The Duke third-year Ophthalmology and Visual Science Study Program (OVS) is a 10-to 12-month program designed to provide the Duke third-year medical student with in-depth exposure to the sciences (basic and clinical) encompassed within ophthalmology. The development of the next generation of clinician-scientists is a high priority of the educational mission of the Department of Ophthalmology and is embodied in the OVS program. To achieve this goal, the faculty offers a wide scope of research opportunities to third-year students. These range from intense, hands-on experience in molecular and cell biology, to animal surgery, to clinical prospective and retrospective studies. The student, in addition to being closely mentored by an individual faculty member, has the opportunity to participate in the vast array of departmental research and clinical seminars, lectures and tutorials as well as participation in a national scientific meeting. These activities offer an intensive learning environment and provide a solid foundation from which to launch a successful career bridging basic and clinical sciences with the practice of medicine. Director Catherine Bowes Rickman, PhD. For information about registration, visit the Duke Third-year Study website.

Participating Duke Eye Center Research Faculty:

• Vadim Arshavsky, PhD, Professor in Ophthalmology and Neurobiology
• Catherine Bowes Rickman, PhD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Assistant Professor in Cell Biology
• Edward G. Buckley, MD, Chief, Pediatric Ophthalmology Service, Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics
• Pratap Challa, MD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
• Scott W.Cousins, MD, Robert Machemer, MD Professor of Ophthalmology, Professor in Immunology
• David L. Epstein, MD, MMM, Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, Joseph AC Wadsworth Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology
• Glenn J. Jaffe, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology
• Gordon K. Klintworth, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology in the Department of Pathology, Joseph AC Wadsworth Research Professor of Ophthalmology
• Paul Lee, MD, JD, James Pitzer Gills, III, MD and Joy Gills Professor of Ophthalmology 
• P. Vasantha Rao, PhD, Associate Professor Ophthalmology, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology
• Cynthia A. Toth, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology and Biomedical Engineering
• Fulton Wong, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurobiology, Assistant Professor in Pathology
• Terri L. Young, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics