Fellowship Programs

Given the objectives cited above, the TOC faculty assumes that applicants are strongly motivated toward a career in the subspecialty of oculoplastic surgery. This area of clinical medicine encompasses the general areas of teaching, laboratory and/or clinical research, administration, and the business aspects of an aesthetic and reconstructive oculoplastic surgical practice. This fellowship is structured to provide an intensive, well-supervised training experience over two years. The overall goals of the two-year fellowship program is to expose the fellow to the full range of clinical experiences that make up the subspecialty of Ophthalmic Plastic, Orbital, Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and to remain within the standards of training for fellows as set forth by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS). This includes the medical and surgical management of diseases of the eyelids, ocular adnexae, orbit, lacrimal system, and the reconstruction of the ocular and periocular region. It is expected that the fellow will have significant exposure to periocular and facial cosmetic procedures to include face and neck lifts, rhinoplasty, and autologous fat transfer.

The fellowship is divided into junior and senior fellowship years. In the first year of training, most of the fellow’s time is spent with Drs. Blaydon, Durairaj and Nakra in their clinical practices. The fellow will work-up patients, first assist on private surgical cases, and perform some surgical cases under direct supervision. The fellow will act as primary surgeon on selected patients with eyelid and lacrimal disease, but most of the surgical experience will be shared with the preceptors on their private patients. There will be ample opportunity to manage patients with ocular, orbital, and adnexal trauma both as primary surgeon and as first assistant. After a period of time the fellow will be allowed to operate independently on carefully selected patients on the ophthalmology clinic services at the Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas (DSMCUT) and Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, both Level I Trauma Centers in Austin. During the first year of training, the fellow will assume increasing responsibility for surgical management of non-referred cases. Once proficiency is demonstrated, the fellow will be credentialed to perform selected procedures without supervision. Back-up senior staff coverage will always be available. The fellow will have opportunities to assist other attending surgeons in a variety of specialties depending upon case mix. A number of other ASOPRS members residing within the local area participate in supervision of the fellow. The fellow will have the opportunity to assist on their private cases.

Upon completion of the first year of training, the fellow will have his/her credentials expanded to allow greater flexibility and responsibility for managing complex medical and surgical cases. Depending on demonstrated skills, responsibility, and maturity, the fellow may have an opportunity to spend a portion of the second year at a teaching hospital with clinical privileges being coterminous with the completion of training at the end of the second year. If selected, the fellow will have responsibility for patient care commensurate with his clinical skills, training, and experience. His or her performance will be carefully monitored by the program directors. Staff support and supervision will always be available. The fellow will attend a residents’ clinic, assist and teach the residents, and actively participate in the activities of the oculoplastic services at several institutions. He or she will bear substantial administrative responsibility for the daily management of patients. Complex orbital and reconstructive cases originating in the private practice of Drs. Blaydon, Durairaj and Nakra and other faculty will be performed by the fellow commensurate with his skills, level of training, and preceptor and patient comfort. The goal is to keep the fellow as primary surgeon when possible. Formal rotation blocks will be scheduled in ENT, neurosurgery and Mohs surgery. In addition, there will be ample opportunity for the fellow to perform team surgery with ENT, neurosurgery, dermatology, and plastic surgery.

During the fellowship, the fellow will have protected time to conduct research, study independently, or take elective rotations. This is subject to approval of the program directors and TOC partners. The fellow is expected to complete a clinical or laboratory research project, submit a manuscript for review, and defend a thesis prior to completion of training. This research will form the basis for the thesis required for membership in the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS). In addition to the thesis, the fellow is expected to complete a minimum of four to six manuscripts during the course of the fellowship.

There are four objectives for the training program:

• To provide comprehensive training in ophthalmic plastic, orbit reconstruction, and aesthetic surgery.
• To prepare the fellow for a career in the specialty of consultative ophthalmic plastic, orbit, and reconstructive surgery.
• To develop the fellow’s skills in clinical and laboratory research.
• To assist the fellow in becoming an effective teacher, surgeon, and clinician.

Conference and Teaching Responsibilities
The fellows are responsible to the clinical faculty for participation in academic programs related to oculoplastic surgery. The fellows will attend courses sponsored locally and will participate in teaching conferences as opportunities evolve. The fellows are expected to develop and give lectures to residents on suitable topics chosen by the faculty. In addition, monthly conferences will be held in the TOC offices where the fellows will present topics of interest and review cases with the faculty.

Call
The fellows will be expected to take primary first call for the practice with backup provided by the TOC partners. The call requirements are not onerous and allow ample time for independent study and research.

