Ophthalmology Residency Program

Jay M. Lustbader, MD, Chairman
Stacy Y. Bang, MD, Chief, Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Clinic Director

The Washington National Eye Center (WNEC) at MedStar Washington Hospital Center (MWHC) is a comprehensive ophthalmology facility, offering a wide selection of diagnostic and treatment options, including laser therapy; ultrasonography; fluorescein angiography; visual fields; pachymetry, corneal topography and much more.  In addition to the general ophthalmology clinic, the WNEC offers a range of specialty clinics, including retina, glaucoma, cornea, ocular motility, low vision, uveitis, oculoplastics, and neuro-ophthalmology. 

All examination rooms at WNEC are fully equipped.  MWHC has an operating room dedicated to eye surgery, fully equipped and staffed by highly skilled nurses, technicians and other personnel.  Surgical services are supported by excellent admitting, pre-operative testing, and recovery teams.  Ophthalmology attending physicians supervise residents in the clinics, in the operating room, as well as on-call for after-hours emergencies.

WNEC/MWHC Annual Statistics:

• 20,000+ patient procedures
• 1,200 total surgeries
• 700 resident surgeries
• 13,000+ cataract/general evaluations 
• 5,000+ glaucoma evaluations 
• 3,000+ retina evaluations 

Core Faculty:

• Andrew J. Adelson, MD, Glaucoma, Low Vision, Comprehensive
• Monica Allen, MD, Glaucoma, Comprehensive
• Frank S. Ashburn III, MD, Glaucoma
• Stacy Y. Bang, MD, Cornea
• Michael D. Baum, MD, Comprehensive
• Salim I. Butrus, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive
• Rosan Y. Choi, MD, Comprehensive, Research Chief
• Pavle Doroslovacki, MD, Oculoplastic Surgery
• Jeanette Du, MD, Senior Retina Fellow
• Jared Ebert, MD, Senior Retina Fellow
• Jordana Fein, MD, Retina
• Reena A. Garg, MD, Glaucoma, Comprehensive
• Alice T. Gasch, MD, Uveitis
• Lauren Z. Gavaris, MD, Oculoplastics
• Maxwell A. Helfgott, MD, Comprehensive
• Jason Mingyi Huang, MD, Retina
• Aziz Khanifar, MD, Retina
• Martin P. Kolsky, MD, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Comprehensive
• Michael M. Lai, MD, PhD, Retina
• Jay M. Lustbader, MD, Cornea, Refractive, Comprehensive
• Mariam Mathai, MD, Retina
• Viraj Mehta, MD, Oculoplastics
• Alexander Melamud, MD, Retina and Fellowship Director
• Nima Moainie, MD, Comprehensive, Laser Surgery
• Meghan G. Moroux, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive
• Narieman A. Nik, MD, Oculoplastics
• Benjamin Osborne, MD, Neuro-Ophthalmology
• Arnold Oshinsky, MD, Comprehensive
• Anna Park, MD, Comprehensive
• Arthur L. Schwartz, MD, Glaucoma
• Namratha Turlapati, MD, Ocular Motility, Comprehensive
• Jacquelyn Weber, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive, Wellness Chief
• Howard S. Weiss, MD, Glaucoma
• Norma L. Zapata-de-Perez, MD, Comprehensive, Safety Officer

Jay M. Lustbader, MD, Chairman

Training at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital offers PGY2 and PGY3 residents experience in a more “private-practice” like environment.  The hospital’s core of full-time and part-time faculty share their clinical expertise with residents as they participate in the diagnosis and management of ocular conditions not typically encountered in urban clinics, such as age-related macular degeneration, angle-closure glaucoma, intraocular tumors, and cosmetic oculoplastics in addition to a robust contact lens service. The residents also direct, with full faculty supervision, the inpatient consultation and eye emergency services for MGUH.

On a limited basis, residents work in the private offices of attending staff whose patient populations offer unusual educational opportunities.  There is a weekly ocular pathology session in which residents work directly with an ophthalmic pathologist in the gross and microscopic examination of surgical specimens.  Residents seeking research experience are introduced to the basic science faculty at Georgetown University. 

