Our first four 2023 fellows are here and it’s all thanks to our generous donors! All are eagerly looking forward to working at Sydney Eye Hospital with our world class professionals.
Our Fellowship Program is now in its 32nd year and provides once in a lifetime experience to outstanding clinicians who will become the next generation of ophthalmic leaders. Thanks to community support Sydney Eye Hospital Foundation has committed $508,000 to support 9 Fellows in 2023. A new Glaucoma-Neuro ophthalmology fellow is being offered with recruitment underway now for 2024.
Together with the Heads of Department of Sydney Eye Hospital, we recruit doctors who are fully-qualified ophthalmologists in their respective country.
Dr Andrew Chang, Head of Ophthalmology said, “They are selected competitively on merit and importantly, if from overseas, intend to return to their country to provide much needed speciality services there.
“Our eye speciality departments are committed to the Fellowship Program which affords unparalleled access to the best in medical and surgical ophthalmology training, and our fellows work side–by–side leaders in the field and importantly train our junior doctors.”
Australia’s first hospital, now known as Sydney / Sydney Eye Hospital provides surgical and medical management across 7 sub-specialities of Vitreoretinal, Medical Retina, Cornea, Glaucoma, Strabismus, Oncology Neurophthalmology and Uveitis.
Since 1991 Sydney Eye Hospital Foundation has funded 173 Ophthalmology Fellows from 32 countries.
“Fellows enrich the hospital in many ways and are often described as central and fundamental to our service delivery to patients,” said Linda Fagan, Chief Executive of Sydney Eye Hospital Foundation.
“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all who donate to the Foundation. With an ageing population, there is increasing demand on services and we need to raise much more funding to support the hospital,” Linda said.
If you would like to support the Fellowship Program please donate here or contact the Foundation to discuss the special opportunities available info@sehf.org.au
Sydney Eye Hospital 2023 Honorary Fellows:
Dr Shalhevet Goldfeather Ben Zaken
Honorary Graham Lovett Vitreoretinal Fellow
Dr Shalhevet Goldfeather Ben Zaken was born and raised in Israel where she graduated with her medical degree from the University of Tel Aviv. She completed a BSc degree in Biotechnology from Bar Ilan University, and an MSc degree in neurobiology from Tel Aviv University researching under the Neurobiology department Tel Aviv University, Israel in conjoined with the Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Centre Tel HaShomer, Israel.
Shalhevet trained as an ophthalmologist and went on to complete a one-year Vitreoretinal fellowship at Kaplan medical center, affiliated with Hadassah medical school. During that time, she took part in numerous research projects.
Dr Goldfeather is grateful to the foundation and excited to join the team at the Sydney Eye Hospital to complete her vitreoretinal fellowship. Following the completion of this year in Sydney Shalhevet intends to move back to Israel to continue her career as a vitreoretinal surgeon, helping her patients and sharing with colleagues the knowledge and experience she gained here.
Dr Anelisa Koh
Honorary Professorial (Uveitis) Fellow
Dr Anelisa Koh finished her medical degree at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines and went on to complete her residency training in Ophthalmology at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center.
In hopes of filling the void in subspecialty care in her province, Neli is eager to hone her skills in this exceptional program Sydney Eye Hospital offers which allows her to work with leaders in the fields of Uveitis, Retina, Ocular Genetics and Neuro-Ophthalmology. She looks forward to engaging with patients of different cultures and backgrounds, refining her skills in the theatre, and taking part in international clinical trials.
Outside of work, she plans to explore the arts and culture, and beautiful outdoors Australia has to offer.
Dr Alexander Chorny
Honorary Mabs Melville Corneal Fellow
Dr Alexander Chorny was born in Russia. He got his MD degree from Ben Gurion University, Israel, as part of a medical cadets program, followed by five years of army duty as a general and combat surgeon in Israel Defense Forces, where he had the opportunity to assist in humanitarian delegations. He completed five years of Ophthalmology Speciality Training at Soroka Medical Center in Southern Israel with honours, including two years as a Chief Resident, while developing an interest in treating corneal diseases. He then took up a fifteen-month Cornea Fellowship at Rabin Medical Center. As part of his community involvement, Alexander volunteers for the Israeli Research Association for Eye Health and Blindness Prevention, offering ophthalmological care for disabled patients at their homes.
Upon return from Sydney, Alexander expects to use new skills, offer much-needed corneal service to the diverse community of Southern Israel, and teach future generations of ophthalmologists to provide the best care in treating corneal diseases.
Dr Aaron Wong
Honorary Glaucoma Fellow
Dr Aaron Wong is an Ophthalmologist from Auckland, New Zealand. After completing training in New Zealand he has undertaken fellowships in Glaucoma in Auckland and General Ophthalmology in Melbourne. He has received a RANZCO NZ scholarship to complete the further Glaucoma subspecialist training at Sydney Eye Hospital in 2023. Aaron is looking forward to working and learning from the team at Sydney Eye Hospital and hopes to further strengthen the trans tasman Ophthalmology relationship on his return to New Zealand.
