Programa de Residencia en Oftalmología y Ciencias Visuales

Home to one of the largest Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)–accredited ophthalmology residency programs in New York State, the Montefiore Einstein Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is a leader in innovative graduate medical education. The Department delivers world-renowned residency training led by a team of internationally recognized physicians with expertise in all areas and major subspecialties of ophthalmology. Driven by a mission to create colleagues in both academic and private practice ophthalmology, our Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Residency Program is led by a robust faculty who teach residents through clinics, surgery, wet-lab training and didactics.

Led by prominent refractive surgeon and leading stem cell and dry eye researcher Roy S. Chuck, MD, PhD, the Department is nationally recognized as one of the largest in the New York Metropolitan Area. Our team of ophthalmologists, optometrists, orthoptists, oculoplastic surgeons, neuro-ophthalmologists, glaucoma surgeons, cornea and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgeons, retina surgeons and pediatric surgeons provides comprehensive clinical services, including low vision and contact lens care.

During their medicine rotation, interns spend 12 weeks on the ophthalmology service, where they gain invaluable experience working in clinics, assisting in the operating room and helping with consults. This exposure enables them to start their first year of the Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Residency with a strong foundation in eye evaluations and eye disease.

Residents spend the first year of our Program building basic ophthalmologic examination skills and fluency in identifying and treating basic ophthalmologic conditions. The majority of the first year is spent in the general clinic at Montefiore Einstein and NYC Health + Hospitals | Jacobi, where patients are under the direct care of a dedicated attending physician at all times. First-year residents rotating on the cornea service observe and assist with high-volume surgery. Our Program also implements a night float and buddy-call system to limit resident fatigue and allow for proper supervision of consultations.

Second-year residents advance their training in ophthalmological subspecialties, with emphasis on cornea, glaucoma, retina, pediatric strabismus, neuro-ophthalmology and oculoplastics. The second year of training also allows residents to become proficient and independent at retinal lasers, intravitreal injections and glaucoma lasers. Depending on clinic location, second-year residents also field daytime consultations for their respective hospital.

The third year of our Program is dedicated to surgical training in high-volume settings, with senior residents splitting their time between specialized clinics, booking cases and the operating room. Surgical schedulers and perioperative staff are dedicated to third-year residents, allowing for optimal teaching and efficiency. Additional duties include acting as the senior resident and overseeing first-year education and clinical workflows under the supervision of a dedicated faculty attending. Third-year residents also take back-up calls on weekdays and weekends.

Montefiore Einstein is a premier medical research institution with faculty engaged in a diverse range of interests. Within the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, clinical research is centered around Montefiore Einstein, with basic science research conducted across several laboratories at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. We have received multiple awards from the National Eye Institute (NEI) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), among other institutions.

Residents actively engage in faculty-mentored research activities over the course of their residency and have the opportunity to present their research at the annual Paul Henkind Day symposium. Our Department encourages research presentations at national meetings and provides each resident with a yearly stipend to cover travel and lodging expenses.

In addition to clinical and laboratory research, we have invested tremendous resources into the development of the Center for Ophthalmic Innovation (COIN) and the Ronald M. Burde, MD, Microsurgical Simulation Laboratory. COIN is designed to foster resident and faculty exploration in the development and advancement of microsurgical techniques.

We’re seeking residents who will shape the future of healthcare. If you would like to apply to become an Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences resident at Montefiore Einstein, all applications to the program are through the SF Match. Please contact our residency coordinator with any questions.