Period of Training
The fellowship begins on July 1st and continues for 24 consecutive months through June 30th of the second year of training. The fellows are expected to be available for clinical and/or research duties throughout this time. The training schedule will be set by the program directors. The certificate of training will be withheld if a fellow fails to complete the requirements of the fellowship program or the fellow departs prior to completion of training, unless the departure is approved by the program directors.

The TOC ASOPRS fellowships are funded. In addition to the fellows’ salary, malpractice insurance and health benefits are provided. Limited funds are available for travel to national scientific meetings in each year of training if the fellow is a first author on the paper. Additional funding is available for research.

Vacation
The fellow is allowed two weeks of vacation in the first year of training and three weeks in the second year. The absences will be approved and coordinated by the program director. Normal TOC holidays will also be honored.

Upon successful completion of training, the fellow will be awarded a fellowship certificate by TOC. This fellowship is accredited by ASOPRS. Once ASOPRS is notified that training has been successfully completed, the fellow will be eligible to apply for membership in the society.

Basic Requirements for an Application:

• Completion of residency training in an ophthalmology residency training program sanctioned by the ACGME. Exceptional foreign medical graduates may be considered in unusual circumstances only if they are eligible for full Texas licensure.
• Eligible for an unrestricted Texas Medical License (you will be required to have a Texas Medical License by the start of your fellowship – this can take up to 6 months here in Texas).
• Eligible for academic and professional credentials approved by Seton Medical Center Network such that the fellow can obtain clinical privileges at affiliated institutions.
• Eligible for malpractice coverage as required by hospital by-laws. Malpractice insurance will be covered by TOC.

Applications
All applications to ASOPRS fellowship programs will be made through an online Centralized Application Service (CAS) via the San Francisco Match (SF Match) website (www.sfmatch.org). All candidates will use the CAS, which will be the same for all programs. Applicants must fill out an online application form and mail the required support documents to the SF Match office. Program selection is done online. A separate fee applies based on the number of programs selected.

Once the application is complete (online application form submitted, programs selected and required documents and payment received), the application is distributed online to the programs you have selected.

The following information will be required when you complete the CAS. You will be given instructions on how to send them to the SF Match.

• Current Curriculum Vitae
• Medical School Transcript
• At least three independent letters of recommendation including one from your Program Director or Department Chair
• USMLE Scores
• Personal Statement
• US Citizenship or Immigrant Status

In addition to the above our program also requires the below additional information. These can be sent directly to our program.

• A recent passport sized or similar photo
• A summary of your OKAP scores (examinee score report face sheet) from the first, second, and third years of training where applicable
• Dean’s letter from medical school
• A copy of your current medical license (even if only a training license)
• Any other information you wish to present as part of your application

Our application deadline is March 4th.

Application material should be emailed to and information is available from:

Jean Alexander
TOC Fellowship Program Coordinator
Telephone: (512) 533-7320
Fax: (512) 458-4824
Email: jalexander@tocaustin.com
Website: https://toceyeandface.com

Interviews
Following initial review of the application, fellows will be selected for the interview process. Applicants will be contacted individually. The applicants should not contact members of the faculty to request interviews. Interviews will not be granted until all applications have been reviewed and the pre-selection process completed.

Facial cosmetic surgery is a specialty exclusively dedicated to the enhancement of appearance through surgical and medical techniques directed to the areas of the head and neck. Facial cosmetic surgery is performed by dermatologists, facial plastic surgeons, general surgeons, ophthalmologists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, and physicians from other fields.

Dr. Tanuj Nakra and his partners at TOC Eye and Face are pleased to offer a one-year facial cosmetic surgery fellowship beginning each year on July 1. Dr. Nakra and his partners perform the full spectrum of facial cosmetic surgeries with emphasis on blepharoplasty, fat transfer, and facelifts. There is a special practice interest in revision surgery, including revision blepharoplasty, revision facelifts, and revision rhinoplasty. The prospective fellow will work side-by-side with the preceptors in their private practices and in the operating room.  Fellows will be asked to participate in surgery and in clinic based on graduated proficiency.   The fellow will be given an opportunity to develop a fellow clinic and to generate their own cases.  There is an expectation of high performance, scholarly production, and cooperation with allied specialties. Stipend and benefits should be discussed with the Program Director.

The Training Fellow must qualify per the  AACS fellowship guidelines. They must be able to obtain an unrestricted Texas medical license. The applicant must be either MD or DO.

Dr. Tanuj Nakra is in private practice at TOC Eye and Face in Austin, Texas. He is certified by the Boards of Cosmetic Surgery, Facial Cosmetic Surgery, and Ophthalmology. He was born in London, grew up in the Midwest United States and received the majority of his medical training at UCLA. He regularly publishes and lectures both regionally and internationally.