American Society of Opthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship

Plastic / Cosmetic Surgeons Dr. Steven Laukaitis and Dr. Bryan Sires located in Kirkland Washington near Bellevue and a suburb of Seattle.

This 24-month fellowship provides a comprehensive oculofacial plastic surgical experience. The fellowship resides in a busy and efficient private practice located in one of the most sought after neighborhoods on the eastside of Seattle. Care also occurs in downtown Seattle. Training includes clinical care (diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the oculofacial region), research and teaching responsibilities. The goal of the fellowship is to provide comprehensive training in oculofacial plastic surgery so that the fellow can excel in any type of practice they desire. The experience should be so broad that they will feel comfortable in an academic or private practice setting. Also, the fellow should develop a sense of giving back to the profession so the field maintains the highest standards and quality for patients and others who practice after us.

The preceptor is Dr. Bryan Sires. Dr. Richard Dortzbach and others trained him at the University of Wisconsin in 1994-1995. He spent 10.5 years at the University of Washington as a faculty member where he helped to establish the first ASOPRS fellowship in Seattle. He has trained four ASOPRS fellows. His past fellow is Dr. Bryan Winn who now works at Columbia University. His current fellow is Audrey Ahuero, MD who came from Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary. Dr. Sires has an interest in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery and his research interests coincide with his clinical care.

One non-ASOPRS associate preceptor is Dr. Steven LauKaitis. Dr. Robert Wilkins in Houston, TX trained him. He has been in practice in the Bellevue-Kirkland, WA area for the past 16 years. He is the creator of the Allure Facial Laser Center and Medispa. Dr. LauKaitis has interests in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery as well as international medicine. He was the Medical Director of ORBIS for eight years prior to settling in the Seattle area. He is also an expert in practice management with his MBA from Duke University.

The other associate preceptor is Dr. Eric Cole. Dr. Allen Putterman at the University of Illinois trained him in 1997-1998. He has cared for patients on the Kitsap Peninsula since leaving fellowship. He is currently in his own private practice at the Cole Aesthetic Center in Poulsbo, WA. His interests are in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. One day a week or 20% is spent in this location.

The associate preceptors will provide a diverse and well-rounded experience. This will provide a varied approach to similar problems. The patient population in these two locations is also varied. Kirkland, WA is an urban center and Poulsbo, WA is a rural center.

100% of the office practice is oculofacial plastic surgery.
100% of the surgical practice is oculofacial plastic surgery.

Describe arrangements made for the following:

Financial Stipend: $36,000 each year and includes an incentive over and above the base salary

Malpractice Insurance: Covered by Aesthetic Eye Associates, PS

Health Insurance: Covered by Aesthetic Eye Associates, PS

Other: Travel to educational meetings

Weekly/Monthly/Quarterly Conferences Available:

Monthly neuro-radiology rounds at the University Of Washington

• Monthly University Of Washington Clinical Pathological Correlation Conference run by the two Seattle fellows
• Weekly Head and Neck Cancer Conference at the University Of Washington on an as-needed basis
• Annual University Of Washington Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Course
• Annual Washington Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons meeting
• Monthly Washington Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons meeting
• Monthly University Of Washington Department of Ophthalmology neuro-radiology rounds

List other ophthalmic fellowship programs at your primary institution with which your fellow would be in contact:

Interactions with the University of Washington Oculofacial Plastic Surgery Fellow will occur during anatomic dissections, soft tissue course, journal club, other didactic lectures and covering call at various hospitals. There will also be an exchange of 1-3 months where the Allure fellow will travel to the university.

Describe the subspecialty services that are available, specifically indication the sub specialists involved in each area and the fellow’s opportunity to participate:

Otolaryngology: Direct interaction with Drs. Mike Glen, Craig Murakami, Eric Pinczower, and Sam Naficy as well as others. The fellow participates in head and neck cancer surgery cases involving tumor excision and reconstruction as well as facial plastic surgery cases. These cases are done at Overlake and Virginia Mason Hospitals. There is a two-week rotation for the oncology cases as well as one month for the facial plastic surgery cases.

General Plastic Surgery: Direct interaction with Drs. Joseph Gruss and Richard Hopper at Harborview and Children’s Regional Hospital and Medical Center. The fellow participates in craniofacial reconstruction related to trauma and congenital anomalies during a two-week rotation.

Neuro-ophthalmology/Neurology and Neurosurgery: The fellow interacts directly with Drs. Hamilton and May, neurologists trained in neuro-ophthalmology. The fellow also frequently interacts with Drs. David Newell and Mark Mayberg from Neurosurgery at the Neuroscience Institute at Swedish Medical Center for combined cranio-orbital cases.

Pathology: The program is fortunate to have an active ocular pathology service through Eastside Pathology, Inc. (Dr. Peter Herreid), which has a close working relationship with the ocular pathologists at the University of Washington. Specimens are available for review as well as for the CPC conference. In addition, Swedish Medical Center’s eye pathologist is Dr. Richard Kneirem. He runs a monthly eye and skin pathology conference that the fellow is welcome to attend.

Neuro-radiology: Monthly neuro-radiology rounds at the University of Washington. Also, the fellow directly interacts with the entire group of neuro-radiologists at the University of Washington, Swedish and Overlake Hospitals to review individual patient’s studies.

Dermatology/Mohs Surgery: Direct interaction with Dr. Peter Odland, Annalisa Gorman, Jennifer Reichel and Darrell Fader occur during a one-month rotation.

