A world class comprehensive, pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus fellowship in a dynamic city.

Pediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Strabismus Fellowship

Expanding Your Options in Pediatric Ophthalmology

The AUPO-accredited Pediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Strabismus Fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, in affiliation with Children’s Eye Care and Kresge Eye Institute, offers one of the most comprehensive and dynamic training experiences in the country. Our program is designed to expand your surgical, clinical, and academic skills, preparing you for the full spectrum of cases you will encounter in your career.

On average, fellows perform more than 600 surgeries annually with over 12% being intraocular cases. This unparalleled surgical exposure ensures that our graduates are confident managing everything from routine strabismus to complex pediatric cataracts and glaucoma.

We’re proud that the fellows we’ve trained have felt fully prepared to choose whatever direction of interest in pediatric ophthalmology that most interested them. We invite you to discover more about a program below and on YouTube.

Leemor B. Rotberg, MD
Fellowship Director

Apply to the Fellowship

Applications are accepted exclusively through SFMatch.org.

  • Deadline: October 25, 2025 (for the 2025–2026 academic year)
  • Interviews: October 9 (onsite), October 30 (onsite), November 5 (virtual)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must have completed an ophthalmology residency in North America, as required by the State of Michigan for unrestricted medical licensure.

If you are ready to expand your options and advance your career, we encourage you to apply to the Pediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Strabismus Fellowship in Detroit, Michigan.

Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO)  Children's Hospital of Michigan Department of Ophthalmology   cec-logo-horizontal-001   Kresge Eye Institute

Fellowship Highlights

  • AUPO-accredited, one-year program
  • Only one fellow per year, ensuring one-on-one mentorship with 10 pediatric ophthalmologists and 8 nationally recognized orthoptists
  • Surgical training across strabismus, pediatric cataracts, glaucoma, trauma, oculoplastics and ROP
  • Equal time in the operating room and clinic, maximizing both surgical autonomy and clinical expertise
  • Training settings that include a nationally ranked children’s hospital and suburban private practice clinics, providing diverse patient populations and case variety
  • Active participation in resident and medical student teaching, journal clubs, and national research studies

A Comprehensive Fellowship Experience

Our goal is simple: to expand your options as a surgeon, clinician, and educator. During fellowship, you will gain extensive experience in:

  • Strabismus (pediatric and adult) – from common horizontal deviations to complex cranial nerve palsies
  • Pediatric cataracts & juvenile cataracts – including intraocular lens management
  • Pediatric glaucoma & congenital glaucoma – including syndromic cases such as Sturge-Weber
  • Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) – including laser and anti-VEGF treatments
  • Pediatric uveitis & systemic disease associations – in collaboration with rheumatology
  • Oculoplastics – including eyelid malposition and laceration repair
  • Genetic & syndromic ophthalmology – with multidisciplinary case exposure
  • Amblyopia diagnosis and management – including complex and refractory cases
  • Aphakic contact lens management – integral to pediatric cataract care

This diversity, combined with high surgical volume, equips fellows to practice confidently in academic medicine, private practice, or hybrid models.

“I had only seen maybe one or two pediatric cataracts in residency. In my first week of fellowship, I already had three on the schedule. I’ve done so much surgery this year that I feel totally comfortable now.”
— Christopher Lasecki, MD, Fellow 2023-2024

Academic & Research Opportunities

We believe academic training is essential to producing leaders in pediatric ophthalmology. Fellows will:

  • Teach ophthalmology residents and medical students in clinic and the OR
  • Lead six pediatric ophthalmology journal clubs
  • Deliver two original lectures to residents and faculty
  • Present a poster or paper at the AAPOS Annual Meeting (with travel stipend provided)
  • Participate in national research studies such as PEDIG clinical trials

Training Environment

Fellows train primarily at Children’s Hospital of Michigan (CHM), located on the Detroit Medical Center campus.

  • CHM is consistently ranked among the Best Children’s Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
  • Home to more than 40 pediatric specialties and 240+ residents and fellows
  • A top-25 program nationwide for NIH research funding

State-of-the-art facilities include OCT, diagnostic ultrasound, RetCam3 with fluorescein angiography, dedicated ophthalmology ORs with Zeiss microscopes and Bausch + Lomb microsurgical systems, and full diagnostic and surgical laser capabilities.

