Ophthalmology Residency Program
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- Residency Interview Dates
- Introduction to the Ophthalmology Residency Program
- How to Apply and Interview Information
- Integrated Internship
- Stipends
- Rotations
- Surgery
- Virtual Presentations and Tours
- Educational Goals and Objectives for Residency Hospitals
- 2023-2024 Residents
- Resident Alumni
- X (formerly Twitter)
Residency Interview Dates
Friday, November 10, 2023
Friday, November 17, 2023
Friday, December 1, 2023
Friday, December 8, 2023
Friday, December 15, 2023
There will be no in-person interviews. All interviews will be held virtually.
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. 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. Applications received after October 1 will be considered for interviews on a space-available basis. About 17 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.
Our goal in training residents and fellows is that they will become leaders in ophthalmology in their subspecialties wherever they practice, to not only learn to be technically good and good surgeons but to be compassionate physicians.
Integrated Internship
Since 2021, the department has offered an integrated internship. For applicants matching with UT Southwestern Ophthalmology 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 and build an internship schedule that will be applicable to the future practice of ophthalmology. Our ophthalmology interns will have the following rotations:
- 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: $63,900
PGY-2: $66,355
PGY-3: $69,112
PGY-4: $72,486
Rotations
First Year
During the first year of residency, five months are spent at Parkland Memorial Hospital; three months at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center; one month at Children’s Medical Center; and three months at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth.
First-year residents assist on cataract and other intraocular surgery, as well as perform plastic surgery, enucleations, strabismus surgery, trauma, and other minor surgery as primary surgeon.
Second Year
Second-year residents spend time at Parkland Memorial Hospital, the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and John Peter Smith Hospital. The residents’ surgical experiences broaden considerably and they perform an increasing amount of cataract surgery (approximately 30 cataract extractions and implants as primary surgeon), and retinal surgery. Residents learn to perform phacoemulsification on their cataract cases at the VA Medical Center and John Peter Smith Hospital as primary surgeon. The second year emphasizes subspecialty experiences with rotations in neuro-ophthalmology and orbital disease; cornea and external disease; retina; and plastics with the full-time faculty.
Third Year
Senior residents spend their final resident year on glaucoma, retina, and surgical rotations at Parkland Memorial Hospital, the VA Medical Center, Children’s Medical Center Dallas, and John Peter Smith Hospital. The surgery is more advanced, including difficult ocular trauma, refractive surgery, trabeculectomies, retinal procedures, phacoemulsifications, and extracapsular cataract and intraocular lens implant surgery. Each resident rotates through Parkland as the Chief Surgical Resident.
- Comprehensive ophthalmology
- Contact lenses
- Cornea and external disease
- Lens and cataract
- Glaucoma
- Low vision rehabilitation
- Medical retina
- Neuro-ophthalmology
- Ocular oncology
- Oculoplastics and orbital surgery
- Ophthalmic pathology
- Pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus
- Retina and vitreous surgery
- Uveitis and intraocular inflammation
Surgery
Surgical procedure frequency per resident as primary surgeon (Source: ACGME case logs July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023)
Cataracts and intraocular lenses |
205 |
YAG laser |
27 |
Strabismus |
31 |
Cornea |
21 |
Keratorefractive |
6 |
Glaucoma filters/shunts |
15 |
Glaucoma laser |
38 |
Retina (as either primary surgeon or assistant, with performing at least a key portion of the procedure in 7) |
23 |
Retina laser |
122 |
Intravitreal injections |
679 |
Oculoplastics/Orbital surgery |
36 |
Trauma surgery (open globe) |
11 |
Total all primary surgery procedures |
1,186 |
We far exceed minimum surgical requirements for training as established by the ACGME. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted our surgical numbers per resident for elective procedures (for example, prior to the pandemic residents were averaging over 275 cataract surgeries as primary surgeon). We expect those numbers to return to pre-pandemic baseline as we have gained back and increased block time at our institutions.
Virtual Presentations and Tours: Get to Know the Department of Ophthalmology
Tag along with UT Southwestern Ophthalmology residents as they take you on a tour of the Department's clinics. In addition, you can check out a broad overview of the Department, or tour the entire UT Southwestern campus.
YouVisit Tour - An interacitve campus tour that brings to life what a future at UT Southwestern could look like.
Resident Tour
Ophthalmology Tour
UT Southwestern Campus Tour
In this presentation, learn what you should look for in a residency program and what we look for in a residency applicant.
See how UT Southwestern has grown to become a leading academic medical center.
Learn how research has played an important part in UT Southwestern's rapid ascension and how our research impacts the Ophthalmology residency program.
Explore the facilities at which our residents and faculty provide patient care
Learn about the surgical curriculum and the faculty.
Find out more about our Ophthalmology educational program, including information on didactics and the integrated internship year.
Find out about salary, leave, insurance coverage, and call.
Explore why Dallas is a great place to live! And more information about Dallas life.
Dr. Blomquist wraps up the residency program. Also, see what our residents pursue after graduation.
Educational Goals and Objectives for Residency Hospitals
2023-2024 Residents
Vladyslav (Vlad) Bondar, M.D.
Hometown: Keller, TX
Undergraduate School: UT Austin
Medical School: UT Southwestern
Karthik Kalahasty, M.D.
Hometown: Jupiter, FL
Undergraduate School: University of Miami
Medical School: University of Miami SOM
Abby Louis, M.D., MBE
Hometown: Wichita, KS
Undergraduate School: Baylor University
Graduate School: Rice University
Medical School: UT HSC Houston
Peter Nesper, M.D., M.S.
Hometown: Eagle River, WI
Undergraduate School: Lake Forest College
Graduate School: Rosalind Franklin University
Medical School: Chicago Medical School-Rosalind Franklin University
Bhagyashri (Ruby) Pandey, M.D.
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Undergraduate School: UT Dallas
Medical School: UT Southwestern
Henry (Hank) Patrick, M.D.
Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Undergraduate School: Washington & Lee University
Medical School: UT Southwestern
Casey Strauss, M.D.
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Undergraduate School: Brigham Young University
Medical School: UT Southwestern
Brandon Winward, M.D.
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Undergraduate School: Brigham Young University
Medical School: UT Southwestern
Brenda Zhou, M.D.
Hometown: Saddle River, NJ
Undergraduate School: Rice University
Medical School: UT Southwestern

