EDUCATION
Training the next generation of eye care leaders.
FORSEE scholars don’t observe from the sidelines. They walk into active research labs, work alongside supervising physicians, and publish real findings.
The Summer
Eight weeks of immersive clinical research — not a lecture series, not an observation rotation.
Live research from day one
Scholars join active studies — collecting data, analyzing outcomes, and contributing to manuscripts that reach peer-reviewed journals.
Direct access to mentors
Every scholar is paired with a supervising physician — not a TA, not a coordinator. A practising ophthalmologist who becomes a career-long advocate.
Publication potential
FORSEE scholars have co-authored publications in the Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology, JCRS, and presented at COS, ASCRS, and ESCRS.
What the Summer Becomes
“The summer lasts eight weeks. The relationship often lasts forty years.”
FORSEE’s scholarship program isn’t a summer job — it’s the beginning of a professional relationship. Supervising physicians become career-long mentors: writing reference letters, opening doors to residency programs, collaborating on research decades later.
That’s what makes FORSEE different from a generic research award. The investment isn’t just in a project — it’s in a person.
1. The Summer
Research begins. The relationship begins. A scholar works alongside a supervising physician on a real clinical question.
2. Residency Application
The mentor writes the letter. Not a form letter — a detailed account from someone who has watched the scholar work firsthand.
3. First Year of Residency
The mentor is a phone call away. Questions about clinical decisions, career direction, or navigating the system — the relationship continues.
4. Career & Beyond
Collaborations, introductions, co-authored publications, conference presentations. The network grows.
5. The Loop Continues
The scholar becomes the mentor. The next generation begins.
Featured Scholar
Mariam Issa
FORSEE Social Eyecare Scholar, 2024
Mariam joined FORSEE as a Social Eyecare Scholar, working alongside supervising physicians to explore barriers to eye care access in underserved communities across the Greater Toronto Area. Her research contributed to FORSEE’s understanding of how social determinants — income, geography, language — shape patient outcomes in ophthalmology.
The experience reinforced what FORSEE’s founders have always believed: clinical excellence and social conscience aren’t separate tracks — they’re the same path.
Two scholarships. One mission.
FORSEE offers two scholarship streams: the Summer Research Scholarship for students pursuing ophthalmology careers, and the Social Eyecare Scholarship for those committed to health equity and access. Both provide eight weeks of mentored clinical research, direct physician supervision, and publication opportunities.
Academic excellence and social conscience aren’t in tension. They’re the same thing.
FORSEE scholars are selected for both academic rigour and commitment to equitable access. We believe the best clinicians are those who understand not just how to treat a patient, but why some patients never make it to the exam room.
Academic rigour EDI values Community responsibility Equity in access The whole clinician Compassion + competence
The Ambassador Program
Former scholars who continue to represent FORSEE’s mission at their institutions, mentor incoming applicants, and help expand the reach of the program across Canadian universities.
Fund the next scholar.
$1,000 fully funds one student’s eight-week research program. Your investment goes directly to the scholar — stipend, materials, and mentorship.
CRA Registration: 798255337RR0001
See the outreach in action
From free vision screenings in the GTA to sight-restoring cataract surgery missions in Kenya — FORSEE’s outreach reaches the community members who need it most.