Foundation research shows that there are far fewer trained medical professionals than the national average in the primary COGR (Cornea, Oculoplastic/Reconstructive surgery, Glaucoma, Retina) subspecialties serving the severely affected population within the Bexar County/San Antonio/South Texas region. CEGO is a defined in-depth subspecialty program created to address the current subspecialty shortage within major ocular education facilities in the area.

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The strategic focus of the Sponsel Fellows Program will be three pronged:

1. Hospital Afiliations - Provide a clinical setting for learning and performing medical procedures.

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Baptist Health Systems with its five-hospital network - The Methodist Hospital System with its uniquely outstanding day surgery facilities; The University of Texas Health Science Center; and, the Christus Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital (now afiliated with Baylor University), ensure quality hospital availability in the San Antonio area.

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The Fellow will gain hands-on experience in the pre-operative evaluation, performance, and post-operative care of the full spectrum of COGR subspecialty diseases and injuries at many of these venues.

2. Formal Education - Fellows will complete units of dedicated subspecialty postgraduate courses under the aegis of each subspecialty's national certifying board.

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A partnership between the Foundation and higher educational institutions, such as the University of Texas - San Antonio (UTSA) and the Brook Army Medical Center (BAMC) will ensure continuing logistic and research funding support for the Foundation research projects for participating Fellows.

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Professor Sponsel is currently one of the primary investigators on a million dollar 3-year federal grant investigating the effects of blast injury to the eye. This project involves integrated collaboration with colleagues at UTSA, the University of Texas Health Science Center, and BAMC.

3. Mentorship - Seasoned, world-class ophthalmologic physicians in the three initial areas of ophthalmologic subspecialties will lead their respective Fellows through the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and research of diseases and injuries related to (a.) oculoplastic, reconstructive, and orbital surgery; (b.) glaucoma; (c.) corneal and anterior segment, and (d.) retina, vitreous, and uveitis.

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The mentorship will include involvement in activities that furnish an understanding of the protocols of running a private practice for all Fellows, regardless of their initial career goals, since awareness of fiscal management issues is now just as important to the survival of academic clinical departments as it is in the private practice environment.

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Fellows:
The two-year CEGO Program will include four Fellows who have completed the 36-month residency training in a United States program approved by the Residency Review Committee in Ophthalmology and accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, or in a Canadian program approved by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or an equivalent program. Texas medical licensure is mandatory.
Fellows will:
a. divide their time between Dr. Sponsel and mentor colleague practices, clinical sites, and academic institutions;
b. share the responsibility for the medical and surgical management of patients referred to the practices included in the subspecialties; and,
c. collect patient care data for clinical trials being conducted by the private practice phyhodology studies.