Fellowship program director
Teaching faculty and research mentors
- Teaching faculty and specific responsibilities: Arun D. Singh, MD
Clinical, surgical, and educational
This one-year fellowship provides comprehensive training in the specialty of ocular oncology. The program’s emphasis is on providing both clinical evaluation and medical and surgical management of the full range of conditions encountered in the field of ocular oncology.
The ocular oncology department at the Cole Eye Institute is unique in that it manages the full variety of tumors seen in the field of ocular oncology. The world-class faculty, unmatched funding resources and academic research initiatives underway at the Cole Eye Institute, provides fellows with unparalleled training in the field of ocular oncology.
Fellows will be exposed to large numbers of patients referred for the evaluation and management of ocular tumors. Cole Eye Institute serves as a tertiary referral center for a significant volume of tumors of the eyelid, conjunctiva and cornea, uvea, retina and retinal pigment epithelium, and the orbit. Experience in pediatric ocular oncology is provided through the treatment of children with retinoblastoma.
Training is provided in various imaging techniques useful in the diagnosis and direction of management of ocular tumors including ophthalmic ultrasound, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and optical coherence tomography. Surgical experience is gained in the operating room under the direct supervision of the ocular oncology faculty.
Fellows will participate in state-of-the-art surgical techniques used for tumor biopsy, implantation of radioactive delivery systems, tumor excision, laser treatment modalities, and cryotherapy.
The ocular oncology fellowship also includes a significant research component with opportunities for investigation in the fields of cell biology, molecular biology, immunology and other relevant disciplines. Ample opportunities exist to present research projects at national professional meetings and research symposia.
Fellows will participate in teaching residents and medical students in the classroom, the clinical setting, and in other education activities such as journal clubs.
The ocular oncology fellowship provides 12 months of training with a well-rounded curriculum with the following components:
- Clinical rotations
- Surgical rotations
- Research component
- Teaching activities
Clinical rotations
The fellow will examine and evaluate patients under direct faculty supervision approximately 2.5 days per week. Clinical instruction focuses on the initial diagnosis of ocular tumors and management of these conditions.
Surgical rotations
Fellows will gain surgical experience over the course of the 12-month fellowship under the direct supervision of the ocular oncology faculty. Fellows will participate in surgery approximately one-and-a-half to two days per week. They will be exposed to a variety of surgical techniques used for the evaluation and treatment of eye tumors including but not limited to tumor biopsy (fine needle aspiration biopsy, incisional biopsy, excisional biopsy), implantation of radioactive delivery systems, tumor excision, laser treatment modalities, and cryotherapy.
Research component
The division of ophthalmic research at the Cole Eye Institute with its state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, provides fellows in the ocular oncology program with significant opportunities for investigation in the fields of cell biology, molecular biology, immunology and other relevant disciplines. Approximately one day per week is reserved for research initiatives, allowing the fellow to engage in academic projects of interest. There are ample opportunities for fellows to present their research at national professional meetings and academic symposia, and participation in these activities is actively encouraged.
Teaching activities
Fellows will participate in teaching residents and medical students at the Cole Eye Institute in the classroom and the clinical setting. They will prepare presentations for subspecialty departmental grand rounds, pathology conferences, and joint conferences with other local academic institutions. In addition, the curriculum requires fellows to prepare for other educational activities such as biannual journal clubs.
Additional opportunities within Cleveland Clinic
Fellows with subspecialty interest within ocular oncology may elect to participate in additional rotations within Cleveland Clinic, including disciplines such as radiation oncology, pathology, and pediatrics. For instance, fellows seeking focused experience in areas such as retinoblastoma or ocular tumor pathology may arrange structured collaborations with affiliated departments for a duration of one to three months, in order to further develop expertise in a specific area of interest. All such rotations are subject to the approval of the Program Director and are contingent upon the availability of faculty and clinical resources within the participating departments.