Core Faculty:

• Neal Adams, MD, Electrophysiology
• Pavle Doroslovacki, MD, Oculoplastics
• Olivia Dryjski, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive
• Jay M. Lustbader, MD, Cornea and Refractive, Comprehensive
• Toufic Melki, MD, Retina
• Teresa Narayan, OD, Optometry and Contact Lens
• Aruoriwo Oboh-Wielke, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive, Medical Student Educator
• Benjamin Osborne, MD, Neuro-Ophthalmology
• Sina Sabet, MD, Ocular Pathology
• Namratha Turlapati, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmology
• David G. Wagner, MD, Retina
• Deborah Wilson-Umanzor, MD, Glaucoma, Comprehensive

Tofik M. Ali, MD, Site Director

Since its inception in 1974, the ophthalmology service at INOVA Fairfax Hospital (FFX) has been affiliated with the MedStar Georgetown/MedStar Washington ophthalmology teaching program.  

Rotations at FFX occur in the PGY3 and PGY4 years of residency. PGY4 residents work at the Hospital full-time for four months; they spend three days per week in the ophthalmology clinic and one and a half days in the operating room. PGY3 year residents spend 1-2 days per week for 2 months at FFX, seeing patients in the clinic and performing non-complex cataract surgeries.

Along with experience in general ophthalmology, the rotation offers extensive subspecialty experience.  Residents work with retina specialists during the weekly retina clinics; patients requiring laser procedures are served on-site in the outpatient area of the hospital’s operating rooms.  Also, residents are supervised by the hospital’s staff of glaucoma specialists as they evaluate glaucoma patients and participate in glaucoma-related surgeries.  Neuro-ophthalmology and oculoplastic clinics are held once a month. Clinic patients requiring cataract surgeries are scheduled during the block time reserved for resident cases.  

Core Faculty:

• Tofik Ali, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive
• Mark D. Falls, MD, Comprehensive
• Jordana G. Fein, MD, Retina
• Julie F. Leigh, MD, Uveitis
• Emily Y. Morin, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive
• Anh Nguyen, MD, Cornea, Refractive, Comprehensive
• Juliana Y. Park, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive
• David L. Parver, MD, Retina
• Bella Patnaik, MD, Cornea, Refractive, Comprehensive
• Muhammad Wesam Silk, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive

Soo Y. Shin, MD, Chief

Under the guidance of excellent faculty at the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VA), residents gain experience in the management and treatment of various ocular conditions. During this rotation, residents see 10-18 patients per day in the clinic.  PGY3 residents operate one morning a week and attend oculoplastic surgery once per week. By the end of their 4-month rotation, PGY3 residents have performed an average of 15 cataract extractions as primary surgeon. PGY4 residents operate one to two mornings a week; one of these sessions is dedicated to retina.  During their 3-month rotation, senior residents perform 40-50 cataract extractions as primary surgeon. All rotating residents are trained on the Eyesi Anterior Segment Surgery Simulator.

Regularly scheduled daily and subspecialty clinics at the VA offer valuable opportunities for specialized training.  Residents have the opportunity to work with corneal specialists, retinologists, glaucoma specialists and oculoplastic surgeons as they attend clinic and perform surgeries.

Core Faculty:

• Sameer I. Ahmad, MD, Glaucoma
• Rosalie L. Bair, MD, Oculoplastics
• Cyrus A. Golshani, MD, Medical Retina
• Julie G. Gutmark, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive
• Michele P. Maiberger, MD, Comprehensive
• Tamer N. Mansour, MD, Oculoplastics
• Arnold L. Oshinsky, MD, Comprehensive
• Soo Y. Shin, MD, Cornea, Comprehensive
• David G. Wagner, MD, Retina
• Deborah Y. Wilson-Umanzor, MD, Glaucoma

The ophthalmology service at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital (MSMH) serves the entire southern Maryland area, including military bases, military contractors, agricultural enterprise, aquacultural enterprise and a large underserved population.

