In July 2009, when Dr. Roy Chuck arrived as chair of the department of ophthalmology and visual sciences at Einstein and its University Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center, he had one specific mandate — to bring the department to a new level of excellence. In the two years since, an invigorated drive to expand the department’s residency training program and the creation of a new fellowship position has put Einstein-Montefiore in the forefront of ophthalmology training.

Dr. Roy Chuck"We have expanded to 15 residents in our three-year program and just created a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship under the direction of Dr. Norman Medow," said Dr. Chuck. "The leadership of these two programs and the strength and diversity of our staff is making Einstein-Montefiore a model for ophthalmology training."

He added, "The Residency Review Committee for Ophthalmology just granted us a full five-year accreditation, which is very rare. It demonstrates the strength of our reputation."

Heading up the residency program is Dr. Assumpta Madu, assistant professor and administrative director in the department. "The Einstein philosophy is very rigorous in terms of academic requirements," she said. "The program is very selective and requires a strong academic background."

She explained, "All residents must maintain a knowledge base that includes study, lectures and clinical requirements. When you are being entrusted with someone’s eye, there is no room for 'I don’t know'."

At Einstein-Montefiore, though, the academics are only the beginning. "We guide our trainees toward being a more complete caregiver," continued Dr. Madu. "It’s not enough to be learned, to be smart. To be a physician, outcomes are expected where you need well-roundedness, the ability to communicate, and professionalism. You have to demonstrate respect for colleagues, staff, patients and families."

Another unique element of the training programs at Einstein-Montefiore is the sense of community and responsibility that is woven into the very DNA of the medical center. "In our program, patients are not known by their disease, but by their name, where they live, and their social issues. That sense of community is emphasized at Einstein," said Dr. Madu, who speaks from first-hand experience as a member of Einstein’s class of 1993. "It was imparted to me during my training at Einstein, and we’re imparting the same ideals to today’s residents. Our relationships with patients are very important."

Phoropter, for helping to determine a patient’s eyeglass prescriptionThat sense of caring and community also play a role in the new pediatric ophthalmology fellowship slated to begin in July. Fellowship director Dr. Ilana Friedman — who will be acting as precept for the program’s first fellow, Rachel Bloom, (Class of 2007) and also is an Einstein alumna (Class of 2001) — noted, "It’s community that sets the training at Einstein and Montefiore apart from other facilities. We have a diverse population that presents interesting and unusual cases that others are not exposed to. Because, even though the Bronx is a borough, it functions more like its own little city or contained community. And, we are a community medical center, which gives us a sense of connection to patients that others lack."

That unique community, coupled with the opportunity to practice in a variety of different settings, helps to create a well-rounded physician. "When you work at multiple institutions with various attendings, you see how each one does things," said Dr. Friedman. "Our fellow will learn from a number of people, each with a unique style, and that exposure will strengthen her ability to develop leadership skills and her own style of practice."

The diversity of the community also deepens the learning experience. "The care is challenging, not just on the medical end, but in learning to adapt to cultures and languages," added Dr. Friedman. "You have to be creative in adapting to what patients can actually afford, realistic in what they can implement and make parents partners in their children’s care."

Dr. Friedman (at right) confers with Drs. Madu and Medow Key to bringing the pediatric ophthalmology residency to Einstein-Montefiore is recently appointed director of pediatric ophthalmology, Dr. Norman Medow, who also will serve as professor of ophthalmology and of pediatrics at Einstein. An acknowledged leader in pediatric ophthalmology and one of the few to undertake corneal transplants, Dr. Medow was fellowship precept director for 25 years at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and was clinical professor of ophthalmology at the Weill-Cornell Medical School before coming to the Bronx last August.

The fellowship program at Einstein-Montefiore is 1 of only approximately 40 in the United States and the only one in New York City. The fellowship program’s selection process began in December and will launch July 1, beginning with Dr. Bloom, and with a new fellow selected annually. In all, four staff members will monitor and participate in the training, with Dr. Medow overseeing the training and Dr. Friedman serving as director of the program.

"The program fills an expanding need in a burgeoning field," noted Dr. Medow. "When I started out, pediatric ophthalmology was still an emerging field, with only 50 to 60 people in the U.S. who did pediatric ophthalmology on a full-time basis. Now, we have more than 500. And while our trainees treat the same things that we did 25 years ago, the techniques have changed, the expectations have changed, the accountability has changed, and the need to develop real relationships with the patients is now front and center.

He added, "There also has been a real recognition that we need to treat kids differently than adults. Kids know whether a doctor likes them or not. You can’t fool them. And, you can’t treat a child’s eyes if they are sealed shut and crying."

The difference is one that physicians trained at Einstein-Montefiore are sure to recognize. "While students who train elsewhere may get a top-notch education, that’s only half the story," said Dr Madu. "They all will be ophthalmologists, but at Einstein they also will develop a sense of caring that is unique."

"We are committed to training the next generation of ophthalmologists," said Dr. Chuck. "And with the strong and talented leadership of physicians like Dr. Madu and Dr. Medow, we will only continue to strengthen and grow as we build a department of excellence."