Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellowship

The Fellowship Program in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at the University of Minnesota is a one year program beginning in July.  It is approved by the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.  There are three full-time Board-certified faculty members in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus who are actively involved in fellowship training.  In addition, the service is complimented by two certified orthoptists and a research scientist who supports clinical studies in pediatric ophthalmology.

The Minnesota Lions Children's Eye Clinic at the University of Minnesota has over 5,900 patient visits each year.  Drs. Jill Anderson, Erick Bothun, Stephen Christiansen, and C. Gail Summers staff the clinics at the University.  The service is unique in that it provides a broad spectrum of care in pediatric ophthalmology, including congenital cataracts, ptosis, glaucoma, and lacrimal problems.  In addition, the clinical exposure includes ocular oncology and orbital pathology in children.  A wide variety of pediatric and adult strabismus is also seen, including re-operations, muscle palsies, and thyroid ophthalmopathy. The fellow plays an active role in both the clinical and surgical aspects of the program.  In addition, there is one second-year ophthalmology resident assigned to the Pediatric Ophthalmology Service.  Approximately 400 surgical cases are performed on the service each year, and the fellow actively participates in the more complicated strabismus cases and the intraocular pediatric cases and is the primary surgeon in the vast majority.

Subspecialty clinics are part of the training program.  The Genetics Eye Clinic schedules a wide variety of inherited eye problems in children.  Pigment Clinic is focused on patients with albinism.  In addition, the service conducts a bimonthly Consultation Clinic where patients with interesting and complex problems in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus are examined and discussed.  Pediatric ophthalmologists from the community routinely attend this clinic.  This is followed by a service-specific journal club.

Two research projects are required of the fellow each year.  Possible projects will be discussed with the fellow upon acceptance into the program.  The fellow should plan to complete these research projects in order to present them at local or national meetings.  In addition, the fellow takes responsibility for some of the resident and medical school teaching.  Several conferences in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus are conducted each year, and the fellow is expected to participate in the lecture schedule.