Residency and Fellowship Programs
The Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC) - Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital (HVAH) Ophthalmology Residency Program provides a joint education opportunity offered by the two institutions. The majority of physician members of the department are all faculty members of the Stritch School of Medicine (SSOM), Loyola University, Chicago. The training program utilizes both LUMC and HVAH to provide the formal instruction and patient care experience needed to prepare a physician to successfully complete the examination process offered by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO).
Novel Surgical Approaches for the Management of Peripheral Ulcerative Keratitis (PUK)
Medical Students
Medical Student Timeline
| M1 | Summer | M2 | M3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical School | Focus on grades | Focus on Grades and USMLE Step 1 |
Focus on Clinical Rotations | |
| Clinical | Shadow in Clinic/OR | Shadow in Clinic/OR | 2 week opthalmology rotation | |
| Research | Set up research opportunity | STAR program or independent research |
Download a more detailed Medical Student Timeline.
Elective Courses
Clinical Resources (for Students taking Elective Courses)
- Medical Student Manual and Checklist
- A Practical Guide to Clinical Medicine
- Ophthobook
- The Eyes Have It
Research Opportunities
STAR program
(Student Training in Approaches to Research)
The department of ophthalmology offers research opportunities in many facets of ophthalmic research and welcomes participation from medical students. The STAR program is an integral aspect of the educational objectives of the department and is a valuable learning experience. Students have the option to participate in ongoing clinical or laboratory base research studies. However, incoming students are encouraged to identify a departmental research mentor and develop their own research interest in accordance with guidance from an established investigator.
Research mentors in the department available to discuss potential studies include the following:
- Evan Stubbs, PhD. Ophthalmology Research Director
Evan.Stubbs@va.gov - Bruce I. Gaynes, OD, PharmD. Clinical Research Program Director
bgaynes@luc.edu - Omer Iqbal, MD, Research Associate Professor
oiqbal@luc.edu - Ping Bu, MD, Research Associate Professor
pbu@luc.edu - Simon Kaja, PhD, Research Assistant Professor
skaja@luc.edu
First year medical students interested in the STAR program are strongly encouraged to contact a research mentor no later than October 31 of the first school year. Deadline for the complete STAR application is December 15
Richard A. Perritt Student Summer Research Award
Every year, the department of Ophthalomology provides internal funding for (1) ophthalmic research project.
Scholarship Opportunities
Zale Academic Scholarship Award
First-year students who were awarded with STAR scholar funding are eligible to apply for the Zale Academic Scholarship in Ophthalmology.
| Year | Awardee |
|
2020 |
Puja Brahmbhatt |
| Ashley Wang | |
| Mark Solinski | |
|
2019 |
Vivian (Ji In) Choi |
| Johanna Santa Maria | |
| Cindy Cruz Alvarez | |
|
2018 |
Paul De Bustros |
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas STAMM Ophthamology Award
Every year, the department of Ophthalmology selects one fourth-year student for the generous Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Stamm Ophthalmology Award.
|
2021 |
Paul De Bustros |
|
2019 |
Sarah Griffin |
|
2018 |
Clayton Kirk |
|
2017 |
William Gange |
|
2016 |
Andrew Pittner |
|
2015 |
Olga Lekakh |
|
2014 |
Tatyana Spector |
|
2013 |
Derek Horkey |
|
2012 |
Marie Brenner |
Ocular hemorheology
Description
The application of in-vivo conjunctival microvascular hemorheological determination offers the potential to impact numerous attributes of cardiovascular disease management not previously accessible including diagnosis and optimization of pharmacotherapy intervention for treatment of coagulopathy associated with various disorders including renal disease, diabetes mellitus and, recently SARS CoV-2. The purpose of the present study is to optimize an imaging paradigm for conjunctival microvascular blood flow study, define biologic variability of conjunctival rheology in a normative population sample and exploit our understanding of conjunctival hemorheology to elucidate in-vivo rheologic biomarkers of cardiac disease. We intend to test the hypothesis that metrics of in-vivo conjunctival hemorheology are valid predictors of cardiac pathophysiology among individuals with heart failure. This project will establish normative conjunctival hemorheological metrics useful in future clinical studies examining microvascular abnormality in various disease cohorts.
