Program Description
The Cornea Fellowship program at the University of Pittsburgh is recognized nationally as an outstanding educational opportunity for careers in either academic medicine or private subspecialty practice. The Fellowship is comprehensive in scope, provides extensive "hands on" surgery and offers clinically-relevant research opportunities. Cornea and external diseases covered include the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of ocular infections in conjunction with The Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiological Laboratory. Current management of dry eyes, autoimmune conditions, allergies, dystrophies and degenerations is also covered.
The Fellow will obtain "hands on" surgical experience in traditional cornea, e.g. penetrating keratoplasty, "triple procedures," corneal trauma, as well as perform state-of-the-art cataract surgery. Surgical opportunities in incisional and excimer refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK, PTK) are available in our rapidly growing refractive surgical center. The Fellow may also be asked to perform anterior segment surgery in selected cases with other subspecialists (plastic, retina).
The Fellowship includes opportunities to attend/participate in the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and/or ARVO, and refractive surgical update courses. The Fellow will also have ample opportunity to teach residents and medical students both informally and formally. The Fellow can also take advantage of the full educational opportunities within the Department of Ophthalmology in preparation for board certification.
Program Director
Alex Mammen, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Director, Cornea Fellowship Program
Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery Service
Teaching Faculty
Deepinder K. Dhaliwal, MD, L.Ac
Professor of Ophthalmology
Division Chief, Refractive Surgery Service
Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery Service
Vishal Jhanji, MD
Professor of Ophthalmology
Division Chief, Cornea Service
Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery Service
Roheena Kamyar, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery Service
Gaurav Prakash, MD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery Service
Sabrina Mukhtar, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Director, Dry Eye Center of Excellence
Application Procedures
The Cornea Fellowship Program participates in the National Subspecialty Matching Program in Ophthalmology at www.sfmatch.org. Please register with the matching program.
You will be contacted regarding a visit to Pittsburgh for a tour and interviews with the departmental staff. The application deadline is August 29.
Application Requirements
Please submit your application through the SF Match website.
A personal interview is required before acceptance into the Department of Ophthalmology fellowship program. Once an applicant has been notified that he or she is to be interviewed, it is the responsibility of the applicant to contact the department to see if there are additional requirements. Applicants who are selected for an interview will be notified by mail or phone.
Contact Information
Please contact Sophie Choo, GME Sr Dept Manager, chooso@upmc.edu for more information.
Current and Former Fellows
| Current Fellows |
|---|
| Raven Diacou, MD, PhD - Cornea Fellow |
| Marah Shelbayh, MD - Cornea Fellow |
| Former Fellows | |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | Karl Andersen, MD Tony Thieu, MD |
| 2023 - 2024 | Christopher Hampton, MD |
| 2022 - 2023 | Hakim Farida, MD Karima Khimani, MD |
| 2021 - 2022 | Kanwal Matharu, MD Sabrina Mukhtar, MD |
| 2020 - 2021 | Laura Palazzolo, MD Hamza Pasha, MD |
| 2019 - 2020 | Amar Bhat, MD Margaret Pollard, MD |
| 2018 - 2019 | Tarika Thareja, MD Devin Tran, MD |
| 2017 - 2018 | Samuel Faith, MD Aimee Verner, MD |
| 2016 - 2017 | Steven Kane, MD |
| 2015 - 2016 | Mona Sane, MD |
| 2014 - 2015 | Amr Kouchouk, MD |
| 2013 - 2014 | Tenley Bouwe, MD |
| 2012 - 2013 | Mojgan Hassanlou, MD |
| 2011 - 2012 | Alex Mammen, MD |
| 2010 - 2011 | Lorenzo Cervantes, MD |
| 2009 - 2010 | Divya Mutyala, MD |