Messages From Our Ophthalmology Residency Leadership

From Our Program Director

Welcome to the Department of Ophthalmology Residency Program of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and The Eye & Ear Institute.

The history and tradition of this program dates back to the founding of the Eye and Ear Hospital in 1895. The first resident was formally accepted in 1924 and since that time, over 350 men and women graduated from this program with our first female resident acceptance in 1957. Graduates of our program can be found in academic, military, and private practices all over the United States and in several foreign countries. Cultural diversity describes the background of this program with recent residents originally from Italy, Belgium, Korea, India, Thailand, China, Honduras, Bahamas, Turkey, Canada, and all regions of the United States.

Each year, several hundred applications are made for the six first-year positions. Forty to fifty applicants will interview here giving them a chance to evaluate our program, faculty, and city while we complete our process of resident selection. Our goal in resident selection is to find a group of highly motivated, pleasant, team players excited about becoming ophthalmologists.

Pittsburgh is a great place to be a resident. It has a small town feel with its many ethnic neighborhoods, but big city professional sports and cultural activities, friendly people and a cost of living which allows the residents an affordable place to train and live.

The training program revolves around the University, VA Hospital, Eye and Ear Institute, Mercy Hospital, Children's Hospital, and a third-year surgical rotation with the University of New Mexico. The resident-faculty relationship is characterized by a closeness and friendship which results in a strong bond after graduation. The faculty regards the residents as young colleagues more than just trainees. We want to instill in our residents a sense of pride in their abilities, training, and the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Ophthalmology.

Contact Information
Evan L. Waxman, MD, PhD
Director of Residency Training
waxmane@upmc.edu

From Our Chief Ophthalmology Resident

Thank you for your interest in the University of Pittsburgh Ophthalmology Residency at The UPMC Vision Institute. Our residency program provides an outstanding environment in which to pursue your training in ophthalmology. In addition to excellent clinical and surgical opportunities, the strength of this program lies in the camaraderie and fellowship amongst the residents as well as the collegial relationship with our exceptional faculty.

This residency has all the components of an excellent training program:

• Our faculty are from a diverse educational background covering all the major subspecialties full-time and are very dedicated to resident education.
• Residents work side by side with faculty both in clinic and the operating room, learning and performing diagnostic and surgical techniques from a wide range of experienced clinicians.
• Residents help staff an exciting Veteran’s Administration Hospital eye clinic drawing patients from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio, with surgical cases signed up for months in advance.
• We are headquartered at the UPMC Vision Institute, a brand-new building dedicated to ophthalmology practice and research.  It houses clinics, operating rooms, research space, as well as a dedicated Eye Emergency Room/Urgent Care, all stocked with brand-new cutting-edge equipment. As the major tertiary care center in Western Pennsylvania, the emergency room provides a wealth of clinical and surgical exposure for the residents.
• Third year residents may attend the annual American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting or a subspecialty meeting of choice. In addition, residents will receive a stipend to attend any conference where they are presenting their own research.
• In the third training year, there is a rotation at the University of New Mexico and New Mexico VA Hospital. This provides a unique experience for learning different surgical techniques, and medical philosophies, as well as affords an opportunity to explore a different part of the country (traveling expenses and housing are provided by the department).

Each class is made up of six residents, making a total number of 18 residents in our program. We look to recruit future residents who work hard, get along well in a group, support one another, and like to have fun together. Teamwork is the definitive motto of our program. The unique atmosphere among the residents and faculty here at UPMC is what sets our program apart.

Contact Information
Jonathan Peterson, MD
Chief Ophthalmology Resident
petersonjm2@upmc.edu

UPMC Vision Institute
UPMC Mercy Pavilion
1622 Locust Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219