Rotations at MSMH occur in the PGY4 year. Senior residents work at the Hospital and the nearby outpatient clinic full-time for two months; they spend three days per week in the ophthalmology clinic and one and a half days in the operating room.

Along with experience in general ophthalmology, the rotation offers subspecialty experience as well. Clinic patients requiring cataract surgeries are scheduled during the block time reserved for resident cases.

Core Faculty:

• Walter Wang, MD, Glaucoma

Rachel M. Lieberman, MD, Site Director

At Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRB) in Bethesda, Maryland, PGY2 residents see patients in a large general ophthalmology setting during a two-month rotation. There is extensive full-time sub-specialty supervision, including an intensive glaucoma and retina experience, as well as regularly-scheduled didactics.

Core Faculty:

• T. Benjamin Abelman, MD, Neuro-Ophthalmology
• Brad Ballard, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmology
• Kevin Broderick, MD, Retina
• Jonathan Buttram, MD, Oculoplastics
• Eva Chou, MD, Oculoplastics
• Matthew Debiec, MD, Retina and Chief
• Okezie Igboeli, MD, Cornea and Refractive
• Grant Justin, MD, Retina
• Christiaan Kroesen, MD, Comprehensive
• Jason Lewis, MD, Oculoplastics
• Rachel Lieberman, MD, Comprehensive
• Morohunranti Ogunotye-Ouma, MD, Glaucoma
• Joseph Pasternak, MD, Cornea and Refractive

William P. Madigan, MD, Chairman

Residents in their second year receive an in-depth introduction to pediatric ophthalmology during their two-month rotation through Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC). During this rotation, residents perform ocular muscle surgery and assist on other surgical cases, all under the direct supervision of subspecialty-trained ophthalmologists. In addition to surgery involving ocular motility, residents experience a wide variety of interesting pediatric ophthalmic diseases and conditions.

Core Faculty:

• Marlet Bazemore, MD, MPH, Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus
• Heather de Beaufort, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus
• Richard Birdsong, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus
• Brian P. Brooks, MD, PhD, Ophthalmic Genetics
• Salim I. Butrus, MD, Cornea
• William F. Deegan, MD, Retinal Oncology
• Lauren Gavaris, MD, Oculoplastics
• Todd Goodglick, MD, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Oculoplastics and Orbit
• Malack Hamade, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
• Claudia Hooten, MD, Retina
• Laryssa Huryn, MD, Ophthalmic Genetics
• Aziz Khanifar, MD, Retina
• William P. Madigan, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus and Chairman
• Marijean Miller, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus
• Narieman A. Nik, MD, Oculoplastics
• Reginald J. Sanders, MD, Retina
• Jonathan Taylormoore, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus
• Gonzalo Vicente, MD, Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus

At MedStar Washington Hospital Center, we have chosen to integrate the PGY1 year into ophthalmology training to create a comprehensive 4-year residency program. In this integrated program, residents have the opportunity to rotate through ophthalmology during their intern year for a total of 3 months. The rest of the time is divided between Internal Medicine and General Surgery to create a truly transitional year experience. There are 4 weeks of vacation integrated throughout the year.

During their time on the Internal Medicine service, ophthalmology residents have a chance to rotate on the internal medicine wards, treating a variety of diagnoses and honing the physical exam and diagnostic skills attained during their medical school clerkships.

While on the General Surgery service, ophthalmology residents have the opportunity to rotate on the surgical wards, treating both preoperative and postoperative patients. This reinforces important pre and postoperative management which will aid in their future surgical careers.

Finally, during the ophthalmology months, residents learn important slit lamp and refraction skills. They also get the opportunity to take part in the inpatient consultation service and coordinate eyecare throughout the hospital with a variety of different services. The ocular pathology is unparalleled at our program, and the PGY1 residents take full advantage of this to create a strong foundation in ophthalmology.

PGY1 Rotation Schedule
4 months Internal Medicine
4 months General Surgery
3 months Ophthalmology clinic/consultation service
1 month vacation spread through IM, Surgery and Ophthalmology

PGY2 residents rotate through retina, glaucoma, and general clinics at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, and WRB, as well as assist in surgery at these locations. Caseloads are adjusted to the expertise and experience of the first year residents.

