Glaucoma Fellowship

The University of South Florida Glaucoma Fellowship Program is conducted under the expert guidance of Dr. Ramesh Ayyala, MD, FRCS, FRCOphth. Dr. Ayyala serves as the Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Director of the Glaucoma Fellowship Program.  The Glaucoma Fellowship Program is recognized by the AUPO and offers extensive training in a wide variety of Glaucoma Surgery and Diagnostics. The Fellow will also gain experience in Anterior segment surgery, including corneal transplants, DSAEKS in Glaucoma patients, and complex cataract surgery. It is expected that the Fellow will become proficient in performing Trabeculectomy, Glaucoma drainage device implantation, Xen Implantation, Canaloplasty, variety of MIGS procedures including KDB, OMNI viscodilation, and Goniotomy and iStent implantation.   

The Fellow will spend time with Dr. Ayyala at the USF Eye Institute and the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital system (with Drs. Carla Bourne, Mark Hankins and Lisa Gamell). The Fellow will take call for Tampa General Hospital. Dr. Ayyala expects the Fellow to pursue a research project during the fellowship and participate in teaching residents and medical students.    

Retina Fellowship

We offer a two-year surgical fellowship. This is a hands-on experience led by Dr. Swetangi Bhaleeya, MD. All aspects of the medical-surgical retina are covered using traditional as well as the latest diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. These include fluorescein angiography, ultrasonography, classic thermal laser, Photodynamic therapy, transpupillary thermotherapy, scleral buckle, vitrectomy with membrane peeling, retinal translocation, radioactive plaque therapy, and all aspects of retinopathy of prematurity management. Our Department's involvement in active clinical research ensures fellows stay abreast of new therapeutic developments.

You must apply through the San Francisco Match . Foreign medical graduates must be graduates of a medical school approved by the World Directory of Medical Schools and a permanent resident of the United States. You must be eligible for licensure in the state of Florida. The application deadline can be found on SF Match.  We do not accept supplemental materials.

Cornea Fellowship

The cornea and external disease fellowship is a one or two year program that will provide comprehensive and extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of cornea and external disease.  The fellowship will offer extensive experience in the management of a wide variety of corneal and anterior segment pathology.  The corneal fellow is expected to learn a range of corneal procedures including PKP, DALK, DSAEK and DMEK.  Additional anterior segment procedures include cataract surgery, ocular surface neoplasia excision, pterygium excision, trauma.  Refractive experience is also available for interested fellows.

The fellow will have scheduled clinics at USF Eye Institute and James A. Haley Veterans Administration Hospital, and take call at Tampa General Hospital.  The fellow will have OR time scheduled at Morsani ASC, Tampa General Hospital, and James A. Haley Veterans Administration Hospital.

For interested fellows a second year of fellowship can be arranged to incorporate research into the fellowship curriculum.  Research would be performed in Dr. Espana’s lab with topics including corneal wound healing, chemical crosslinking, and collagen structure and function.

You must apply through the San Francisco Match . Foreign medical graduates must be graduates of a medical school approved by the World Directory of Medical Schools and a permanent resident of the United States. You must be eligible for licensure in the state of Florida. The application deadline can be found on SF Match.  We do not accept supplemental materials.

Current Fellows

Glaucoma

Alireza Baradaran Rafii, MD 

Retina

Nisarg Joshi, MD

Cornea

Christopher Donovan, MD

For more information please contact:

Stacy Parker Deraps
sparkerd@usf.edu