Director

About the Duke Glaucoma Fellowship Program

The mission of the Duke Glaucoma Fellowship program is to develop trainees with a fundamental understanding of glaucoma diagnosis and management and to promote intellectual curiosity. We are dedicated to the principal that research into disease mechanisms, patient care, and new technologies is the primary method by which we improve the outcomes of our patients.

For more than 30 years the Duke Glaucoma Fellowship has trained over 80 glaucoma sub-specialists. Duke fellowship-trained glaucoma sub-specialists have a strong presence in the academic world. Former Duke Fellows have become department chairs and endowed professors. Duke fellowship graduates are innovators in glaucoma surgery and are leaders in clinical care and research.  

The breadth and depth of clinical and research experience available in the Duke Glaucoma Fellowship provide trainees with the tools to succeed in a diverse array of careers in glaucoma care. 
 
The clinical fellowship is one year in duration, with approximately 20 percent of the fellow’s effort dedicated to research pursuits and the remaining 80 percent devoted to patient care and clinical education. We encourage fellows who are interested in an academic career to consider a second year with a focus on research.

The second year consists of 75 percent of the fellow’s time devoted to research and 25 percent clinical effort during which time the fellow functions as a junior faculty member with independent practice privileges.  The second year schedule provides the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of interests in collaboration with Glaucoma Service faculty.

The match positions are for the one year clinical fellowship. Applicants interested in a second year should speak with fellowship director Kelly Muir, MD regarding opportunities. 

Glaucoma Fellowship Program

Kelly W. Muir, MD, Glaucoma Fellowship Director

Training

The Duke Glaucoma Division is the largest tertiary referral center for glaucoma in North Carolina. Duke fellows care for patients with a wide range of pathology.  Fellows see patients in Duke Eye Center clinics and the adjacent Durham VA Hospital.

The Duke Glaucoma surgical experience includes in depth exposure to trabeculectomies, Ex-press shunt surgeries, Baerveldt and Ahmed implant surgeries, double-tube surgeries, endoscopic cyclodiode photocoagulation, minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries (MIGS), as well as cataract surgery with the newest and most innovative refractive lens implants.

Our fellows train under our world-renowned glaucoma faculty. Duke Glaucoma fellows are active participants in teaching and mentoring resident trainees.

Glaucoma fellowship graduates have gone on to academic medical and private practice. 

Glaucoma Fellowship Alumni Career Choices

Glaucoma fellows are strongly encouraged to pursue original research and are provided time to do so. Duke glaucoma faculty has research interests ranging from basic science through clinical trials and health services research.  

The faculty, both clinical and research are dedicated to mentoring the individual scientific endeavors of each fellow. The combined resources of the faculty, the Barkhouser Glaucoma Research Laboratory, and the health services research programs of Duke University enable Duke glaucoma fellows to complete worthwhile projects and present their work in forums such as the annual meetings of the American Glaucoma Society (AGS), the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).  

Many Duke Fellows have received competitive grants including career development awards (K awards) from the NIH based on the work accomplished during their training.

Glaucoma Faculty Full Spectrum of Research Interests

Glaucoma fellows participate in a variety of conferences hosted by Duke Eye Center.

For more than 30 years, the annual Duke Glaucoma Symposium attracts leaders in the field from all over the country.

Twice a month, the glaucoma faculty and Duke Trainees participate in an interactive conference discussing major studies and innovations in the glaucoma literature.

One of the most memorable and rewarding aspects of the Duke Glaucoma Fellowship are the weekly Socratic Rounds on Tuesday evenings with Pratap Challa, MD.  During the Socratic Rounds, Dr. Challa, reviews in detail the mechanisms behind the most complex cases seen in clinic that week. 

Duke Educational Conferences

About the Glaucoma Division

Leon W. Herndon, Jr, MD, Glaucoma Division Chief

 

Applications

We participate in the SF Match and consider all applications submitted by the deadlines posted on the SF Match site.  

For more information contact program coordinator Robin Goodwin at Duke Eye Center, DUMC Box 3802, Durham, NC 27705, by telephone 919-684-8656 or email at robin.goodwin@duke.edu.

The Glaucoma Fellowship Program is registered with the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) fellowship compliance program and meets guidelines set forth by the AUPO fellowship compliance committee.

 

Fellowship for Foreign Nationals

We do not provide immigration sponsorship for Clinical Associates.