A basic science course at the beginning of the PGY2 year serves as an introduction to ophthalmology. When not in class, residents learn the ophthalmologic examination by doing histories and eye examinations. They also begin to learn the fundamental procedures of refraction, tonometry, retinoscopy, biomicroscopy, gonioscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, visual field interpretation and the use of the potential acuity meter.

Residents gain experience in retinal disease, uveitis, diagnostics and therapeutics, make fundus drawings of the detachment cases, and assist in surgery on many of the cases they have drawn. The residents also assist on vitrectomies. They learn to interpret fluorescein angiograms and OCT’s both in the daily clinic and in the monthly fluorescein conferences. The residents, under direct supervision, perform retinal laser therapy and intravitreal injections.

The weekly Glaucoma Review Board at MedStar Washington Hospital features five to seven problem cases completely worked up and presented to the subspecialty attendings by the residents assigned to the glaucoma service. In addition, the glaucoma subspecialty clinic at MedStar Georgetown allows the resident the opportunity to participate in the diagnosis and management of a large number of private attending glaucoma patients. Gonioscopy instruction is carried out in a one-on-one manner. The residents, under direct supervision, perform laser trabeculoplasties and iridotomies.

The balance of the PGY2 year is devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of patients in the general eye clinics at MedStar Washington Hospital, MedStar Georgetown and WRB, including emergency and consultative cases. Residents are introduced to the operating room early in the year, first observing, and then assisting in surgery. Residents obtain advice from the attendings for any clinical finding or therapy of which they are unsure, and patients examined by residents during clinic hours are directly supervised by attending physicians. Practice surgery utilizing both skin and microsurgical techniques is performed throughout the year and is emphasized at several wet labs during the year.

Residents participate in a low vision clinic at MedStar Washington Hospital, affording the opportunity to learn management principles pertinent to this unique patient group. They are introduced to ophthalmic community service through attendance at glaucoma screenings and lectures to low vision support groups.

At the conclusion of the PGY2 year, residents have developed a functional facility in all of the standard diagnostic techniques, as well as a solid grounding in the diagnosis and management of a variety of eye diseases. Case histories, clinical examinations and minor incisional and laser surgical procedures are performed with competence. Extensive experience as first assistant in a wide variety of intra- and extra-ocular cases gives them a solid foundation in operating room comportment and procedures. They have presented a research poster during the annual Residents’ Day.

PGY3 residents undergo a program which consists of rotations in comprehensive ophthalmology, pediatrics, cornea, neuro-ophthalmology, consults, ophthalmic pathology, refractive surgery, private practice and research.

The Pediatric rotation takes place at CNMC and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Evaluation and management of common and unusual pediatric ocular disease occurs in the setting of a busy pediatric referral center and a busy private practice with fellowship-trained pediatric ophthalmologists. Residents evaluate and operate on their own and private strabismus patients, and participate in the management of other acute and chronic pediatric eye disease as well as adult strabismus.

The Consult Service occurs at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, MedStar Georgetown and the VA. For this rotation, residents are responsible for the management of all patients who have had a formal consultation requested of ophthalmology by other specialties. This experience gives the residents an outstanding opportunity to learn about the interactions of ophthalmology with a multitude of systemic diseases.

At MGUH, residents learn to grossly examine enucleated globes and other ocular tissues, prepare them for histopathologic examination and conduct that examination under the supervision of a fellowship-trained staff ophthalmic pathologist. A strong foundation in ophthalmic pathology is also provided for the residents by slide reviews and by attendance at the several special ophthalmic pathology didactic sessions. Residents become proficient in the gross and microscopic examination of eyes and other tissue specimens sent for evaluation to MedStar Georgetown as well as in the correlation of microscopic findings with clinical data, which significantly enhances their understanding of ophthalmic diseases. The residents may participate in research projects analyzing some aspects of these case materials. Training in the use and fitting of contact lenses occurs under the supervision of a certified OD.

