The latest addition to the group of distinguished partners of the CPMC residency is the Seva Foundation. The Seva Foundation is a global nonprofit eye care organization that works with local communities to develop self-sustaining programs that preserve and restore sight. Link to Seva – https://www.seva.org/

Seva is a Sanskrit word meaning “selfless service to others” and since 1978 Seva has empowered underserved communities to provide eye care services to more than 44 million people  in over 20 countries around the world.

In April of 2021 the Seva Foundation and Pacific Vision Foundation joined together to fund the department’s first Global Ophthalmology Fellowship, naming former resident Dr. Gena Damento as the first fellow.

The goal of the Seva – PVF Global Ophthalmology Fellowship is to develop leaders who will give insistent voice to humanitarian priorities in sustainable eye care.  The Fellowship is designed for an individual who has already been fully trained in Ophthalmology and who intends to spend a substantial part of their career working to improve vision in resource-limited settings, including in the US.

The Fellowship builds on Seva’s highly varied program initiatives and partner settings as well as on PVF’s commitment to serve communities in need in the US and beyond. Through on-site and virtual projects, the Fellow is equipped to understand global eye health realities and to experience strategies for strengthening quality in locally designed and run eye care programs. The goal is to gain insights on integrating Global Ophthalmology into their career.

The Fellowship employs a multifaceted, modular approach that includes participation in eye care service, training, and research projects at both a local and international level, resident teaching, hands-on clinical training, and completion of online courses and readings. A committee comprised of seasoned mentors from Seva, PVF, and partner institutions advises the Fellow.