ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. MODERATOR

• i) 37th Annual Departmental Research Day May 26, 1995
• ii) 40th Annual Departmental Research Day May 8, 1998

I moderated Oculoplastics Research Presentations at our Annual Departmental Research Day, directed questions at the conclusion of each presentation, and initiated discussions.

2. TORONTO OCULOPLASTIC SOCIETY - TREASURER, 1993 to Present
I collected funds as required, and dispensed them for research, education and fellowship matching fees.

3. CONSULTANT, COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF ONTARIO; Independent Health Facility Clinical Practice Parameters: New Surgical Procedures
I provided input as to regulatory requirements for newer Oculoplastic surgical procedures.

4. CONSULTANT, ALCON CANADA, CO² Laser Incisional Surgery and Resurfacing; Preceptorship Centre for Education in Technique; Toronto; 1997 and 1998
I created a preceptorship role to educate visiting surgeons from North America and abroad in CO² laser techniques in a facility designed and built by myself.

5. MEMBER, EXAMINATIONS COMMITTEE, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY, 1993 to Present

Responsibilities include:

• i) development of written examination subsections each year;
• ii) review of results with committee;
• iii) modifying exam to meet changing The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Guidelines;
• iv) administering makeup oral exams to delinquent residents
• v) review of subsections with residents

RELATED ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

DIRECTOR COORDINATOR, OCULOPLASTIC SURGERY FELLOWSHIP 2001 ON

Responsibilities include:

• :i) coordinating application and selection process
• ii) ensuring ongoing quality of fellowship experience
• iii) supervising research component of fellowship
• iv) evaluation of fellow and fellowship program
• v) liason with the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Committee
  

RELATED ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES BY YEAR

1993 - 1994

• i) Member, Examination Committee Responsibilities as noted above
• ii) Treasurer: Toronto Oculoplastics Society

1994-1995

• i) Moderator, 37th Annual Departmental Research Day
• ii) Member, Examination Committee Responsibilities as noted above
• iii) Assistance with Visiting Professor Program (Oculoplastics)
• iv) Treasurer: Toronto Oculoplastics Society

1995-1996

• i) Member, Examination Committee Responsibilities as noted above
• ii) Assistance with Visiting Professor Program (Oculoplastics)
• iii) Treasurer: Toronto Oculoplastics Society

1996-1997

• i) Member, Examination Committee
Responsibilities as noted above
• ii) Assistance with Visiting Professor Program (Oculoplastics)
• iii) Treasurer: Toronto Oculoplastics Society

1997-1998

• i) Member, Examination Committee
Responsibilities as noted above
• ii) Moderator, 40th Annual Departmental Research Day
• iii) Assistance with Visiting Professor Program (Oculoplastics)
• iv) Treasurer: Toronto Oculoplastics Society
• v) Consultant, Alcon Canada; C02 Laser Technique Educator and Preceptor (Nationally)
• vi) Consultant, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario;Task Force, Quality Assurance in Ophthalmology Independent Health Facilities - new surgical procedures

1998-1999

• i) Member, Examination Committee
Responsibilities as noted above
• ii) Assistance with Visiting Professor Program (Oculoplastics)
• iii) Treasurer: Toronto Oculoplastics Society
• iv) Consultant, Alcon Canada; C02 Laser Technique Educator and Preceptor (Nationally)

1999 - 2000

• i) Member, Examination Committee Responsibilities as noted above
• ii) Assistance With Visiting Professor Program (Oculoplastics)
• iii) Treasuer: Toronto Oculoplastic Society

2000 - 2001

• i) Member, Examination Committee Responsibilities as noted above
• ii) Assistance with Visiting Professor Program (Oculoplastics)
• iii) Treasurer, Toronto Oculoplastic Society
• iv) Co-Ordinator: Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, University of Toronto

TEACHING AND DESIGN:

Course Development and Design

MEDICAL STUDENTS:

