Connecting Ophthalmologists from Around the World to Achieve Eye Health for Everyone
Connecting Ophthalmologists from Around the World to Achieve Eye Health for Everyone
Home Country: Pakistan
Fellowship Location: Innsburck, Austria
Subspecialty: Vitreo-Retinal Diseases
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nikolaos Bechrakis
Sponsor: CBM
About my fellowship experience:
…I was remained attached with my supervisor the whole duration of my fellowship and I observed and discussed my clinical cases in OPD‘S. I used to participate in clinical rounds of admitted patients and journal club discussions with my supervisor and other consultants once a week, specially focused on retinal cases. I examined patients in clinics by my own and I was assistant surgeon in the operation theater, in my opinion I have met my aims in a good way in this short three months fellowship. As a whole my Professor is an excellent surgeon and a very good teacher, also the department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Innsbruck is excellent. In my remarks this was a wonderful experience and I am very thankful for the ICO and CBM for offering me this opportunity…
Home Country: Nigeria
Fellowship Location: Hanusch Eye Clinic, Vienna, Austria
Subspecialty: Glaucoma
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Oliver Findl and Dr. Karl Rigal
Sponsor: Austrian Ophthalmological Society
About my fellowship experience:
…I attended the doctors morning brief meeting with the Professor of the department with a weekly clinical meeting on Wednesdays where different clinical topics are discussed. I presented Ophthalmology in Nigeria in one of the meetings.
I observed Dr Rigal see all the patients for glaucoma surgical procedures preoperatively, observed all the surgeries, post operative reviews of patients till discharge home. I was in the operating theatre for all the glaucoma surgeries at least thrice weekly. I attended daily Glaucoma Ambulanz(clinic) with the Specialist Fellow or Dr Rigal. I also attended the laser procedures for glaucoma
I learnt how to operate the OCT and take OCT of RNFL/Macula. I also had periodic assessment/review of casenotes/cvf/oct/gdx with Dr Rigal.
In all, I was able to achieve ALL my set out goals… I attended the European glaucoma society meeting in Nice with my supervisor & specialist fellow. It was a good time of learning and meeting more people in the glaucoma subspecialty from all over the world.
In all, it was a worthwhile training and I appreciate Austrian Ophthalmological society for their sponsorship and the ICO for this fellowship program which allows a cross cultural/international practice exposure…
Home Country: Donetsk, Ukraine
Fellowship Location: Justus Liebig University, Dept. of Ophthalmology in Giessen, Germany
Subspecialty: Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Birgit Lorenz
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
…I am very grateful to Prof. Dr. Med. Birgit Lorenz and the whole staff of the Department of Ophthalmology of Justus-Liebig University in Giessen for the pleasant and welcoming acceptance during my three-month Fellowship period. I would like to note the high professionalism of the doctors with whom I had been working during the whole period of the observership:Prof. Dr. med. Birgit Lorenz, Prof. Dr. med. Michael Graef, Dr. med. Frank Weinand, Dr. med. Monika Andrassi-Darida, Dr. med. Christoph Friedburg, Dr. med. Werner Schmidt, Dr. med. Klaus-Heiko Wassill. The colleagues I worked with on daily basis accepted me very well and made my stay at their department very pleasant.
I strongly feel that the Fellowship will facilitate both my short and long term career aspirations. During my observation I have enhanced my clinical expertise in addition to expending my practical skills in management of patients with different congenital diseases of eye, various types of strabismus and neuroophthalmological pathology. I intend to introduce the gained knowledge into every day practice in my department.
I would like to note, that ICO Fellowship Program is an unique opportunity for young ophthalmologist to upgrade there knowledge and professional skills and to find new networking possibilities in the ophthalmology world…
Home Country: Ethopia
Fellowship Location: Wheaton Eye Clinic in Wheaton, Illinois, USA
Subspecialty: Glaucoma
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Richard G. Gieser
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
…This fellowship training gave me ample opportunities to upgrade my clinical knowledge/skills, my knowledge about technological advancement in medicine and its utilization, leadership skills and eye clinic management; and also to know the socio-cultural aspect of the United States of America and make networking with people and institutions of developed countries…
…The experience I got will have an immense positive impact in my personal knowledge and skills in the field, and be good clinician, leader and manager…
Home Country: Myanmar
Fellowship Location: Ludwig-Maximilians-University Eye Clinic, Munich, Germany
Subspecialty: Vitreo-Retinal Diseases
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Anselm Kampik
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
During my training period at Ludwig-Maximilians-University and at Herzog-Carl-Theodor-Clinic I had the chance to learn about administrative and operating proceedures of hospitals, operating theatre set ups, duties and responsibilities of each and every staff at the hospital…
…For my home institution, with the immense knowledge and skills, aquired from the fellowship training I will be able to share my experiences to my peers and my juniors as well as to improve my services by providing effective care to my VR patients thus help reducing the blindness rate in Myanmar which in turn would upgrade the status of our ophthalmological society.
