Our Doctors
Ashraf Shalaby, MD
Ophthalmologist — Fellow
What is a Fellow? A Fellow is an ophthalmologist who is invited to obtain sub-specialized training at the Gimbel Eye Centre. The opportunity to study a sub-specialty comes after a doctor completes a three or four year residency program in a specialty such as ophthalmology. Fellowship programs provide more in-depth study and experience than a residency program can provide.
Dr.
Ashraf Shalaby graduated from medical school in
Alexandria, Egypt, in 1985. Like other new
Egyptian medical graduates, he spent a year
following graduation practicing as a general
practitioner in rural areas of the country
before starting his residency in ophthalmology,
which he completed in 1992. Then again, he spent
some time in southern rural Egypt. “That was
the most satisfying time for me,” he says.
“It was my first time working with patients
who had bilateral mature cataracts caused by old
age. They were so thankful and happy that I
could help them.”
In
2000, he spent a year as a Fellow at the Farouk
Eye Hospital in Alexandria studying medical
retina, fluorescein angiography and laser retina
applications.
In June 2004, he took a phacoemulsification
training course there.
Dr.
Shalaby had visited Canada on a short visit in
1993. While he was in residency, he heard about
Dr. Gimbel. “We watched some of Dr. Gimbel’s
recorded surgeries,” he says. “I was amazed
by his knowledge and experience. He was a
primary source for us to update ourselves on the
latest techniques.”
In
December 2004, Dr. Shalaby immigrated to Canada
and joined Gimbel as a Fellow a year later. He
finds the Edmonton Gimbel group very supportive
– “the perfect team”. Without any friends
or family – all alone in a foreign country –
Dr. Shalaby feels at home with Gimbel staff. He
is looking forward to flexing his surgical
skills and learning all about refractive
surgery. He especially enjoys the delicate
surgical work associated with ophthalmology.
One
of his goals during his leisure time is to learn
to ski. He also plays tennis and table tennis.