Research Team
Area of Research Focus
- Focal or generalized thinning of the neuroretinal rim
- Excavation and enlargement of the optic cup
- Visual field loss may not be detectable in early stages and while visual acuity is initially spared, progression can lead to complete loss of vision
- Open-angle (>90% of all cases) or angle-closure subtypes
- Known risk factors for Primary open angle glaucomao Age
- Age (> 60 y/o)
- African American or Hispanic/Latino ethnicity
- Family History
- Diabetes mellitus
- Elevated intraocular pressure
Research Team
Community Service
The Department of Ophthalmology has a long history of community Service from the local to the international level. The foreign mission programs providing care to the impoverished world community began in 1961. At that time, the former Chairman of the Department, James E. McDonald, MD, and two other ophthalmologists, Arthur Light, MD and Thomas Stamm, MD traveled to Haiti where they decided to establish Foreign Ophthalmology Care from the US (FOCUS). Since that time, hundreds of mission trips have been made and our department continues this tradition today. (see Foreign Missions)
On the local Level, Tracy Williams, OD, has volunteered his time in eye screening programs for many years.
Peter Russo, OD, developed a vision care program within a volunteer clinic serving the working poor of DuPage County, where he provides free eye exams and low cost spectacles to the working poor. Dr. Russo initiated the program in September 2002 and remains the sole eye care provider for this service. He also is a volunteer for vision screening at the Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eye (SOLCIOE) on an annual basis.
John Clements, MD, and Gabriel Jacob, MD, have volunteered at the West Suburban PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) at United Church of Christ in Oak Park. We performed screening eye exams for glaucoma and other ocular diseases. Follow up care was organized through the shelter. West Suburban PADS is an agency that provides a continuum of services for persons that are experiencing homelessness. In 1992, Tri-Village P.A.D.S. began to mobilize direct public support to provide basic emergency assistance for men, women and families who have become homeless. Today, West Suburban PADS offers a full range of programs from emergency food and shelter, to a day-time Support Center, to providing specialized supportive services, and various levels of housing.
Amy Lin, MD, and advisor of Stritch School of Medicine Ophthalmology Club, has volunteered with Loyola residents and medical students at eye screenings all around Chicago. The screenings are a part of Chicago Students for Sight, a collaborative group of chicago medical students that serves to set up and staff eye screenings at local health fairs around the city. The eye screenings are made possible through the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus, who supplies the equipment necessary for the general vision and glaucoma screenings. The events, organized through Stritch School of Medicine's Ophthalmology Club and Dr. Mildred Olivier of Midwest Glaucoma Center, give students hands-on opportunities to learn about the field of ophthalmology. The Loyola doctors and medical students are also able to interact with each other and various other Chicago medical school students at the health fairs.
Summary of Research Interests
During the past 12 years, Dr. Arun has participated in a variety of clinical trials with the department of Neurology studying treatment of Multiple sclerosis and the Department of Endocrinology to study the effect of Plaquenil treatment on Type 1 Diabetes patients at the University of Chicago. She has provided much needed clinical support for these study groups to document the effects of these medications on the eye. She has also assisted the researches in the Department of Transplant Surgery to document the effects of Islet cell transplant on the progression of Diabetic retinopathy Type 1 Juvenile Diabetics. She looks forward to searching out opportunities to collaborate with other Departments in the Loyola University Medical Center and incorporating eye findings with ongoing studies.
Alumni
Since the opening of our web site we have been looking to hear from alumni. Any information, news and/or photos from alumni can be added to the alumni web site for others to share.
Please contact Constance Banks with updates!
If your class isn't listed here, please send us your news information!
Recent Graduate Class Photos
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