A. Director of Clerkship Teaching, St. Michael's Hospital 1995-96
Responsibility for

• i) co-ordination of teaching sessions - Year 3 medical students - 6
  weeks per year
• ii) examination administration and evaluation summary iii) undergraduate committee member
• iv) revamping of scheduling to allow a more integrated student
  experience

RESIDENTS:

B. Oculoplastic Resident Teaching at St. Michael's and Mt. Sinai Hospitals Responsibility for

• i) design of clinic, operating room and patient-centered teaching of
  residents, fellows and medical students
• ii) design of small group slide-based teaching sessions on a bi-weekly basis

POST-GRADUTE FELLOWS:

C. Oculoplastic Selective at St. Michael's Hospital
Responsibility for

• i) design of selective experience (clinic, office, operating room and
  research
• ii) evaluation of resident and course

D. Orbital Dissection Course, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Toronto; Introductory Program in Ophthalmology Responsibility for

• i) design of lectures (didactic content)
• ii) design and supervision of dissection techniques
• iii) evolution of student evaluation techniques, including anatomy diagrams

E. Research Supervisor, American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Program, Toronto
Responsibility for

• i) suggestion of and evaluation of suitable research projects
• ii) supervision of project design, ethics approval (where appropriate),
  data collection, and manuscript creation
• iii) assessment of presentations arising from research work

PEERS:

F. Course Director - Walter Wright Meeting, Toronto, November 1996
"Ophthalmology 20/15 - Advances in Therapeutics". Responsibility for

• i) complete course design - concept and details
• ii) speaker and topic selection
• iii) venue selection, course brochure design, social program, and
  budget assessment
• iv) development of evaluation techniques
• v) liaison with faculty C. E. office concerning on-site arrangements

G. Course Director - CO2 Laser - Theory and Wet Lab Experience"
IVth Biennial Pan -Arab Congress of Ophthalmology, Amman Jordan,
May 1997 Responsibility for

• i) design of course - theory and practical
• ii) provision of group teaching sessions

H. Member, Organizing Committee, Walter Wright

1997 (Cornea)
1998 (Retina)
1999 (Oculoplastics)
2000 (Neuro-ophthalmology)

Responsibility for

• i) assisting the course director to plan venue, program, speakers, and
  format
• ii) giving advice based on past organizational experience

GRADUATE STUDENT THESIS SUPERVISOR

Post-Residency Fellows (Thesis for membership in the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery).

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

I am actively involved in teaching undergraduate medical students, both from the University of Toronto and those visiting from other medical schools on elective. This involves teaching in the clinics and operating room, particularly at St. Michael's Hospital. Several students have been taught this way every year from 1990 on, for periods of two to six weeks.

In addition, I am a regular teacher in the Arts and Science of Clinical Medicine Year 1 and Year 2 course at the University of Toronto (four years annually since 1990). The third year medical students each are taught ophthalmology for one week; my contribution is a half-day session six times a year. In addition, I was the Director of Clerkship Teaching for St. Michael's Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology in 1995 and 1996. I was responsible for implementing scheduling changes meant to allow the course to better integrate with the other disciplines. Lastly, I have encouraged several medical students in research projects directed by myself, and have acted formally as a mentor to Hans Chung B.S.C. MD.

GRADUATE TEACHING (OPHTHALMOLOGY RESIDENT TEACHING)

I am constantly teaching Ophthalmology residents in the office, clinic, minor OR, and main OR settings in all aspects of Oculoplastic and Orbital SurgeryThis is primarily through their regular rotations at St. Michael's, Mt. Sinai, Princess Margaret, and (while on selective with me before it was closed) Wellesley Hospitals.In addition, they can choose to spend selective time with me exclusively for one to two months, which is a change in the residency program. I teach one of only two selectives offered at St. Michael's Hospital and the Oculoplastics selective offered at Mt. Sinai Hospital.

I regularly teach didactic lectures which are part of resident education, through the once-a-month Oculoplastics Lecture Series at Mt. Sinai Hospital, usually several lectures a year on varying topics. These lectures serve as the core of Oculoplastic knowledge for each ophthalmology resident, supplemented by clinical exposure and small-group teaching.

