Ophthalmology Residency Program

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Residency Interview Dates

TBD for 2023

Introduction to the Ophthalmology Residency Program

Each year, our residents gain outstanding and rigorous clinical experience in the Department of Ophthalmology as a result of high surgery volume and clinical pathology. We accept nine residents each year.

We strive to provide the best ophthalmic education possible. Didactic lectures presented by our full-time and clinical faculty cover all the basic science and clinical topics, as well as lectures that help fulfill ACGME competencies in medical knowledge, professionalism, system-based practice, practice-based learning and improvement, and interpersonal and communication skills.

J. William Harbour, M.D., Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology, discusses the strengths of the department's training programs: 

Richard Hession, M.D., Director of the Ophthalmology Residency Program, on what UT Southwestern has to offer: 

How to Apply and Interview Information

All applicants for the Ophthalmology Residency Program must register and submit an application through the SFMatch Central Application System. Once registered, you can view our program listing on the SFMatch directory website.

Applications are due October 1, 2021. Interviews are required and are granted by invitation only. There will be no in-person interviews; the interview day will be virtual, conducted via online modalities. Candidates invited to interview will be requested to submit a CV, photo, and supplemental application. Applications received after October 1 will be considered for interviews on a space-available basis. About 15 candidates will be invited to each interview session. Each candidate will have five or six individual interviews with members of the admissions committee. Candidates will haven an opportunity to interact with current UT Southwestern Ophthalmology residents via Zoom.

Due to the large number of applications received, we are unable to contact or interview each applicant.

If you require visa sponsorship, please be aware that UT Southwestern's policy is to accept only J-1 visas.

Please contact Andrea Davis, Residency Program Coordinator, for more information: 214-648-0464.

We want residents who will give back to the profession of ophthalmology by teaching (full-time or volunteer) at medical institutions or providing care in underserved areas.
Preston H. Blomquist, M.D., Former Director, Ophthalmology Residency Program

Integrated Internship

Since 2021, the department has offered an integrated internship. For applicants matching with UT Southwestern in the January 2022 Ophthalmology Residency Match through SF Match, the internship year will be at UT Southwestern. We have chosen to fully integrate our internship (as opposed to a joint preliminary year model favored by many other ophthalmology programs, where interns are assigned to another program for the year and “loaned” back to ophthalmology for three months) to maintain direct control of the internship, to be able to build an internship schedule that will be applicable to the future practice of ophthalmology. Our ophthalmology interns will have the following rotations:

  • Hospitalist internal medicine (4 months)
  • Endocrinology (1 month)
  • Rheumatology (1 month)
  • Neurology (1 month)
  • Otolaryngology (1 month)
  • Emergency medicine (1 month)
  • Ophthalmology (3 months)

We are excited about providing an internship that provides skills necessary for the future ophthalmologist.

Stipends

PGY-1: $61,323.60
PGY-2: $64,256.40
PGY-3: $66,661.92
PGY-4: $70,132.40

Rotations and Sections

Rotations
Sections

Residency Characteristics

What to look for in an ophthalmology residency program:

Surgery

Surgical procedure frequency per resident as primary surgeon (Source: ACGME case logs July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019)

Cataracts and intraocular lenses

281

YAG laser 

23

Strabismus 

40

Cornea

21

Keratorefractive 
 (as either primary surgeon or assistant; 4 primary cases)

Glaucoma filters/shunts

7

Glaucoma laser 

66

Retina (as either primary surgeon or assistant, with performing at least a key portion of the procedure in 4)

33

Retina laser 

151

Intravitreal injections

444

Oculoplastics/Orbital surgery

72

Trauma surgery (open globe)

10

Total all primary surgery procedures

1,132

We far exceed minimum surgical requirements for training as established by the ACGME.

Virtual Presentations and Tours: Get to Know the Department of Ophthalmology

Virtual Tours 
Welcome  
Our Past and Present 
Research 
Patient Care 
Education 
Residency Training 
Nuts and Bolts 
Location 
Summary 

Educational Goals and Objectives for Residency Hospitals

Residents will focus on the following goals and objectives at four hospitals in the DFW Metroplex:

2023-2024 Residents

Interns 
PGY-2s 
PGY-3s 
PGY-4s 

Resident Alumni