Make an Appointment In Waltham

Appointments with Dr. Foster, who is a Clinical Professor of Harvard Medical School, or Dr. Anesi, are all devoted to the care of you, their private patients, but the office functions in a way that is similar to university medical center teaching clinics in that you, the patient, are first examined by a Fellow (an Ophthalmologist receiving additional training in cornea and/or uveitis and immunology), or a trainee, and are then examined by your personal physician, Dr. Foster, Dr. Anesi, Dr. Chang, or Dr. Lou. Observers (typically visiting physicians) may be present as well. Every patient is expected to “contribute” to the learning of these developing Ophthalmologists and Ocular Immunologists, since education is one of the premier missions of our practice in general and Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution in particular.

Regardless of the mix of personnel involved in any patient’s visit at MERSI, it is your personal physician, Dr. Foster, Dr. Anesi, Dr. Chang, or Dr. Lou, who is the diagnostician and the physician who decides on the treatment program for you, the patient.

Fellows – A fellow is an ophthalmologist licensed to practice medicine, who is engaged in a year-long training program on ocular immunology.

Trainees – A trainee is an individual who is working at MERSI on a volunteer basis to receive in-depth training in ophthalmology, with a focus on ocular inflammatory disease and immunology. To be eligible for a trainee position, an individual must have earned a medical degree or must be currently enrolled in medical school, and must have a strong interest in learning about and gaining experience with the management of ocular inflammatory disease and immunology. Trainees are not engaged in the practice of medicine.

Observers – Like trainees and fellows, observers spend time at MERSI to learn about ocular inflammatory disease and immunology. Unlike trainees and fellows, however, observers do not complete a patient’s initial work-up or interact with patients in any other way. They simply observe the encounters between the patients and MERSI trainees, fellows, and your personal physician, Dr. Foster, Dr. Anesi, Dr. Chang, or Dr. Lou. Observers are not engaged in the practice of medicine.