As a member of the Examinations Committee, I am responsible for creating representative exams for the residency program in the fields of Orbit, Surgical Techniques and Pathology. We review resident performance, and make recommendations for altering residency teaching to ameliorate shortcomings. Occasionally a remedial exam is designed and administered for individual residents.

I regularly provide small group teaching sessions for residents at St. Michael's Hospital, utilizing slide presentations and an informal round-table format.

POSTGRADUATE TEACHING

Research Director of the Oculoplastic Fellowship

I have been one of four preceptors of the University of Toronto Oculoplastic Fellowship since 1990. There are only 29 fellowships approved by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(ASOPRS)in the world (all in North America) Each year we receive thirty to fifty applications from candidates from around the world. Our fellow (one a year, changing to one every two years in 1999) spends 80% of their time in clinical activity and 20% in research. Each fellow must write a research thesis to be submitted to and approved by the ASOPRS thesis committee. I direct this activity, either involving the fellow in a current developing project or assisting them in developing their own. Our fellows have been very successful, winning prestigious research awards in 1994 and 1997. In addition, the fellow is involved in numerous additional papers for publication in prominent peer-reviewed journals, and presents a research topic at the annual departmental Research Day. The clinical volume, tertiary and quaternary care challenges, and outstanding teaching make our fellowship program of one of the most sought-after positionsin North America. We usually receive our top choice of candidates in the match. Over the years over twenty fellows have been trained, although the research prominence has been achieved more recently.


Principle Preceptor Oculoplastic Fellowship

Since 2003, I have been the principle preceptor of the Oculoplastic Fellowship, responsible for the organization, selection, and overall success of the fellowship training program. I meet with the other ASOPRS preceptors twice a year to determine the evolution of this program.

ASSISTANCE WITH VISITING PROFESSOR PROGRAM (OCULOPLASTICS) 1994 ON

In cooperation with Dr. Jeff Hurwitz, visiting professors are selected, topics chosen, and cases and discussion provided. Over the past four years we have hosted some of the most distinguished leaders in Oculoplastic Surgery in the world in Toronto through the visiting professors program and Walter Wright 1996 (Dr. John Wright, Moorfields, England, Dr. Bartley Frueh, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Dr. Albert Hornblass, New York are examples).

List of Selectives Residents

Dr. Rosa Braga-Melee
Dr. Ying Lu
Dr. Dan DeAngelis
Dr. Larissa Derzko
Dr. Navdeep Nijhawan
Dr. David Lane
Dr. Michael Mills
Dr. Dahlia Eino
Dr. Lawrence Weisbrod (at Mt. Sinai Hospital)
Dr. Ravi Dookeran, University of Manitoba
Dr. Yasser Khan
Dr. Paul Denton, Queen’s University

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

Elective Medical Students Supervised
Ms. Roshni Dasgupta (1994)
Mr. Richard Wise (1995)
Mr. Hans Chung (1997)
Ms. Melanie Ferri (1998)
Mr. Matthew Bujack (2003)
Ms. Clara Chan (2004)

Formal Mentor Role
1996-99 Mr. Hans Chung

I. GRADUATE EDUCATION (FELLOWS)

II. LIST OF FELLOWS TRAINED (1991-2001)

III. POST GRADUATE EDUCATION (RESIDENTS)

IV. CONTINUING EDUCATION

Observers in the Operating Room

CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROXYAPATITE ORBITAL IMPLANT PROGRAM

The hydroxyapatite orbital implant developed in 1985, has completely changed the treatment of the anophthalmic socket. I have developed a center of clinical expertise at St. Michael's and Mount Sinai Hospitals, having performed over 500 implants. I have ensured that ongoing research and education are a priority of this program, via grants received, presentations, and publications. Toronto has become an international center of expertise in this field as a result.

THE CO² LASER IN EYELID AND ORBITAL SURGERY

The CO² laser, in pulsed and continuous delivery systems, has also changed the face of eyelid and orbital surgery. I have created a center for surgical education. In this technique, again with research and publication, and presentations accompanying the clinical work.

