Bascom Palmer Ranked Best Ophthalmology Residency Program

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s ophthalmology residency program has been ranked best in the U.S. by Doximity, an online professional network for U.S. physicians. The 2020-2021 Doximity Residency Navigator rankings were compiled from survey responses from board-certified ophthalmologists around the country. Bascom Palmer’s residency program is also ranked #1 in the nation by Ophthalmology Times.

The path from medical school to Bascom Palmer’s ophthalmology residency program is rigorous. Each year, Bascom Palmer receives more than 500 applications for only seven residency positions.

“Bascom Palmer continues to attract the best and brightest medical students into its residency program each year. All of our residents are highly accomplished, even before they begin their formal training with us. Our mission is to create a learning environment that helps them fully realize their immense potential,” said STEVEN J. GEDDE, M.D., Bascom Palmer’s vice chair of education and residency program director. “Each graduating resident will provide outstanding care to his or her patients, and many will join academic institutions to teach others. This allows for an exponential dissemination of ophthalmic knowledge and excellence in patient care. The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute is significantly impacting the field of ophthalmology through its training programs,” he added. Forty-six graduates of Bascom Palmer’s training programs have become ophthalmology department chairs at medical schools and teaching hospitals throughout the world.

The large number of patients seen each year as well as their broad range of eye conditions provides a tremendous learning opportunity for young ophthalmologists-in-training. “Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the patient diversity continues, as we are seeing patients from around the world via telehealth and virtual visits,” said Gedde, who completed a fellowship in glaucoma at Bascom Palmer in 1996 and now holds the John G. Clarkson Chair in Ophthalmology. The residents are mentored by an outstanding faculty that provides a robust learning environment for clinical and surgical care, research, and community service.

“As a 1984 graduate of the Bascom Palmer residency program and now director of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, I have experienced the value of the residency 360 degrees with 20/20 vision,” said EDUARDO C. ALFONSO, M.D., the Kathleen and Stanley J. Glaser Chair in Ophthalmology. “Since its inception, Bascom Palmer’s residency program has strived to provide an environment where learning and education supports ophthalmology’s contribution to mankind – an environment of collegial interactions that prepares us to be better humans, clinicians, scientists, and leaders – in essence ‘men and women for others.’ I hope that Bascom Palmer’s residents continue to improve the lives of all with whom they interact, as it is their given responsibility with this ranking.”