Ophthalmology
Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Fellowship

About the Program

The pediatric ophthalmology fellowship has been part of Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital for close to 25 years since starting in 1996. We are an Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) certified fellowship training program since its inception. We have trained approximately 30+ fellows since its inception.

This clinical fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus is a one-year Texas Medical Board approved post-residency training program under the direction of Honey Herce, MD as Fellowship Director. Other faculty members are: Amit R. Bhatt, MD, Adam J. Cantor, MD, Madhuri C. Chilakapati, MD, David K. Coats, MD, Mohamed A. Hussein, MD, Evelyn A. Paysse, MD, Erica Luse, MD, Irene T. Tung, MD, Katherine Williams, MD, and Kimberly G. Yen, MD. Two clinical positions are available per year starting July 7.

There are an estimated 3,000 inpatient and 40,000 outpatient visits per year, including approximately 3,500 new patients. Approximately 1,500 surgical procedures are performed each year. Surgical procedures include strabismus, laser surgery for retinopathy of prematurity, pediatric cataracts, pediatric glaucoma, retinoblastoma and pediatric lid abnormalities, nasolacrimal duct probing and balloon dacryoplasty.

Texas Children's Hospital Medical Center Campus Tour

Texas Children's Department of Surgery Virtual Tour

Curriculum

This fellowship is designed to provide the trainee with a broad experience in the clinical diagnosis, evaluation and management of all forms of strabismus, including surgical and medical management. A broad experience of other areas of pediatric ophthalmology, including pediatric glaucoma, cataract, lid abnormalities, retinopathy of prematurity and pediatric intraocular and orbital tumors are also emphasized. A clinical or basic research project is required.

The fellow shares the responsibility for medical and surgical management of patients referred to the Pediatric Ophthalmology unit at Texas Children's Hospital. In addition, the fellow assists in the instruction of residents and students assigned to the Pediatric Ophthalmology service. The fellow also serves as a consultant and surgical staff as a clinical instructor for the pediatric ophthalmology resident activities at Texas Children's, Alkek Eye Center/St. Luke’s and the Gramercy Surgery Center.

Residents take all primary call. The fellow covers call as back up only on week-long intervals. All call responsibilities are at Texas Children's Hospital and not at any of the other Baylor hospitals. There is always staff on backup along with the fellow. Daytime consults are co-managed by staff on call, residents on service, and the fellow.

The fellow participates in all pediatric ophthalmology conferences, journal clubs and other activities and is invited to participate in all other lectures and conferences in the Department of Ophthalmology throughout the year. The department has six journal clubs per year.

Faculty

Program Director: Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Fellowship

Honey Herce, MD; Associate Professor Ophthalmology; Fellowship Program Director; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Fellows also get 1:1 teaching for the management and treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Faculty: Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Fellowship

Lauren Blieden, MD: Assistant Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Glaucoma.
Amit R. Bhatt, MD: Associate Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Fellows also get 1:1 teaching for the management and treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity.
Madhuri Chilakapati, MD: Associate Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
David Coats MD: Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus; Fellows also get 1:1 teaching for the management and treatment for Adult Strabismus.
Rod Foroozan, MD: Associate Professor Ophthalmology; Neuro-ophthalmology Specialist.
Dan S. Gombos, MD FACS: Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Fellows also get 1:1 teaching for the diagnosis and management of Pediatric Retinoblastoma.
Mohamed Hussein, MD: Assistant Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, West Campus Hospital.
Erica Smith Luse, MD: Assistant Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
Evelyn A. Paysse, MD: Professor Ophthalmology; Former Fellowship Program Director. Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus; Fellows also get 1:1 teaching for the management and treatment for Adult Strabismus. Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus; Fellows also get 1:1 teaching for the management and treatment for Pediatric Refractive Surgery.
Irene Tung, MD: Associate Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
Kimberly Yen, MD: Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus; Fellows also get 1:1 teaching for the management and treatment for Pediatric Cataract Surgery.
John T. Stout, MD PhD: Chairman, Sid W. Richardson Professor, and Margaret Root Brown Chair, Director-Cullen Eye Institute and Chair-Department of Ophthalmology
Katherine Williams, MD: Assistant Professor Ophthalmology; Clinical and Surgical instruction in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

Benefits

Stipend - PGY-5

Medical, Dental, Life and Vision coverage is available for both the fellows and their dependents. The fellow will be provided with PGY5 Stipend. More information including costs will be provided upon matching with the fellowship program.

Training Sites

Affiliate hospitals include Texas Children’s Hospital and its outlying clinics, Baylor CHI St. Luke’s and Ben Taub Hospital.

Texas Children's Hospital is the main facility utilized by the Pediatric Ophthalmology service. It is one of the largest children's hospitals in the United States with more than 973 beds. It is located in the Texas Medical Center, which is the largest medical center in the world. For 13 years in a row, U.S. News & World Report has recognized us as one of the best children’s hospitals in the Nation and #1 in Texas.

The Texas Children's Hospital Eye Clinic is located in the Clinical Care Center, a building dedicated entirely to subspecialty pediatric care. It has 10 examination lanes exclusively for pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus patients. The hospital has 14 operating rooms in the main operating room and 8 operating rooms in the Outpatient Surgery Center located in the Clinical Care Center. The Outpatient Surgery Center serves as the primary operating site for the Pediatric Ophthalmology Service.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening examinations are performed at Texas Children's Hospital, and Ben Taub Hospital. Approximately 50 ROP examinations are performed each week. The Roy and Lilly Cullen Eye Institute at the Neurosensory Center houses the department's academic offices and includes a complete ophthalmology library, a 100-seat auditorium, and research space. Adult surgical procedures are performed either at the Baylor Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) or Gramercy Outpatient Surgery Center where seven operating rooms are available.

All affiliated hospitals are located within the Texas Medical Center, within walking distance of each other, making for a convenient work environment.

Department of Ophthalmology

The Department of Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine is comprised of 34 full-time clinical and research faculty members. There are numerous weekly conferences, including Fluorescein Angiography, Pediatric Ophthalmology, and Grand Rounds. Pediatric ophthalmology journal clubs are held bimonthly. The fellow is encouraged to attend regular lectures and conferences within the department and to avail him or herself of the experience and excellence of our faculty.