Overview
The Inherited Retinal Diseases Fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute provides advanced training in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of inherited retinal diseases and hereditary neuro-ophthalmic disorders. This one-year fellowship is designed for ophthalmologists who have completed residency training and wish to develop expertise in clinical care, ophthalmic genetics, and translational research.
Fellows train within the Mark J. Daily Inherited Retinal Diseases Research Center, a multidisciplinary program dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases affecting the retina and optic nerve. As a major tertiary genetic eye disease referral center, the center receives referrals from across the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
The program combines intensive clinical experience with exposure to ophthalmic genetics, clinical trials, and emerging therapies, including gene therapy for inherited retinal disorders.
Why Choose Bascom Palmer?
The Mark J. Daily Inherited Retinal Diseases Research Center offers a unique environment for advanced fellowship training in inherited retinal diseases.
Program strengths include:
- Access to a large inherited retinal disease referral center
- A database of more than 4,000 patients with inherited retinal diseases
- Exposure to a broad range of rare and complex genetic eye disorders
- Participation in active clinical trials and translational research programs
- Experience with approved and investigational gene therapies
- Collaboration with retina specialists, geneticists, and vision researchers
- Training at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
Clinical Experience
Fellows gain comprehensive experience evaluating and managing patients with inherited retinal diseases and hereditary neuro-ophthalmic disorders, including:
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Macular dystrophies
- Rod-cone and cone-rod degenerations
- Hereditary optic neuropathies
- Hereditary vitreoretinopathies
- Syndromic inherited retinal diseases
- Pediatric and adult genetic retinal disorders
Clinical training emphasizes the use and interpretation of advanced diagnostic technologies and imaging modalities, including:
- Optical coherence tomography
- Optical coherence tomography angiography
- Fundus autofluorescence
- Fluorescein angiography
- Indocyanine green angiography
- Ultrasonography
- Visual electrophysiology testing
- Genetic testing and its application to patient care
Fellows work closely with faculty while developing skills in clinical decision-making, patient management, and multidisciplinary care.
Research and Ophthalmic Genetics Training
Research is an integral component of the fellowship. Fellows participate in ongoing inherited retinal disease clinical trials and gain experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of research studies. Areas of focus include:
- Clinical trial design and conduct
- Patient selection and recruitment
- Imaging biomarkers and outcome measures
- Gene therapy
- Emerging therapeutic approaches for inherited retinal diseases
- Translational ophthalmic genetics research
The fellowship also offers dedicated training in ophthalmic genetics through collaboration with the University of Miami Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Genetics Laboratory. Fellows gain experience in:
- Genetic test selection and interpretation
- Molecular diagnosis of inherited retinal diseases
- Variant analysis and classification
- Ophthalmic genetics clinics
- Genetic counseling principles and patient management considerations
Fellows are encouraged to pursue scholarly projects, publish their findings, and present their work at scientific meetings and institutional research symposia.
Educational Program
Fellows participate in a comprehensive educational curriculum that includes:
- Weekly inherited retinal disease conferences
- Pan-American Inherited Retinal Disease meetings
- Imaging conferences
- Medical retina conferences
- Research conferences
- Genetics conferences
- Grand rounds
- Teaching activities for residents and medical students
The program emphasizes lifelong learning, academic collaboration, and professional development in inherited retinal disease care and research.
Faculty
Program Director
Carlos Mendoza, M.D., Ph.D.
Co-Director
Byron Lam, M.D.
Participating Faculty
- Audina Berrocal, M.D.
- Guney Bademci, M.D.
- Ta Chen Peter Chang, M.D.
- Janet Davis, M.D.
- Ninel Gregori, M.D.
- Abigail S. Hackam, Ph.D.
- Hua Hong, M.D.
- Winston Lee, Ph.D.
- Craig McKeown, M.D.
- Jessie Sengillo, M.D.
- Mustafa Tekin, M.D.
Program Details
Duration: 12 months
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Have successfully completed a three-year ophthalmology residency training program
- Hold a valid Florida medical license to participate as a clinical fellow
- Submit two letters of recommendation, including at least one from the applicant's ophthalmology residency training program or medical school dean
- Submit medical school transcripts
- Provide a plan describing how they intend to apply their inherited retinal disease expertise to their professional career
Training Locations
Primary training takes place at:
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
900 NW 17th Street
Miami, FL 33136
Additional educational experiences may be provided through:
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute locations at Lennar Medical Center and in Naples
- University of Miami Department of Human Genetics
- University of Miami Molecular Genetics Laboratory
How to Apply
Qualified applicants who have completed a three-year ophthalmology residency training program are encouraged to apply. Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, medical school transcripts, and a plan describing how they intend to apply their inherited retinal disease expertise to their professional career.
A valid Florida medical license is required to participate as a clinical fellow.
Deadline for receipt of application is October 31st.
All application materials must be submitted to Ms. Yaimara Milian via email at yxs696@med.miami.edu.
Contact
Yaimara Milian (Yami)
Manager, Fellowship Programs
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
900 N.W. 17th Street
Miami, FL 33136
Phone: 305-326-6312
Fax: 305-326-6580
Email: yxs696@med.miami.edu