Ashika Angirekula, M.D.
Hometown: Odessa, TX
Undergraduate School: UT Dallas
Medical School: UT Southwestern

Dominick Canady, M.D.
Hometown: Fall City, WA
Undergraduate School: University of Washington
Medical School: Morehouse SOM

Preston Choi, M.D.
Hometown: Edmond, OK
Undergraduate School: University of Oklahoma
Medical School: University of Oklahoma COM

James Fan, M.D.
Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergraduate School: Northwestern University
Medical School: UT HSC Houston

Michael (Hayden) Guerra, M.D.
Hometown: Birmingham, MI
Undergraduate School: University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Medical School: Wayne State University SOM
Patrick Ingraffia, M.D.
Hometown: Hammond, LA
Undergraduate School: Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge
Medical School: Louisiana State University-Shreveport

Pouriska Kivanany, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Undergraduate School: UT Arlington
Graduate School: UT Southwestern
Medical School: Texas A&M HSC COM

Maria Morrow, M.D., M.S.
Hometown: Albuquerque, NM
Undergraduate School: Arizona State University
Graduate School: Arizona State University
Medical School: UT HSC San Antonio

Roma Pradhan, M.D.
Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergraduate School: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical School: UT Southwestern

Danielle Block, M.D.
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Undergraduate School: University of Southern Mississippi
Medical School: University of Mississippi SOM

Marilyn (MariMac) Collins, M.D.
Hometown: Jackson, MS
Undergraduate School: Washington University in St. Louis
Medical School: University of Mississippi SOM

Cody Hansen, M.D.
Hometown: Rock Springs, WY
Undergraduate School: Brigham Young University
Medical School: University of Washington SOM

Sarah Kenny, M.D.
Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergraduate School: Texas A&M University
Medical School: UT HSC San Antonio

Sejal Lahoti, M.D., M.P.H.
Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergraduate School: Duke University
Graduate School: UT HSC San Antonio
Medical School: UT HSC San Antonio

Victoria Ly, M.D.
Hometown: Marianna, AR
Undergraduate School: UC Berkeley
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Aishwarya (Aish) Ramamurthi, M.D.
Hometown: Allen, TX
Undergraduate School: UT Dallas
Medical School: UT Southwestern

Jahan Tajran, M.D.
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Undergraduate School: UC San Diego
Medical School: Wayne State University SOM

Betty Tong, M.D.
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Undergraduate School: UT Austin
Medical School: UT Southwestern

Karl Andersen, M.D.
Hometown: Mona, UT
Undergraduate School: Brigham Young University
Medical School: Geisinger Commonwealth SOM

W. Cameron Ford, M.D.
Hometown: Flower Mound, TX
Undergraduate School: Hardin Simmons University
Medical School: UT Southwestern

Matthew Gillings, M.D.
Hometown: Plano, TX
Undergraduate School: UT Dallas
Medical School: UT Southwestern

Madeline Hogan, M.D.
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Undergraduate School: Creighton University
Medical School: University of Arizona COM Phoenix

Ryan Kim, M.D.
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Undergraduate School: Rice University
Medical School: UT HSC Houston

Snehaa Maripudi, M.D.
Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, MI
Undergraduate School: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: University of Maryland SOM

Arjun Merchant, M.D.
Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergraduate School: UT Austin
Medical School: UT HSC Houston

Pooja Parikh, M.D.
Hometown: Victoria, TX
Undergraduate School: UT Austin
Medical School: UT Austin Dell Medical School

Scott Zhou, M.D.
Hometown: Kingsport, TN
Undergraduate School: Vanderbilt University
Medical School: UT Southwestern