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Hi all, I am a foreign medical graduate, now finishing my residency in one of the top programs in New York City. I started my career in the US with a fellowship at Park Avenue in 2013, so I feel obligated to post here.
Dr Chynn taught me everything there is to know about refractive surgery, and much more. When I started I wasn't confident and couldn't even convince my patients to follow my recommendations. By the end of my fellowship at PAL, by being trained almost daily on some aspects of sales or marketing or PR, I could convince anyone in anything. It helped me a lot in my career. I can say for a fact that if I didn't do my fellowship at PAL, not only might I never matched for a residency in the United States, but I'd be a much less strong, confident person and physician.
Dr Chynn will most likely be one of the toughest bosses you will ever have. He is a perfectionist, and will always push you to be perfect, and won't usually spend much time saying what you're doing fine, but always correct any little thing you did wrong. But if he says he's happy with your work, you can be sure you've done an A+ job. Every other job will seem easy in comparison in many ways.
I know that it's common that people react differently to harsh teaching methods so if you've got a tough skin, don't mind a boss who's a big perfectionist, want to master refractive surgery while receiving a living wage in NYC, and can retain a positive not defensive or "too-proud" attitude, then this would be a very worthwhile fellowship to consider.
Not sure why Dr. Chynn has to come on here and advertise his fellowship like this 🙂
I am not an optho. Is Dr.Chynn’s method of surgery actually unique and proprietary?
Haha hardly. It is basically just PRK!
Anyways, there is no doubt that Dr. Chynn is smart. But to be blunt, he appears to be a self-promoter who needs more balance in his life (e.g. spouse, family, etc). I actually kind of pity him in some ways. He doesn't seem really happy. Just goes to show you that $$ cannot buy you everything in Life.
Why does he claim that he is doing something different then? I am intrigued. Can you actually patent a technical approach?
Could anyone enlighten me about this fellowship advertised in sfmatch. I would like to apply for a cornea fellowship for 2013 but would like some refractive surgery experience as well. Not sure what fellows get out of this job. Do they actually get to do anything? The practice website is a little scary, I must admit. He seems strange. Still, I would like to give it a try if I am to gain anything.
I am an IMG and do not know much about the region and the people. So, any advice is appreciated.
[/QUOTE]Coming to park avenue lasek was a life changing experience for me. I not only got better as a doctor but as a person too. Dr,Chynn is tough, so what, its hard to find the people who would take personal interest in improving you, yes he would be benefited for a short time while you are doing your fellowship under him and yes, its paying you for rest of your life. If you look at this, you are the one who is really benefited for rest of your life, so If you get an opportunity to do a fellowship under him, I would say GRAB------------------------------------- it if you want to improve yourself as a human being too I enjoyed working here, interacting with our wonderful staff and wide spectrum of our patient. You will not repent it.😍
Sandhya Pahuja, MD
Senior Refractive Fellow
Park Avenue LASEK
While this is an old question from 2012, I would like to answer thu
This is Dr Okoye, an alumni postgraduate fellow, in clinical and cornea refractive surgery fellowship program of Park Ave Safe Sight directed by world renowned Cornea and Refractive Surgeon, Emil Chynn MD, MBA, FACS. Park Ave Safe Sight is the largest volume and the only all Cornea Refractive Fellowship in the America. My cornea refractive surgery postgraduate fellowship training at Park Ave Safe Sight (or Park Ave LASEK) under Dr. Emil Chynn changed my life for the better, both personally and professionally. To echo what Dr Pahuja has stated above, few months into the training program I wondered if the perfectionism demanded by Dr Chynn on myself and the other fellows was worth the sacrifice. Dr Chynn (or "Dr C" as we often called him) demanded only the best from all his fellows. Every clinical and surgical decision must be justified and clearly described to him in the presence of one or more colleague fellow in concise sentences. Dr. C will often give his fellows specific refractive surgery books to read and will takes time out of his very busy schedule to discuss any topic you wish from the books and answer all your questions. My ophthalmology postgraduate fellowship training at Park Ave Safe Sight (or Park Ave LASEK) has made me not just a great cornea refractive surgeon at LASIK VISION INSTITUTE, but at great physician. I could not have wished for a better clinical and surgical cornea refractive fellowship program director and mentor than Dr. Emil Chynn. My exceptional great google and LASIK VISION INSTITUTE website reviews from my cornea refractive surgery patients I indirectly owe to Dr. Chynn. My advise to you is - if you are truly interested in becoming excellent, both in surgical skill and clinical knowledge as a refractive surgeon, please consider the cornea refractive surgery fellowship at Park Ave Safe Sight ( or Park Ave LASEK). Underneath all the toughness and strictness of Dr C, he has a deep trait human empathy and wish for all his fellows to become very successful. I will forever remain indebted to Dr. Emil Chynn, MD, MBA, FACS.
Best wishes!