OVS Residency Program

6/8/2023

Thomas E. Johnson, MD (center)
Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
Aesthetic and Cosmetic Ophthalmic Surgery, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute

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5/18/23

John J. Chen, MD, PhD (center)
Consultant and Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology,
Mayo Clinic

Pictured left to right standing: Dr Zachary DeZeeuw, Dr Rhys Ishihara, Dr Sahitya Podila and Dr Lena Hummel
Pictured sitting left to right: Dr Ardalan Sharifi, Dr Jenny Ha, Dr John J. Chen, and Dr Elahhe Afkhamnejad

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4/6/23

Oluwatosin ‘Toisin’ Smith, MD (second row, third from left)
Attending Physician and Surgeon, Glaucoma Associates of Texas
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

Pictured left to right front row: Dr Elahhe Afkhamnejad, Dr Jenny Ha and Dr Sahitya Podila
Pictured left to right second row: Dr David Szynkarski, Dr Alexis Pascoe, Dr Oluwatosin ‘Tosin’ Smith, Dr Zachary DeZeeuw, Dr Rhys Ishihara, Dr Imanouel Samai, and Dr Cina Karimaghaei

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2/16/23

Emily Y. Chew, MD (front row, center)
Medical Retina Specialist
Director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Pictured left to right front row: Dr Elahhe Afkhamnejad, Dr Sahitya Podila, Dr Emily Y. Chew, Dr Lena Hummel, and Dr You ‘Joey’ Zhou
Pictured left to right second row: Dr Cina Karimaghaei, Dr David Szynkarski, Dr Zachary DeZeeuw, Dr Akshaya Gupta and Dr Rhys Ishihara

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9/15/22

Kendall E. Donaldson, MD, MS (center)
Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery
Medical Director Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of Plantation

Pictured left to right: Dr Elahhe Afkhamnejad, Dr Matthew Yang, Dr Sahitya Podila, Dr Jenny Ha, Dr Lena Hummel, Dr Kendall E. Donaldson, Dr Emma Loucks, Dr You ‘Joey’ Zhou, Dr Palwasha Syar, Dr Rhys Ishihara and Dr Akshaya Gupta

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5/5/2022

Cat N. Burkat, MD, FACS (front center)
Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at University of Wisconsin

Pictured left to right: Front- Dr Beena Shah, Dr Alexis Pascoe, Dr Cat Burkat, Dr Zhenyang Zhao, Dr Lena Hummel. Back- Dr Akshaya Gupta, Dr Zachary DeZeeuw, Dr David Szynkarski, Dr Ardalan Sharifi and Dr Rhys Ishihara.

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4/7/2022
Paul Sternberg, Jr., M.D. (left)
G.W. Hale Professor and Chair
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

(center) Dr. Misha Syed and (right) Dr. Andrew Lee

Lisa C. Olmos de Koo, MD
Vitreoretinal Surgery, University of Washington Eye Institute (01/09/20)


Valerie Biousse, MD
Neuro-Ophthalmology, Emory Eye Center (11/07/19)


Erin Shriver, MD
Oculoplastics, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics - 2/7/2019


Carol Shields, MD
Ocular Oncology Service, Wills Eye Hospital - 09/06/2018


Amy Hutchinson, MD
Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus, Emory Eye Center - 04/12/2018

Jeffrey Nerad, MD
Cincinnati Eye Institute - 03/08/2018 


Davinder Grover, MD, MPH
Glaucoma Associates of Texas – 02/09/2018

Grand Rounds are a core feature of education in the residency program, not only for residents, but for faculty and staff alike.  The resident moderator or MC will be responsible for programming the education content of the rounds, and he/she will be evaluated for leadership development as well as for interpersonal and communication skills, and professionalism competencies.  The PGY-3 TDC rotation resident will serve as MC for 3 months.  Detailed guidelines for 30-minute Grand Rounds presentations are provided at the beginning of residency, but generally include:

    •  Must be a case with which you were somehow involved
    •  Should be a case of a somewhat broad interest
    •  Make sure your faculty discussant is available

Topics should include:

    •  CPC (Clinical-Pathological-Correlation)   
    •  Unknown Diagnosis
    •  Management Dilemma
    •  Complication
    •  Surgical Technique

ARVO - The Association for Reserch in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc. (ARVO) annual meeting is held during the first week in May, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The resident may attend only if presenting a paper or poster.

AAO - American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is held annually during the fall. Our residents attend in their third year. The department will pay for residents to attend this meeting once during residency, according to UTMB and Ophthalmology Department travel guidelines. The course(s) the resident will attend must be submitted to and approved by the Program Director.

Texas Ophthalmological Assoc. Members Lobby Congress in DC

During the AAO’s annual Congressional Advocacy Day in Washington DC, hundreds of ophthalmologists reminded federal lawmakers why medical and surgical eye care is so important to millions of patients nationwide. These members, including TOA members, advocated directly to our members of Congress. Among the issues discussed were:

• Existing regulatory barriers that limit physicians’ availability to their patients;
• The need for timely access to sight-saving treatments, including compounded drugs; and
• Sustained federal funding for important vision research programs.

UTMB residents that attended:

2019 Recipients - Drs. Jed Assam and Hamza Pasha.

2020 Recipients - Drs. Karima Khimani and Eric Niespodzany (Note: No picture - cancelled due to COVID-19)

2022 Recipients - Drs. Alexis Pascoe and David Szynkarski

2023 Recipients - Drs. Elahhe Afkhamnejad and Lena Hummel

2024 Recipients - Drs.  Joey Zhou, Zachary DeZeeuw, Cina Karimaghaei

ASCRS - The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) is an independent non-profit organization founded in August of 1974 to disseminate information about anterior segment ophthalmic surgery. Through its educational programs and services, ASCRS has become the physician’s primary source of up-to-date information on scientific developments within the field, as well as the regulatory decisions that affect ophthalmic practices.

The MMI Conference is an important part of resident education. It provides a forum where both faculty and residents can examine improvements in patient care, medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, system-based practice and surgical skills.

Journal Club is held every other month to discuss recent research with faculty and staff. The residents are required to read articles beforehand and participate during the meeting in discussions with their peers regarding the strengths or weaknesses behind the article. The purpose is to provide residents a time to critically appraise current literature in ophthalmology through discussions with faculty.

Morning Report is an activity that involves resident to faculty discussion regarding patients that were seen previously in either the clinic or in-patient setting. This allows residents to discuss areas of patient care, including diagnosis and treatment plans, with faculty input on all aspects of the case. This facilitates learning to a greater level than can be typically be achieved in a busy clinical setting.