Home Country: Egypt
Fellowship Location: Saarland University Hospital, Dept. of Ophthalmology in Homburg/Saar, Germany
Subspecialty: Cornea & External Diseases
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Berthold Seitz and Dr. Karin Bruckner
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
…I am very thankful for the ICO Fellowship program that gave me this chance to join Prof. Dr. Berthold Seitz and to learn from his great science in Cornea… …I was lucky to be taught by Prof. Dr. Berthold Seitz his technique with amniotic membrane called the „Sandwich Technique“ which had remarkable results regarding patients with resistent corneal ulcers. In addition to this Prof. Dr. Berthold Seitz was kind enough to make me join him in the Excimer Laser keratoplasty surgeries and taught me the proper suturing technique. I was impressed by the system that was implemented in Saarland University Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, and this is one of the major goals that I would like to implement back home…. I also gained a lot of knowledge about Cornea Banks and hope that we can have a Cornea Bank in Egypt to help in its setup according to international standards…
Home Country: Iraq
Fellowship Location: Ahmedabad, India
Subspecialty: Cataract Surgery
Host and Supervisor: Dr. Abhay Vasavada
Sponsor: Jamjoom Pharma
About my fellowship experience:
“No words can describe my thanks to Vasavada sir, Harsha mam and all in REH, especially Ms Zankhana, for their continuous kind help in everything.
Vasavada sir helped me not only in phaeco training, in all ophthalmological diseases management. This was something I could not learn by my own, but your encouragement in practice and extra help made me realize that ophthalmological surgeries not a scaring problem that i should avoid . Without this encouragement, I would have never succeeded in my field.
Your patience and understanding, and most of all, your ability to listen to me and value my thoughts and feelings had a deep impact on me.”
Home Country: Mali
Fellowship Location: The New York eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City, USA
Subspecialty: Oculoplastics
Host and Supervisor: Prof Robert Ritch and Prof. David DellaRocca
About my fellowship experience:
…I had the opportunity to be among the world leaders in oculoplastics domain with the latest technology.
The ICO’s generosity will mark a very big impact in the life of 15 million people since I’m the first in Mali who received training in oculoplastics. The ICO’s help will greatly influence the care of patients. I’m very happy and confident despite the immensity of my mission. It has already had much impact in the world, but would be special in Mali.
Home Country: Bangladesh
Fellowship Location: Dr. Rajendra Prasad Center for Ophthalmic Sciences at AIIMS, New Delhi, India
Subspecialty: Vitreo-Retinal Diseases
Host and Supervisor: Host: Prof. Rajvardhan Azad and Prof. Y.R. Sharma, Supervisor: Prof. Atul Kumar
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
…I am pleased with the training I have received at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Center for Ophthalmic Sciences, a well as the invaluable learning experience this institute has made available to me. This fellowship has developed scaffold for my Retina Foundation. I strongly believe that people of my country will get advanced level of patient care from my knowledge and skills which I have received from this institution. I have dreams of getting into research on higher level of management of vitreo-retinal diseases to cope up surgical skills which are developing days by day. Once again I offer my sincerest thanks to your generous support…
Home Country: Nepal
Fellowship Location: Gunma, Japan
Subspecialty: Vitreo-Retinal Diseases
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Shoji Kishi
Sponsor: ICO – Yasuo Tano Fellowship
About my fellowship experience:
..I got a chance to aquantise with new technologies in the diagnosis and management of Vitreo retinal disease which I think I will not able to see for another decades in my country….
…Besides I am also very much impressed by hardworking, friendliness and hospitality of the japanese people….