I have acted as a national preceptor for CO² laser education in Toronto, and have lectured and developed courses internationally. The center has drawn visiting ophthalmic surgeons as well as patients from around the world.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

Project ORBIS is an international charitable aid organization dedicated to Ophthalmic education in the third world. It invites the most well-known educators internationally to teach surgical techniques on its unique DC-10 flying eye hospital. Selection as a Visiting Faculty Member allows further development of international reputation.

Visiting Surgeon

• Project ORBIS, Myanmar (Burma), 1993
• Project ORBIS, Latvia, 1995
• Project ORBIS, China, 1997
• Project ORBIS, China, 1998
• Project ORBIS, India, 2000
• Project ORBIS, Philippines, 2004
• Project ORBIS, Viet Nam, 2004

Course Director and Guest Lecturer, Pan-Arab Congress of Ophthalmology. Amman, Jordan, 1997

Invited Lecturer, Canadian Ophthalmic Society Annual Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, June 2002

Speaker and Member of Organizing Committee, ORBIS Gala Fundraising event, October 2003.

DIRECTOR OF OCULOPLASTIC SERVICES, ST. MICHAEL'S HOSPITAL; OCULOPLASTICS CONSULTANT, PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL; MEMBER OF OCULOPLASTICS SERVICE, MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL

I have been the director of Oculoplastics and Orbital services at St. Michael's Hospital since 1990. In this major teaching and trauma center this is a key role to play; interaction with other services such as neurosurgery, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, and endocrinology is common. Teaching of undergraduate medical students, ophthalmology residents, and post-residency fellows is a constant activity. Our fellowship is the only fellowship in Canada approved by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and is one of the top positions in that organization. I have created at St. Michael's Hospital a major center for the use of and research into orbital hydroxyapatite implants.

I provide tertiary and quaternary care oculoplastic consultations for the Ocular Oncology Service at Princess Margaret Hospital. I have been certified as an enucleating surgeon by the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study, the largest collaborative study ever funded by the National Eye Institute in the United States, and have participated in several annual meetings of that organization. Through the ocular oncology group, patients from all parts of the country and internationally are seen and treated. Ongoing clinical research is a constant feature, due to the large volume of rare and challenging cases.

Mt. Sinai Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology is the only teaching hospital in Toronto to emphasize Oculoplastic surgery as its main thrust. In cooperation with three other oculoplastic surgeons, this institution is a center of excellence serving the entire province and beyond.
 

RESEARCH DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, OCULOPLASTICS PROGRAM
1990 - Present

Since my return from the University of Michigan in 1990, I have been Research Director of Oculoplastics at the University of Toronto. In this role I am responsible for intellectual development of research projects at the medical student, resident and post graduate fellow level. As well, my function includes administration of grants and other funding, ensuring ethics approval, and encouraging publications and presentations. My role as Treasurer of the Toronto Oculoplastic Society dovetails with the administrative aspects of this position.

DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO OCULOPLASTICS FELLOWSHIP 2001 ON

In June of 2001 I took over the Directorship of the University of Toronto ASOPRS approved two year oculoplastic fellowship. This position involves co-ordinating the application process, ensuring the ongoing quality of the fellowship applying thorough evaluation techniques to the fellow and fellowship, and liason with ASOPRS in the United States.

COLLABORATIVE OCULAR MELANOMA STUDY

This multicenter (45 North American Clinical Sites) International Prospective Clinical trial, ongoing since 1986, is the largest funded study the National Eye Institute (USA) has ever undertaken. There are three study arms, all of which have completed recruitment. Outcomes have been developed and published for two arms and follow-up is ongoing in the third arm planned for five more years.

• Certified Enucleating Surgeon
• Participant at Annual Meeting, including recruitment round table discussions
   
• Denver 1992
• Dallas 1993
• Washington 1995
   

ADDITIONAL MEDIA EXPOSURE