Congratulations to Our 2021 Clinical Trainee Graduates

June 18, 2021

2021 Graduation

Harvard Ophthalmology held its clinical trainee graduation on Thursday, June 17. The outdoor ceremony, held at the Boston Museum of Science, celebrated eight Harvard Ophthalmology residents, the AY2020–2021 Chief Resident, and two optometry residents, as well as 23 clinical fellows from Mass Eye and Ear, Joslin Diabetes Center, and Boston Children’s Hospital.

“Based on the resiliency, compassion, and creativity that each and every one of our residents and fellows have shown—throughout their training and especially during COVID 19—I know that they will be thoughtful change agents who will help lead us into a brighter future,” remarked Harvard Ophthalmology Chair Joan W. Miller, MD.

Several faculty and staff were also honored during the ceremony. Sherleen Chen, MD, received the Simmons Lessell Excellence in Education Award. This award recognizes faculty who have made—and continue to make—sustained and profound contributions to education— just like Dr. Lessell. Prashant Yadav, MD, received the Clinical Teacher of the Year, while Roberto Pineda II, MD, received the Surgical Teacher of the Year Award. Ophthalmic technician Serafina Lawton received the Residency Appreciation Award. Graduating fellow Dr. Daniel Brill, MD, received the Fellow of the Year Award, an annual honor chosen by the opthalmology residents. 

Dr. Joan Miller and Dr. Sherleen Chen

Residents Pursue Subspecialty Training

This year, six of our graduating ophthalmology and optometry residents—and our chief resident Marisa Tieger, MD—will pursue additional subspecialty training at top-ranking fellowship programs around the country. Three others will join our faculty ranks at Mass Eye and Ear, and a fourthMarguerite (Margot) Weinert, MDwill stay on as Chief Resident for academic year 2021-2022. 

Ophthalmolgy Residents

Tedi Begaj, MD                

Vitreoretinal Fellowship at Associated Retinal Consultants/Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, Michigan

Jenny Dohlman, MD*

Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital/Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology 

Clifford Kim, MD

Member of the Hospitalist Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology, Part-time/Healthcare Innovation Startup

Kevin Ma, MD

Cornea and External Disease Fellowship at Stanford University 

Catherine Marando, MD 

Glaucoma Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology

Noam Rudnick, MD, PhD*

Medical and Surgical Retina Fellowship at Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University

Laurel Tainsh, MD, MHS

Member of the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology 

Marguerite Weinert, MD

Harvard Ophthalmology Chief Resident for AY2021-2022 and Director of the Trauma Service at Mass Eye and Ear 

Chief Resident

Marisa Tieger, MD

Vitreoretinal Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology

Optometry Residents

Grace Shin, OD

Member of the Optometry and Contact Lens Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology  

Hannah Yoon, OD, MS

Specialty Contact Lens Fellowship at the University of Illinois in Chicago, Illinois

* Graduate is a recipeint of a Heed Fellowship

What’s Next for Clinical Fellow Graduates?

Our clinical fellows will embark on new careers in locations around the globe, and across the United States from Denver to New York. Six graduates will join the Harvard Ophthalmology faculty, and four others will pursue additional training.

Bardia Abbasi, MD

Instructor in the Department of Neurology Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Inas F. Aboobakar, MD*

Research Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology 

Grayson W. Armstrong, MD, MPH*

Member of the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology 

Brian Ballios, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada 

Faith Birnbaum, MD*

Glaucoma Specialist at Nashua Eye Associates in Nashua, New Hampshire

Daniel Brill, MD

Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship at Cincinnati Eye Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio

Kevin Chodnicki, MD

Senior Associate Consultant at Mayo Clinic Health System in Rochester, Minnesota 

Devon A. Cohen, MD

Neuro‐Ophthalmologist at Blue Sky Neurology in Denver, Colorado 

Mohammad Dahrouj, MD, PhD

Member of the Retina Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology  

Michelle M. Falcone, MD*

Assistant Professor at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 

Alireza Ghaffarieh, MD

Member of the Cornea & Refractive Surgery and Ophthalmic Pathology Services at Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, Arkansas

Harald Gjerde, MD, FRCSC

Pediatric Ophthalmologist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada

Dan Gong, MD*

Member of the Retina Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology

Victor Liou, MD

Oculoplastic Surgeon ay Woolfson Eye Institute in Atlanta, Georgia 

Loulwah O. Mukharesh, MBBS

Assistant Professor of Neuro‐Ophthalmology and Neuroimmunology at the University North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina 

Martin Mullen, MD

Attending Physician at Wheaton Eye Clinic in Wheaton, Illinois 

Isdin Oke, MD

Ophthalmology Attending at Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Ophthalmology

Tatiana Perepelkina, MD

Ophthalmology Resident at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Louisiana 

Abdulrahman Rageh, MB, BCh

Pediatric Ocular Oncology Fellowship at Duke Eye Center in Durham, North Carolina 

Eva Raparia, MD

Medical Retinal Specialist at South Shore Eye Care in Massapequa, New York 

Elizabeth J. Rossin, MD, PhD

Member of the Retina Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology and a K12 Scholar 

Portia Sirinek, MD

Glaucoma Specialist at Atrius Health in Boston, Massachusetts 

Maryam Tahvildari, MD

Assistant Professor, Clinician‐Scientist Track at Kresge Eye Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan 

* Graduate is a recipeint of a Heed Fellowship

Group Shot of Graduates2021 Resident ClassBoston Children's Hospital Graduates and FacultyFellows Group OneFellows Group TwoFellows Group ThreeFellows Group FourFellows Group FiveDr. Joan W. Miller

See also: Awards, Events, Trainees