Bascom Palmer Ranked Best Ophthalmology Residency Program

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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.”

 

 

Jayanth Sridhar, M.D., Promoted to Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology

JAYANTH SRIDHAR, M.D., has been promoted to Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology. Specializing in vitreoretinal diseases and surgery, Sridhar serves as co-associate residency program director and medical director of the surgical retina service. He has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, is an inducted member of the Retina Society, and has received the American Society of Retinal Specialists Senior Honor and American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Secretariat awards. He also is host and creator of the award-winning educational program “Straight From The Cutter’s Mouth: A Retina Podcast,” the featured podcast of the AAO.

Sarah Wellik, M.D., Promoted to Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology

SARAH WELLIK, M.D., has been promoted to Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology. A glaucoma and cataract specialist, Wellik’s research interests include the diagnosis, monitoring and surgery of glaucoma, the relationship of glaucoma and ocular surface disease, and glaucoma surgical trials. She is available for consultation on glaucoma and cataract at Bascom Palmer in Plantation and by telehealth.

Jianhua Wang, M.D., PH.D., M.S., Promoted to Professor of Ophthalmology

JIANHUA (JAY) WANG, M.D., PH.D., M.S., has been promoted to Professor of Ophthalmology and awarded tenure with a dual appointment in the department of electrical and computer engineering. Wang has an extensive background in vision research and electronic engineering and focuses on the clinical applications of advanced ophthalmic imaging. He has published more than 180 papers. In his well-funded laboratory at Bascom Palmer, he has significantly advanced clinical research with the development of multiple prototypes of imaging devices to the benefit of patients with various systemic and ocular disorders.

Nicolas A. Yannuzzi, M.D., Joins Faculty

NICOLAS A. YANNUZZI, M.D., a vitreoretinal surgeon, joins the faculty as an assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard College, where he graduated cum laude with high honors in biochemical sciences. Subsequently, he spent a dedicated research year at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and later received a medical degree at Weill Cornell Medical College, where he won the Edward Norton Prize in Ophthalmology (named in honor of Bascom Palmer’s founding chair) and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He then returned to Sloan-Kettering, where he completed a transitional internship and conducted research in ocular oncology. Yannuzzi completed his residency in ophthalmology and fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at Bascom Palmer, where he served as a chief resident and co-director of the ocular trauma service. He is the recipient of the Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellowship Award and the Michels’ Fellowship Award and is an author in more than 75 peer-reviewed publications. He is available for consultation on medical and surgical retinal disease.

Adam L. Rothman, M.D., Joins Faculty

ADAM L. ROTHMAN, M.D., a glaucoma and cataract specialist, joins the faculty as an assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology. A South Florida native, he earned a bachelor of science in chemistry with a biochemistry focus, summa cum laude, from the University of Florida, where he received the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science for Life Fellowship for his research in biopharmaceuticals. He then received a medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine, where he also completed a residency in ophthalmology, and received the Duke University Dean’s Scholarship while exploring the relationship of eye microanatomy to systemic health. He returned to Florida to complete a fellowship in glaucoma at Bascom Palmer. A recipient of a Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellowship, Rothman has an interest in using research to improve patient care from learning how to optimize surgical outcomes to better understand the role of demographics in health. He recently received the 2020 RPB/AAO Award for IRIS Registry Research, which will allow him to use a comprehensive database of millions of patient visits from around the country to investigate the change in eye pressure following cataract surgery. His surgical experience includes cataract and glaucoma surgery, including new minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries. He is available for consultation on glaucoma and cataract.

Andrew J. Rong, M.D., Joins Faculty

ANDREW J. RONG, M.D., an assistant professor of ophthalmology, is a specialist in oculoplastic, reconstructive, and cosmetic surgery. He is focused on caring for patients with a variety of eyelid and orbital disorders by utilizing modern medical and surgical therapies. Rong graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a degree in microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics. He received his medical degree at the University of California, Davis, where he graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha honors. He subsequently completed his residency in ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer, followed by a fellowship in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery. His clinical practice focuses on improving outcomes for patients with functional eyelid and orbital diseases as well as providing surgical options for cosmetic facial rejuvenation. His research interests include advancing the field of therapeutics for a variety of disorders ranging from thyroid eye disease to ocular adnexal sebaceous carcinoma. He has developed new reconstruction techniques in orbital oncology and explored the vascular relationship between orbital diseases and the ocular perfusion. He is available for consultation on oculoplastic surgery including aesthetic and cosmetic eyelid and facial surgery, blepharoplasty, ocular oncology, pediatric oculoplastics, and thyroid eye disease.

Jaime Martinez, M.D., Joins Faculty

JAIME D. MARTINEZ MARTINEZ, M.D., joins the faculty as an assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology. A corneal and external disease specialist, his areas of expertise include ocular surface, infectious diseases, dry eye, corneal transplantation, scleritis, keratoconus, and cataract surgery. He received his medical degree from Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Mexico, summa cum laude, and completed his residency in ophthalmology at Asociación para Evitar la Ceguera in Mexico City. He then completed one year of research and two years of clinical/ surgical fellowship at Bascom Palmer in cornea and external disease. He is a recipient of the Gillingham Pan-American Fellowship Award, presented by the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology and the Retina Research Foundation. Martinez is available for consultation on cornea, cataract, external diseases, and general eye care.

Eric R. H. Duerr, M.D., Joins Faculty

ERIC R. H. DUERR, M.D., joins the faculty as an assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology. A glaucoma and cataract specialist, Duerr received his bachelor of arts degree in biology from Case Western Reserve University, summa cum laude, and his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He then completed a residency in ophthalmology and a fellowship in glaucoma at Bascom Palmer. His research interests include medical education and the ophthalmic training of medical students, residents, and fellows at Bascom Palmer. His clinical research is focused on outcomes of glaucoma surgery. Duerr is available for consultation on glaucoma and cataract.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Awards Research Grant to Dr. Wang

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has awarded JIANHUA (JAY) WANG, M.D., PH.D., M.S., professor of ophthalmology, a 5-year $1,477,881 research grant. Teamed with John Detre, M.D., at the University of Pennsylvania, the project will investigate how blood supply in the brain relates to the blood supply in the retina in humans. The project will evaluate novel noninvasive methods for imaging the small vessel structure and function in both the brain and eye to refine image markers of small vessel disease in the brain. Neuro-ophthalmologist, HONG JIANG, M.D., PH.D., associate professor of clinical ophthalmology and neurology, and Pradip Pattany, Ph.D., (UM radiology), are co-investigators. Jiang recently received a $250,000 grant from the Florida Department of Health Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program. She is exploring retinal biomarkers for use in monitoring vascular contributions to Alzheimer’s disease. She and Wang will be using optical coherence tomography angiography to study the role that retinal microvascular and microstructural changes relate to MRI brain and cognitive function.