Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Pediatric and Strabismus Division

Contact Person: Susanna M. Tamkins, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Clinical Faculty Mentor: Susanna M. Tamkins, O.D., F.A.A.O. stamkins@med.miami.edu

Overview

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami School of Medicine is recognized throughout the world as a leading center for vision care, research and education. Its full-time faculty of internationally respected physicians and scientists encompasses every ophthalmic subspecialty and has contributed significantly to today’s advanced vision diagnoses and treatments. As a result the facility has been rated one of the best eye hospitals in the nation based on a survey of board certified ophthalmologists conducted by U.S. News and World Report.

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s Pediatric Vision and Strabismus Clinical Service is one of the largest full-service pediatric vision clinics. It provides a variety of services, including strabismus surgery, assessments for visually impaired infants and children, ocular trauma and complex genetic conditions. Sub-specialty clinics within this rotation include Pediatric Contact Lens, Pediatric Glaucoma, Pediatric Vitreal-Retina, Pediatric Vision Research and Adult Diplopia clinics.

The Pediatric Vision specialists associated with the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute are dedicated to the research and care of multiple eye-related conditions. With five full-time clinical faculty Pediatric or Pediatric Specialty Ophthalmologists, and a full-time Pediatric Optometrist, we provide well-rounded exposure to both the clinical and academic sides of pediatric vision and strabismus.

Optometry Training

• Final year optometry student training at The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Pediatric Vision Clinic offers advanced training in pediatric optometry and binocular vision. Dr. Susanna Tamkins, Pediatric Optometrist, supervises optometry students in the clinic. Her interests include strabismus, amblyopia, and pediatric contact lenses. The nationally known Amblyopia Treatment Study and Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trials are active at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute under her direction.
• Time spent with Dr. Susanna Tamkins will be dominated by direct patient care in the areas of infant vision and pathology, strabismus and amblyopia. One day a week the optometry student participates in the clinic of a Pediatric Ophthalmologist. In addition, one half-day each week is dedicated to research and/or scholarship pursuits relevant to the clinic patients. Finally, there are other opportunities, including: 1) direct patient care in the related field of Neuro-Optometry, 2) observation of pediatric surgery including strabismus alignment surgeries, and 3) observation of Pediatric Vision specialty clinics (glaucoma, retina, aphakic contact lens, research, vision therapy).

Daily Expectations

• Externs are required to be at the hospital ready to see patients by 8:00 a.m. Grand Rounds are scheduled Thurs at 7:30 a.m. Clinics finish at approximately 4:30 p.m.

Educational Conferences

• There are many educational opportunities for the extern outside the area of the Pediatric Vision Clinic patient care. Weekly conferences will be held to supplement the extern’s clinical training and experience. Conferences and lectures that the student may attend include:Monday:Staff lecture/meeting5:00 p.m.
  

  Thursday:

  Grand rounds Slide/case conference

  7:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m.

Necessary Equipment

• The student will need to bring a 20D, 90D or 78D lens, a long white clinic jacket, and a copy of a negative PPD test (if he/she has had one in the last six months.) Equipment specific to pediatric vision testing is helpful but not mandatory (for example: lens bars, pediatric trial frame, etc.)