# Congratulations to Our 2021 Clinical Trainee Graduates June 18, 2021 ![2021 Graduation](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/2021_sign_with_residents.jpg) 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](/sherleenchen), received the [Simmons Lessell Excellence in Education Award](/news/department-honors-dr-sherleen-chen-her-contributions-education). This award recognizes faculty who have made—and continue to make—sustained and profound contributions to education— just like Dr. Lessell. [Prashant Yadav, MD](/people/prashant-yadav-md), received the Clinical Teacher of the Year, while [Roberto Pineda II, MD](/robertopineda), 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](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7359.jpg) ### 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 fourth—Marguerite (Margot) Weinert, MD—will stay on as Chief Resident for academic year 2021-2022. Sort **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. Sort 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 Graduates](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7494.jpg) ![2021 Resident Class](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7508.jpg) ![Boston Children's Hospital Graduates and Faculty](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7512.jpg) ![Fellows Group One](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7518.jpg) ![Fellows Group Two](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7521.jpg) ![Fellows Group Three](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7528.jpg) ![Fellows Group Four](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7537.jpg) ![Fellows Group Five](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7544.jpg) *![Dr. Joan W. Miller ](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/meei_graduation_2021-7619.jpg)* See also:- [ Awards ](/category/awards) - [ Events ](/news-categories/events) - [ Trainees ](/news-categories/trainees) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)