…I was very busy in hospital in my working hours but on holidays I used to visit nice places in Japan and also used to study very recent journals in library.
after returning back now I find myself more confident than before in diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases…
…Currently we have no such collaboration with Gunma hospital but I am in constant touch with Prof. Kishi and other senior ophthalmologists of Gunma via e mail. We are planning collaborations in future…
Home Country: Georgia
Fellowship Location: The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City, USA
Subspecialty: Glaucoma
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Robert Ritch and Dr. Celso Tello
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
…I am especially grateful to Dr. Celso Tello who supervised me at the hospital, never hesitated to answer questions, gave precious advises, always called to show interesting cases.
ICO keeps on giving us opportunities to participate in different events. Recently I was honored to be a reviewer for WOC 2016 glaucoma abstracts. This was a very interesting experience for me. The Council has a great mission to help develop ophthalmology worldwide. The fellowship has greatly influenced my professional development and career and I am grateful to everyone who made it possible!…
Home Country: Kazakhstan
Fellowship Location: Nagoya City University Hospital, Dept. of Ophthalmology in Nagoya, Japan
Subspecialty: Vitreo-Retinal Diseases
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Yuichiro Ogura
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
During my first excursion I noted that Nagoya City University Hospital is modern and has very good maintenance facilities. I had opportunities to take a part in both clinical and research activities of ophthalmological department. During rounds in in-patient department Professor Y. Ogura made very valuable remarks and corrections of diagnostic and treatment…
..It was very interesting for me to take a part in Case conference where patients were discussed before surgery and senior residents prepare their report in English! I would like to thank all residents for it. This helped me to understand the clinical approach, differential diagnosis and the methods of treatment of different pathologies…
…My expectations were absolutely met. I am very glad that I had got to know Prof. Y. Ogura and department staff. That was a very good experience for my professional skills and I could receive answers to plenty of questions I had before. I hope that I will be able to use this knowledge in my country. I got a lot of new friends, and I am very happy with this fact.
Home Country: Russia
Fellowship Location: The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Dept. of Ophthalmology in New York City, USA
Subspecialty: Glaucoma
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Robert Ritch
Sponsor: Mr. Joseph M. Cohen
About my fellowship experience:
I was in clinic 5 days a week. I had contact with a lot of patients with different types of glaucoma. Several times a week I visited an operating room and learned many different glaucoma surgery techniques. I learned a lot of about examination of the glaucoma patients. I was taught how to measure the IOP with Goldman tonometry, so when I come back home I will be able to train our doctors how to use it. I was shown how to interpret an OCT, VF and so on, how to follow up the patient. I did some gonioscopy, discoscopy by myself. During this study I visited AAO meeting in Chicago and the Glaucoma Foundation, the 19 Annual International Think Tank in New York. It was great!!!
Home Country: Pakistan
Fellowship Location: Hanusch-Clinic, Dept. of Ophthalmology in Vienna, Austria
Subspecialty: Glaucoma
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Oliver Findl and Dr. Karl Rigal
Sponsor: The Fred Hollows Foundation
About my fellowship experience:
Thanks to the ICO Fellowships Board for providing such a wonderful academic opportunity. My objective was to learn the difficulties in Glaucoma diagnosis and management. I learnt at what time and how to use and interpret the state of the art diagnostic tools. Dr. Karl Rigal constantly provided me the interpretation of the diagnostic tests, involved me to many glaucoma surgical proceedures including laster proceedures with excellent description of each and every step. His colleague Dr. Ana Prinz was likewise cooperative with me explaining the diagnostic and therapeutic steps. In Hanusch-Clinic every slit lamp and microscope has teaching aids that facilitated me in learning. Every day starts with morning meetings for case discussions, presentations and journal clubs.
With other fellows I got the chance to meet Prof. Veit-Peter Gabel, Director for ICO Fellowship, at Carl Zeiss Meditec AG as we were invited there for a day tour at the company.
After accomplishing my objectives I am in a better position to facilitate learning of my students and residents particularily about diagnosis of glaaucoma. The recording of findings and followup of patients will be improved and I hope overall management of our patients will improve. I will keep myself remain in physicians and public awareness programsabout Glaucoma. The ICO Fellowship Program is bringing communities together.