In addition, while at MedStar Georgetown, residents participate in the clinical and surgical care of patients with a variety of anterior segment and cornea problems. They learn to diagnose and manage a variety of common and unusual cornea and anterior segment diseases. For those patients needing surgery, the residents are involved in their preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care, either as primary surgeon or as first assistant. Direct faculty supervision of all patients occurs. Residents also participate in a tertiary care neuro-ophthalmology clinic, performing the initial examination and suggesting diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. This experience is an excellent adjunct to the neuro-ophthalmology experience at MedStar Washington Hospital that occurs throughout all three years of training.

Microsurgical suturing is practiced in the MedStar Washington Hospital Eye Center Wet Lab and in the eye operating room at MedStar Washington Hospital. By the time the residents are ready to perform their first cataract operations, they have assisted in over 100 private cases, performed segments or the entirety of some cases, done enucleations and eyelid procedures under supervision, and have become proficient in the use of the operating microscope and microsurgical techniques in practice surgery sessions. Careful pre-operative and post-operative attention to detail is stressed, and above all, the importance of visual rehabilitation. Residents are made aware that the program has enjoyed a solid reputation based on many years of providing ophthalmologic care to the community, and that each resident is a vital link in this unbroken chain. Experience as primary surgeon commences in earnest in the PGY3 year, with resident cataract surgical cases as primary surgeon beginning at the VA, MedStar Washington Hospital and FFX. Resident surgical training is outlined further in the Surgical Curriculum.

At the end of the PGY3 year, the residents have augmented and solidified their diagnostic expertise, participated in a mentored basic or clinical research project (presented on Residents' Day), developed facility with the operating microscope and surgical techniques, have attended more than 20 surgical morbidity conferences during which they have learned how to manage all types of operative and post-operative complications, performed ten to twenty cataract and twenty to thirty miscellaneous muscle or adnexal operations. In addition, they have attended an ocular trauma course and a cataract course.

PGY4 residents rotate through MedStar Washington Hospital Center, MedStar St. Mary's Hospital Center, VA and FFX Eye Clinics, and have ample opportunity for surgical experience in a wide variety of cases, directly supervised by a diverse and fully qualified attending staff. It is highly desirable, and the final year resident schedule is designed, to offer the longest possible opportunity for pre-op, operative, and post-operative management of a demographically diverse clinic population. Senior residents also have the option to participate in an international mission trip, usually for one week, during which time they receive first-hand experience with the rigors and difficulties involved with obtaining adequate medical and surgical treatment in Third World countries.

During the PGY4 year, residents are in the operating room one to two days per week, assisting and performing surgery on their own cases, always under direct attending supervision. In the clinics, the day is spent seeing pre-operative and post-operative cases as well as a large variety of cases from the general clinic and subspecialty clinics. Operative and post-operative complications are reviewed at a monthly surgical morbidity conference. In addition, residents participate in the cornea clinic, the oculoplastics clinic, retina clinic, and the glaucoma review board, and perform laser surgery on selected cases approved by a glaucoma, refractive or retina attending. It is expected that the PGY4 rotations provide clinical and surgical opportunities for education, diversity of patients and attending physicians and practice environment, to better prepare residents for their subsequent fellowships and careers.

Residents have an intensive retina rotation at MedStar Washington Hospital. During these 2 months, they actively participate in the diagnosis and management of a variety of complex retinal diseases. They work with experienced subspecialty attendings, retina fellows, and junior residents, and perform both laser and intraocular retinal surgeries as primary surgeon.

At the conclusion of the PGY4 year, residents have performed more than 2000 ocular surgical procedures as primary surgeon and have participated in more than 3000 surgeries as both primary surgeon and first assistant. Throughout the residency, each resident must enter his or her surgical cases into the ACGME Case Log System, including those as primary surgeon as well as first assistant. Case Logs are monitored weekly by the Program Director.

PGY4 residents develop sound judgment and technical expertise in the management of surgical and medical cases, and are fully prepared to practice competently and independently upon completion of their training.