The UCSD Fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is a 24-month fellowship sponsored by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS). The goal of this fellowship is to provide the fellow in depth exposure to all aspects of functional, reconstructive and aesthetic ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery.
The first year will consist of extensive experience in ophthalmic plastic, reconstructive and orbital surgery. The fellow will have graduated responsibilities in both the clinics and in surgery in a tertiary academic care setting.
Clinics are located at the UCSD Shiley Eye Institute, UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest and the San Diego VA Medical Center. Surgery is performed at the Shiley Eye Institute, UCSD Hillcrest Hospital, UCSD Thornton Hospital, San Diego VA Medical Center and Children’s Hospital. The fellow is an integral part of the surgical team at all sites and will primarily staff the VA Oculoplastics Service.
Several specialty clinics add to the experience. The fellow participates in the UCSD Thyroid Eye Center clinic, a multidisciplinary clinic staffed by ophthalmic plastics, strabismus, and neuro-ophthalmology specialists and the monthly multidisciplinary Craniofacial Clinic at Children’s Hospital.
During the second year, the fellow will have the opportunity to gain additional experience in craniofacial surgery, plastic surgery, dermatology, Moh’s surgery, head and neck surgery, and neuroradiology. The elective experience can be tailored to suit the fellow’s interests and desires.
The fellowship integrates three types of learning experiences to prepare the fellow for practice in either an academic or private setting. The three types of experience are:
Clinical and surgical anatomy is stressed. A cadaver dissection and practical surgery session provides the fellow with an anatomic foundation prior to being the primary surgeon on complex orbital cases.
The fellow will hold an appointment in the UCSD Department of Ophthalmology as Clinical Instructor and will be an integral part of teaching in the UCSD Department of Ophthalmology and Division of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The fellow will actively participate in grand rounds, clinical seminars, journal clubs, and lectures to the residents and will work closely with the resident who is assigned to the oculoplastics service. The fellow will also participate in the annual UCSD Wet Lab for residents.
The fellow co-directs a bimonthly Clinico-Pathological Conference with the ophthalmic pathologist to discuss interesting cases from the oculplastics service.Research is encouraged and expected of all fellows.
The fellow is expected to complete and publish a thesis in accordance with the ASOPRS guidelines for fellowship and society membership. In addition to the thesis, the fellow is encouraged to participate in several other research projects within the division and to present these findings at Annual AAO and ASOPRS meetings. The fellow will additionally participate in the Annual Shiley Eye Institute Resident, Fellow and Alumni Day.
Don O. Kikkawa, MD is the primary preceptor and Bobby Korn, MD, PhD and Catherine Y. Liu, MD, PhD are associate preceptors. Dr. Kikkawa is Division Chief of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at UCSD and Director of the Fellowship.
Additional associate preceptors include:
Asa Morton, MD - Private Practice San Diego
Arthur Perry, M.D. - Private Practice La Jolla
The fellow will spend the majority of time at UCSD with Dr. Kikkawa and Dr. Korn. All preceptors are committed to teaching and providing the fellow with the best learning experience possible.
Marissa K. Shoji, MD is an ASOPRS Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery Fellow at Shiley Eye Institute at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
Dr. Shoji grew up in Massachusetts and attended Harvard for college, where she conducted neurobiology research that was awarded the Thomas T. Hoopes Prize, ran on the varsity cross country and track teams, and graduated magna cum laude with highest honors in neurobiology. She subsequently attended Harvard Medical School, where she was involved in ophthalmology research, mentoring, and community service, and graduated with honors.
She completed her ophthalmology residency at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute,
the number one ranked hospital for ophthalmology, where she continued to excel and received numerous accolades including the Suturing Skills Competition Champion, Outstanding OKAP Award, Lee Family Community Service Award, Resident Teaching Award, and Unsung Hero Award.
She was selected among candidates nationwide to receive the Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award and recently received the extremely prestigious Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellowship Award (awarded to the most promising and exceptional ophthalmologists).
Dr. Shoji’s clinical interests include aesthetic and reconstructive oculofacial surgery, thyroid eye disease and orbital inflammation, craniofacial disorders involving the eyelids and orbits, orbital vascular malformations, and periorbital and orbital tumors. She is passionate about providing the highest quality of patient care while also conducting research to advance understanding
and treatment for vision-threatening periorbital and orbital disease.
Her research includes a multitude of translational research projects and clinical studies, including randomized controlled trials. She has presented her research at multiple national meetings and has authored more than 28 peer-reviewed publications, including in JAMA Ophthalmology, American Journal of Ophthalmology, Translational Vision Science & Technology, Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, and Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
In addition to patient care and research, Dr. Shoji enjoys mentoring and teaching residents and medical students in the operating room and clinic as well as leading surgical skills sessions. Outside of work, she enjoys running, community service, spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants, and watching Boston sports, especially the Patriots and Bruins.
Letter from America: Orbit and oculoplastic fellowship, University of California, San Diego. By Richard L Scawn
Dr. Kikkawa and the oculoplastics fellows (Dr. Shoji and Dr. Al-Sharif) along with visiting international and UCSD residents on a hike in San Diego.
For more information, please email
Jasmine Herndon, jnherndon@health.ucsd.edu
Oculoplastics Division Administrator
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.
