Harvard Ophthalmology held its clinical trainee graduation on Thursday, June 16. The outdoor ceremony, held at the Boston Museum of Science, celebrated eight Harvard Ophthalmology residents, the AY2021–2022 Chief Resident, and two optometry residents, as well as 24 clinical fellows from Mass Eye and Ear, Joslin Diabetes Center, and Boston Children’s Hospital.
“Based on the compassion, curiosity, dedication, and resilience that our graduates have shown throughout their training, I know that they will be wonderful clinicians and colleagues in our profession,” remarked Harvard Ophthalmology Chair Joan W. Miller, MD.
Several faculty and staff were also honored during the ceremony. James Chodosh, MD, MPH, 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. David Wu, MD, PhD, received the Clinical Teacher of the Year, while Jae Young You, MD, received the Surgical Teacher of the Year Award. Molly Mullen, a Medical Administrative Assistant supporting the Chief Resident and the Ophthalmology Trauma Clinic, received the Residency Appreciation Award.
Two ophthalmology trainees were recognized with awards from Harvard Ophthalmology residents. Jose Davila, MD, a vitreoretinal surgery fellow, received the Fellow of the Year Award and graduating resident Inês Laíns, MD, MSc, PhD, received the Resident Peer Recognition Award.
Residents Pursue Subspecialty Training
This year, seven of our graduating ophthalmology and optometry residents, and our chief resident Margot Weinert, MD, will pursue additional subspecialty training at top-ranking fellowship programs around the country. Two others will join our department as faculty members at Mass Eye and Ear—including our incoming AY 2022-23 Chief Resident Neal Patel, MD.
| Ophthalmology Residents | |
| Sila Bal, MD, MPH | Cornea, External Disease, and Refractive Surgery Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear |
| Carolina Chiou, MD | ASOPRS Ophthalmic Plastic and Constructive Surgery Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear |
| Jacob Cox, MD* | Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, Cole Eye Institute |
| Inês Laíns, MD, MSc, PhD | Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear |
| Neal Patel, MD | Harvard Ophthalmology Chief Resident for AY2022-2023 and Director of the Trauma Service at Mass Eye and Ear |
| Nakul Singh, MD, MSc | Surgical Retina Fellowship at Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University |
| Karen Wai, MD* | Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship at Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University |
| Sarah Wang, MD | Cornea and External Disease Fellowship at Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University |
| Chief Resident | |
| Marguerite Weinert, MD | Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital/Mass Eye and Ear |
| Optometry Residents | |
| Christina Cherny, OD | Instructor, Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
| Isabel Deakins, OD | Instructor in Ophthalmology, Optometry and Contact Lens Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology |
* Graduate is a recipient 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. Five graduates will join the Harvard Ophthalmology faculty, and five others will pursue additional training.
| Kanika Agarwal, MD |
Global Ophthalmology Program at Wills Eye Hospital Joining the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology as an Instructor in 2023 |
| Eileen L. Chang, MD | Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at State University of New York, Stony Brook |
| Sarah Chorfi, MD, FRCSC |
Computational Genomics Summer Institute University of California, Los Angeles |
| Jenny Dohlman, MD | ASOPRS Oculoplastics Plastic Surgery Fellowship at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore |
| Aaron M. Fairbanks, MD | Senior Associate Consultant and Medical Retina Specialist at Mayo Clinic Health Systems, Eau Claire, Wisconsin |
| Jeffrey Gluckstein, MD | Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology at the University of Southern California |
| Cynthia K. Harris, MD | Forensic Pathology Fellowship at the New York Medical Examiner's Office |
| Lauren Hennein, MD | Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at the University of California, San Diego |
| Karen Willa Hong, MD, Mphil | Glaucoma Specialist at Hawaii Permanente Medical Group, Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Levi N. Kanu, MD | Instructor in Ophthalmology, Member of the Cornea Service at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology and a K12 Scholar |
| Kiandokht Keyhanian, MD | Multiple Sclerosis Fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital/Harvard Medical School |
| Mary Tien Labowsky, MD | Assistant Professor, Neuro-Ophthalmologist at the University of Colorado, Aurora |
| Cassie A. Ludwig, MD, MS | Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Stanford University |
| Derek D. Mai, MD | Attending Physician, Glaucoma Service at Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington |
| Catherine M. Marando, MD | Associate Physician and Glaucoma Specialist at Kaiser Permanente Southern California |
| Vamsee K. Neerukonda, MD | Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center |
| Sana S. Qureshi, MD | Cornea and Refractive Surgery at Corneal Associates of New Jersey, Fairfield, New Jersey |
| Edith R. Reshef, MD | Instructor in Ophthalmology, Member of the Pediatric and Adult Oculoplastics Service at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Ophthalmology |
| Leyla Yavuz Saricay, MD, FEBO | Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital/Mass Eye and Ear |
| Marlene Wang, MD | Vitreoretinal Surgeon at New Jersey Retina, Morristown, New Jersey |
| Annie M. Wu, MD | Clinical Instructor in the Glaucoma Department at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| Frances Wu, MD | Instructor in Ophthalmology, Member of the Retina and Ocular Oncology Services at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology |
| Alexander K. Young, MD | Part-Time Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Specialist at Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Ophthalmology and Massachusetts Eye Associates, Chelmsford, Massachusetts |