Ocularist: Mr. Greg Sankey, Todd Cranamore, Christie Erickson and Rebecca Erickson appreciate the interaction with the fellow. The fellow gets a close up of how ocular and orbital prosthetics are manufactured. The fellow spends one week with these practices.

Other specialty services available: The fellow can spend time with community oculofacial surgeons as well as facial plastic surgeons. The community oculofacial surgeons include Dr. James Orcutt, Dr. Robert Tower, Dr. AJ Amadi, Dr. Alexander On, Dr. Tim Carey and Dr. Tim Heffernon. Drs. Wayne Larrabee, William Portuguese, and Sam Naficy are facial plastic surgeons that are willing to educate the fellow as well. Drs. George Marosan and Aysel Sanderson are general plastic surgeons who have experience with body and facial surgery and who welcome interactions with the fellow.

Are facilities available for anatomic dissection? Describe: Yes. These are located at the University of Washington. A minimum of one dissection is carried out during the fellowship and done with the University of Washington fellow and faculty from both fellowships.

Are facilities available for research? Describe: Yes. There are basic and clinical science resources and opportunities. The University of Washington provides a setting for basic research.

Please describe the time allotment for research: Nights and weekends. Also, the fellow is given two weeks near the end of the first year to get the thesis project initiated and to get things running so they can be maintained at night and during weekends. Also, over the final year this may involve time during the weekday to facilitate the project.

Are animal labs available? Yes. The University of Washington has animal facilities.

Is funding available for research? Yes. They are also encouraged to apply for the Heed Fellowship. Other funding will be provided directly through the practice. The fellow is expected to present their work at national meetings.

What type of research do you expect to sponsor? The fellow can choose either extensive clinical projects or basic science work. The facilities and resources are available for both. It is mainly a function of the fellow’s interest. The philosophy is a project that is archival in nature.

Will the fellow be involved in teaching residents? Intermittent. Describe: This is a weekly call per month backing up University of Washington residents. This would be primarily in the operating room for emergent and elective cases. They may have opportunities to do didactic presentations to the University of Washington residents. Also, an opportunity during the away rotation at the University of Washington will provide an experience with residents.

Describe the fellow’s duties in general ophthalmology: None.

Could the fellow leave your program for a period of time (1-2 months) to work with another preceptor or sub specialist? Yes.

Is there an ophthalmology library available? Yes. Describe: Dr. Sires has a fully functioning ophthalmic library including full volumes of Archives of Ophthalmology and the American Journal of Ophthalmology from Volume 1 1927. Volumes of Ophthalmology are from 1980 to current. The library also contains a nearly complete set of OPRS. Subscriptions include OPRS, Ophthalmology, Archives of Ophthalmology and the American Journal of Ophthalmology. Other journals can be obtained on an as-needed basis or through the University of Washington’s electronic library. Hard copies along with computer and web-based learning tools are available.

What photographic facilities are available? A fully functioning photographic suite is available. The fellows are encouraged to have their own digital camera so they are able to start their own collection. This suite has digital photographic storage that makes retrieval easy for clinical care or research.

Will the fellow be able to develop a slide collection? How will it be funded? Yes. However, with digital technology the fellows are encouraged to purchase a digital camera so they can develop their own digital collection on their computer.

Please indicate on the calendar below a typical week in your fellowship (e.g. OR, Clinic, Research, Lecture)

This fellow will have an extensive exposure to practice management and skin care as well as to an efficient high-volume private oculofacial plastic surgery experience. The practice includes its own ASC, clinic and medispa. There is an excellent blend of cosmetic (1/3) and functional (2/3) procedures. 95% of cases are done in the ASC with the others being done at Overlake or Swedish Hospitals. The fellow will also have the opportunity to have a supervised autonomous continuity oculofacial surgical experience one day a week.

First Year

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Friday
Morning	Clin/OR	OR	OR	OR	Clinic
Afternoon	Clin/OR	OR	Clinic	OR	Clinic
Evening	Research	Research	Research	Research	Research

 

A 45-minute lecture, journal article discussion, or CPC will occur one morning per week before any clinical activities.

List specific activities/rotation that will be performed during the first year:

Head and Neck Surgery/ENT
Craniofacial Surgery
Mohs Surgery
Ocularist

Second Year

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Friday
Morning	Clin/OR	OR	OR	OR	Clinic
Afternoon	Clin/OR	OR	Clinic	OR	Clinic
Evening	Research	Research	Research	Research	Research

 

List specific activities/rotation that will be performed during the second year:

Facial Plastic Surgery
Body Plastic Surgery
Away Elective Rotation (one month either with Jack Rootman, MD, Vancouver, BC, with the Moorfields Hospital Observership, London, England or with Phillip Weischler, MD, Cosmetic Dermatologist, Spokane, WA) University of Washington Trauma Rotation

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must have satisfactorily completed an ACGME residency in Ophthalmology and be eligible to sit for the American Board of Ophthalmology Exams.

Please submit hard copies of the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. One page personal statement
3. Three letters of reference
4. American Board of Medical Examiner Scores, Parts 1, 2 and 3

Send all components of the application to:

Allure Facial Laser Center and Medispa c/o KT Tenneson 625 4th Avenue, Suite 301 Kirkland, WA 98033-9028

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Visit our plastic / cosmetic surgery, medical spa office located in Kirkland, Washington (WA), the Seattle area.