IFOS/ICO International Fellowship:

Training Young Ophthalmologists from Developing Countries

Fellowship news headlines:

• Revised instructions and applications for Fellowships
  
  
• April 30 and October 31 deadlines to apply
  
  
• New IFOS/ICO Fellowship Director and contact information
  
  
• Dr. Gabel takes over for Fellowship "father" Dr. Gloor
  
  
• April 30 and October 31 deadlines to apply
  
  
• Fellowship preference for applicants who have passed ICO International Assessments

(Also see: More News of the Fellowships)

Also on this page:

• More information on Fellowships and how to apply
  
  
• Goal of Fellowships

Revised instructions and applications for Fellowships

A revised introduction to the ICO Fellowships, instructions and application forms can be downloaded from www.icoph.org/pdf/ICOFellowship.doc (1.2 MB).

The deadline to apply for the next round of Fellowships is April 30.

Also available are separate downloads of:

The Directory of Training Centers is also being revised, and the new Directory will be available in February or March 2008.

The three-month IFOS/ICO Fellowships were organized to help promising young ophthalmologists from developing nations improve their practical skills and broaden their perspectives of ophthalmology.

Fellows are expected to bring their acquired knowledge and skills back to their native country and participate in programs to preserve vision and prevent blindness.

For further information, contact the Fellowships Office at fellowship@icoph.org.

April 30 and October 31 deadlines to apply

The IFOS/ICO Fellowships are awarded twice a year, and April 30 and October 31 are the deadlines to apply.

Fellowships generally last three months, but the program is intended to be flexible to meet the needs of different countries and individuals. Under special circumstances, an IFOS/ICO Fellowship can be part of a longer fellowship. The Fellowship does not cover fees for observors.

New IFOS/ICO Fellowship Director and contact information

Veit-Peter Gabel, MD, has taken over responsibility for IFOS/ICO Fellowships from Fellowship Found Balder Gloor, MD.

Correspondence about the Fellowships should be sent to fellowship@icoph.org.

The address is:

Dr. Gabel takes over for Fellowship "father" Dr. Gloor

Dr. Gabel was elected Fellowship Director by the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (IFOS) in February 2006 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has taken over responsibility from Balder Gloor, MD, who established the Fellowship Program in 2001.

Since then, IFOS/ICO Fellowships have been awarded to more than 250 ophthalmologists. Fellowships are available from more than 60 training programs in 27 countries but the list will be revised and expanded soon.

"We are deeply indebted to Dr. Gloor, the "father" of the IFOS/ICO Fellowship program, for his dedication, hard work and many contributions to the ICO and IFOS," said International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) President Bruce Spivey, MD.

Fellowship preference for applicants who have passed ICO Assessments

Applicants for IFOS/ICO International Fellowships who have passed the International Basic and Clinical Assessments will be given preference in consideration for Fellowships.

But passing the Assessments is neither a prerequisite nor a guarantee of a Fellowship.

For more information on the Assessments, see that section of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) Eye Site or contact Rosemary Bell, Examination Secretary, 2 Wort’s Causeway, Cambridge CB1 8RN UK, assess@icoph.org.

Next: More News of the IFOS/ICO International Fellowship