dedicated to clinical research in glaucoma. There, the Imaging Unit at the Hamilton Glaucoma Center is one of the most technologically sophisticated and well-equipped in the world. The second floor has laboratories and additional office space. Our renowned translational science laboratories and faculty investigators are accessible to meet and discuss unmet needs inspired by glaucoma clinical care at UCSD that can lead to project planning and research.
The Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology and Shiley Eye Institute operating rooms are conveniently located on the third floor of the Shiley Eye Institute building. This allows convenient access between clinical outpatient and surgical spaces for constant and seamless patient care between the two. The OR is thoughtfully designed with a spacious waiting area and both pre- and post-op spaces conducive to efficient case turn-over as well as patient satisfaction.
Fellows should anticipate spending 1-2 days a week in the operating rooms. Fellows have a robust surgical experience with a wide variety of surgical procedures including:
· MIGS procedures (iStent, OMNI, Hydrus, trabectome, and XEN)
· Cataract and glaucoma surgery
· Trabeculectomy with and without anti-metabolite
· Glaucoma drainage device
· Laser diode cyclophotocoagulation (standard and micropulse)
Shiley Eye Institute
UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest and Ophthalmology Clinic
Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology and Shiley Eye Institute operating rooms
Hamilton Glaucoma Center with the Clinical Research Space, Glaucoma Surgical Innovations Lab and Training Center, and Fellow Offices
San Diego is known for its year-round ideal climate, averaging about 55ºF in January to 73ºF in August. This means that San Diego is an outdoor and sporting paradise where you can enjoy the sun, surf, mountains, deserts, and international flavor of our city.
Applicants for fellowship training in Glaucoma who have completed an ACGME residency in the US (and Canada, if eligible for California licensure) must register for the Ophthalmology Fellowship Match online (sfmatch.org) by submitting the required application and supplemental materials listed therein.
The deadline for this process is September 15 of the year prior to the start of the desired fellowship-training year. The fellow must be eligible for a California Medical License, as medical licensure from the California Medical Board is required (mbc.ca.gov).
International applicants for glaucoma fellowship are considered outside of the SFMatch and should contact Marlene Virgen at mvirgen@health.ucsd.edu for additional information. These positions focus on glaucoma research with an opportunity for clinical activities.
Information about diversity and inclusion is available through multiple venues. First, there are several websites available that provide information about diversity initiatives across the entire campus (diversity.ucsd.edu) and the (School of Medicine). Many departments have their own websites as well. Virtually all departments at UCSD have identified an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) ambassador, typically a faculty member who spearheads diversity-related initiatives in their areas/specialties and also collaborates with various entities across the medical school.
There are several active affinity organizations for UCSD medical students. These include:
The Association of Native American Medical Students (ANAMS)
The Asian Pacific American Medical Students Association (APAMSA)LGBTQ
Pharmacy and Medical Students (LGBTQ-PhaM)
The Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)
Medical Students for Justice (MS4J)
The Student National Medical Association (SNMA)
UCSD also offers a curricular pathway called Program in Medical Education – Health Equity (PRIME - HEq), which part of a system-wide effort at the University of California to train physicians better able to meet the needs of the diverse Californian population who are traditionally underserved by the medical system. PRIME-HEq faculty work with students to identify populations or communities at risk for health disparities. Students will then receive exposure, training, and the opportunity to work with the identified group to further their passion in the area and provide knowledge and skills to better equip the students to improve health equity for the group.