Home Country: Georgia
Fellowship Location: Homburg/Saar, Germany
Subspecialty: Cornea & External Diseases
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Berthold Seitz
Sponsor: The Fred Hollows Foundation
About my fellowship experience:
It is a great honor for me to have received the ICO fellowship this year. It is a wonderful and very enriching experience for me to come to Homburg Eye Clinic.
Here I can observe and actively learn the various latest techniques of Corneal Surgery. I am also actively involved in the research projects of the Cornea Clinic too
It is great value addition for me and ofcourse for my country .
I am grateful to the ICO Fellowship Board and The Fred Hollows Foundation for this wonderful opportunity.
Home Country: Georgia
Fellowship Location: Raghudeep Eye Clinic in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Subspecialty: Cataract Surgery
Host and Supervisor: Dr. Abhay Vasavada and Dr. Harsha Tripathi
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
..And now I`m here in ancient country, from where the civilization spreads to the rest of the world. Oh, yes! History repeats! Now days Dr. Abbey Vasavada has created unique ophthalmologic center where practice and science go side by side and both work on creation of kindness to the world. It`s invisible, fantastic energy, which is surrounded this clinic and since you enter in – you become a part of it. It`s really magic! From the first step in the Dr. Vasavada`s clinic I felt such a warm and friendly greetings from the staff….
…(…) during two weeks in the evenings I’ve had possibility of wetlab on the human eyes. At the same time, every day I was in both branches of the clinic, where 15-20 operations were conducted. exactly here every day, I had the opportunity to perform surgery. Step by step, day by day, during the short period I reached my aim. Isn`t magic! All grades of all forms of cataracts were offered for me. Dr. Harsha Tripathi as an angel-guardian was conducted my surgery. Now, at the end of my three month fellowship I`m able to perform independently phacoemulsification with IOL implantation…
… Except my practical education Dr. Vasavada and his colleagues had organized theoretical part of the fellowship. Every month I was attended at the different ophthalmologic international symposiums in Ahmedabad. Also, I want to mark his weekly workshops at the clinic, where young and senior doctors were discussing different topics and studies most of them done by themselves. And Dr. Vasavada`s rich library was out of my expectations, where I had free access…
… So it`s really “I”n”C”redible “O”utcome! I hope I`ll implement all my practical skills in my home country and I`ll be happy to share my success with you…
Home Country: Indonesia
Fellowship Location: Juntendo University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan
Subspecialty: Vitreo-Retinal Diseases
Host and Supervisor: Prof. Akira Murakami and Prof. Ebihara
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
…I went to inward patients, dping examination pre-operative and post-operative together with the doctors… have been an asistant in several cases and after the surgery been done I had some discussions related to the cases or else the techniques that have been applied to the patient…I went to the outpatient clinic to learn diagnostic imaging technique and discussed the cases. It has been a great time also that during lunch time all mentors got together to have lunch and discussions. The other great opportunity was that I had the chance to do the labratory experiments under guidance, looking at a DNA mutation of a gene to find any mutation-related-heriditary retinal disease… I have learned about the culture, the way they work everyday in hospital, how to create the safety doctor-patient environment. I was making a lot of new friends with all doctors, got well integrated, having a good relationship with them. I hope that I will be able to apply all that I have learned in my home country.
Home Country: Latvia
Fellowship Location: The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary , Dept. of Ophthalmology in New York City, USA
Subspecialty: Oculoplastics
Host and Supervisor: Prof. David Della Rocca
Sponsor: ICO
About my fellowship experience:
As I mentioned in my application materials, it was very important to me to learn more about oculoplastics and to see how it works in different hospital. I’ve heard a lot about how much experience can get young doctors when they are in other hospital and work with different doctors in their specialty. And it is true. I have never got so many benefits in such a short period of time.
I will never forget the time I spent with Dr. David Della Rocca and Dr. Robert Della Rocca. They are excellent doctors and perfect teachers. Every single day, when we worked together was very interesting and dynamic. Every evening I would think out a lot of questions and next day my teachers would always find time to answer all of them.
I learned a lot not only in operating room, but in their office and outpatient department also. Now I have new ideas how to speak and how to examine a patient.
I had really a great time in New York and I can not fully express my feelings about this unique opportunity to study in New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. I will definitely use all the knowledge I gained in my future career.
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