Worldwide commitment to ophthalmology fellows

The clinical researchers at SFB 1607 at Cologne University Hospital’s Department of Ophthalmology at are not only committed to providing excellent patient care and conducting innovative research, but are also involved in a wide range of international projects.

The Department of Ophthalmology makes a significant contribution to international ophthalmology as part of the IOFF program (International Ophthalmological Fellowship Foundation e.V.).

The aim of the program is to support doctors from developing countries, enable them to undertake specialized further training, and thus improve ophthalmological care in their home countries in the long term.

To date, 27 fellows from countries with limited medical resources have been able to participate in international partner institutions as part of the IOFF program. Ten of them came directly to the Department of Ophthalmology at the University Hospital of Cologne. They came from Thailand, Mexico, the Philippines, Venezuela, Vietnam, Nigeria, India, Mexico, Georgia, Turkey, and Nigeria.

For the duration of the fellowship, the international fellows are released from their clinical duties to enable them to participate in the program. The current oculoplastic fellowship at the center was supervised by Dr. Philomena Wawer Matos Reimer and Dr. Konrad Koch as mentors.

Through this commitment, the University Hospital of Cologne supports the global exchange of ophthalmological knowledge and promotes the transfer of professional expertise worldwide.