Compensation & Benefits

  • Salary commensurate with DMC PGY level
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Malpractice coverage
  • Two weeks vacation
  • Travel stipend to attend and present at the AAPOS Annual Meeting
  • No ER call responsibilities

Fellowship Faculty

Our fellows learn directly from a diverse team of pediatric ophthalmologists and nationally recognized orthoptists. With expertise spanning strabismus, pediatric cataracts, glaucoma, oculoplastics, retina, genetics, and research, our faculty are committed to advancing education while providing outstanding patient care.

Each fellow benefits from one-on-one mentorship and exposure to a variety of surgical and clinical techniques.

Leemor B. Rotberg, MD; Fellowship Director
Lisa Bohra, MD; Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology 
Shaza N. Al-Holou, MD 
Alexandra O. Apkarian, MD 
Reecha S. Bahl, MD
Elena M. Gianfermi, MD 
Conrad Giles, MD 
Amanda Ismail, MD 
Rajesh C. Rao, MD 
John D. Roarty, MD, MPH 
Mary DeYoung-Smith, CO, COMT 
Stephen Burwell, CO, COT 
Nina Apple, CO, COT

Distinguished Alumni

Our fellowship has trained leaders who now serve in private practices, academic centers, and children’s hospitals across the U.S. and internationally — including directors of pediatric ophthalmology divisions, NIH-funded researchers, and AAPOS presenters.

Year(s) Fellow Name Current Practice / Role
1991–1992 Nicholas A. Sala, DO Pediatric Ophthalmology of Erie, PA; PEDIG PI; Faculty, LECOM
1993–1994 Julie Rysenga, MD Private Practice, Ontario, OR
1994–1995 Michael Altman, MD Director of Pediatric & Neuro-Ophthalmology, Krieger Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD
1995–1996 Peter Schwartz, MD Private Practice, Ithaca, NY
1996–1997 Michael S. Abrams, MD Pediatric Ophthalmology of Western MA, Agawam, MA
1997–1998 John Duerksen, MD Faculty, Kaiser Permanente, Ontario, CA
1998–1999 Michael Bloom, MD Bloom Family Eye Surgeons & Dayton Children’s Hospital, OH
1999–2000 Silay Canturk Ugurbas, MD Professor, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
2000–2001 Christopher Galang, DO Eye Clinic of Wisconsin, Wausau, WI
2001–2002 Ali Shoughary, MD Private Practice, Pembroke, Ontario, Canada
2003–2004 Cybil Bean Cassady, MD Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates, Columbus, OH; Faculty, OSU/Nationwide Children’s
2004–2005 Ann Ranelle, DO Fort Worth Eye Associates, Fort Worth, TX
2006–2007 Gad Dotan, MD Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Schneider Children’s Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
2007–2008 Angela Moll, MD Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA
2009–2010 Elena M. Gianfermi, MD Children’s Eye Care & CHM, Detroit, MI
2011–2012 Daniel Pierre, MD Cleveland Eye Clinic, Cleveland, OH
2012–2013 Tiffany Kruger, DO Okaloosa Ophthalmology, Crestview, FL
2013–2014 Chrysavgi Adamopoulou, MD Kids Eyes, Athens, Greece; Faculty, Case Western Reserve
2017–2018 Lauren Fletcher, DO Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI
2018–2019 Amir Sternfeld, MD Schneider Children’s Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
2020–2021 Amanda A. Ismail, MD Children’s Eye Care & CHM, Detroit, MI
2023–2024 Christopher Lasecki, MD Children’s Eye Care + Surgery of Georgia, Atlanta, GA

It is a very complete fellowship in the sense that the fellow gets exposure to all aspects of pediatric ophthalmology (oculoplastics, glaucoma, anterior segment, cataracts, ROP with laser procedures, pediatric trauma) and not just strabismus.

The fellowship teaches autonomy in the OR and efficiency in the clinic as well as understanding the patient experience because of the outstanding attendings.
~ Christopher Lasecki, MD
2023-2024