Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery Fellowship at Wolfe Eye Clinic
Wolfe Eye Clinic offers fellowship training in Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery with an opening annually beginning in July. This 24-month surgical and medical retina fellowship, based in West Des Moines, Iowa, offers exceptional clinical and surgical volume in a state of the art facility dedicated to the expert care of retina
patients. Fellows will enjoy a collegial atmosphere in a busy retina clinic with a high level of ancillary support. The fellowship will take one new fellow each year. Fellows participate in a high volume of surgical cases throughout their fellowship and will have the opportunity to assist with the retinopathy of prematurity service. In addition to the medical and surgical care of retina patients, the fellow will directly participate in various industry-sponsored clinical trials ongoing in our active clinical research department. Fellows will participate in regular educational sessions and have the time and support to participate and present at national meetings. The fellow will be provided with the mentorship, didactics, and direct exposure to the business and mechanics of retina practice enabling them to pursue a retina career at the highest level.
Learn More About Our Active and Completed Clinical Trials
Wolfe Eye Clinic Faculty
Kyle J. Alliman, MD, Co-Program Director
Derek P. Bitner, MD
Peter R. Bracha, MD
David J. Massop, MD, Co-Program Director
David D. Saggau, MD
Austin L. Strohbehn, MD
Fellowship Information:
Stipend: $85,000/year + benefits
Vacation: 3 weeks + educational time
Annual Retina Clinical/Surgical Volume:
Retina Patient Visits: 35,000+
Office Procedures (injections/lasers): 25,000 +
Operating Room Surgical Procedures: 1,200 +
Recent graduates completed the fellowship with 600+ OR cases.
Didactics:
- Participation in the latest medical clinical trials at Wolfe Eye Clinic
- Didactic Sessions, Journal Review, Case Conferences, Business of Medicine
- Annual Retina Meeting (ASRS, AAO Subspecialty, Retina Society)
- National Fellow meetings
Next Opening: July 1, 2025
Application Deadline: September 30, 2024
Apply through SFMatch
Fellows must have completed an Accredited US Ophthalmology Residency and be ABO board eligible, a US Citizen or holder of appropriate VISA and eligible for unrestricted Iowa Medical licensure. Please note that fellowship appointment will require signing a covenant limiting the ability to practice in geographic locations surrounding all Wolfe Eye Clinic locations.
For Additional Information Contact:
Jami Myers, Program Coordinator
(515) 223-8685 ext. 2104
jmyers@wolfeclinic.com
Current Wolfe Eye Clinic Retina Fellows
| 2025 Graduate |
Riley Bylund, MD
Medical School: Medical University of Kentucky
Residency: Mason Eye Institute, University of Missouri
| 2026 Graduate |
Eric Zhang, MD
Medical School: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Residency: University of Missouri
Wolfe Eye Clinic Retina Fellowship Graduates
2019 Graduate: Deepak Mangla, MD
Residency: Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Current Practice: Harbor Retina Center (Lapeer, MI)
2021 Graduate: Ian Thompson, MD
Residency: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
Fellowship: Uveitis-National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
Current Practice: Eye Associates of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM)
2022 Graduate: David Massop, MD
Residency: University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Current Practice: Wolfe Eye Clinic (West Des Moines, IA)
2023 Graduate: Connor Ericksen, MD
Residency: Medical University of South Carolina/Ralph Johnson VAMC, Charleston, South Carolina
Current Practice: Hampton Roads Eye Associates (Newport News, VA)
2024 Graduate: William Johnson, MD
Residency: Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina
Current Practice: Retina Consultants of Carolina (Greenville, SC)