2021 Iowa Interview Guide by uiowaeye

2021 INTERVIEW GUIDE

WELCOME

to the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Thank you for interviewing with us! We are honored to meet you virtually this year. We hope that you will find out all you need to know about our program, people, and our community, even though are not meeting, yet. Our program has a long history as a leader in residency education. Residency education has long been the main focus of our department (beyond excellent patient care!). Our faculty come here primarily so they can teach our residents. Our program is four years as it includes a joint internship with our wonderful internal medicine department. We have rounds each morning which serves as a time to learn and as a time to enhance our community. We have a very structured surgical training program with large numbers of cases in all subspecialty areas. Our program is fortunate to have two VA hospitals in addition to our beautiful university department. Our people are dedicated to residency education. Our chairman, faculty, staff, and most importantly patients are all in. We are all proud of our role in residency education. Our faculty are approachable, expert, ethical role models. Our staff take great pride in their role in resident education with unwavering dedication to our treasured patients. Our residency program coordinator is the best in the world (you’ll see!). Our graduates excel in patient care, surgery, advocacy, research, and leadership. We have alumni spread all over the world. We have the most active network on Doximity and best alumni parties at the academy meeting. Our Iowa City community is perfect for you. Iowa City is on every list: best college town, best small town, best place to find a job, most educated town….From the point of view of resident education, the community offers an easy to manage town with plenty of events to enrich your non hospital time. You won’t waste time commuting from home or Ubering from one site to another during the day – use that time to do push-ups or to read about cataract surgery! You will love Iowa City – believe me later! Thank you again for visiting us.

Thomas A. Oetting, MS, MD Rodolfo N. Perez, Jr., MD, and Margaret Perez Professor in Ophthalmology Education Ophthalmology Residency Program Director

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE VIA ZOOM >>

WELCOME

WHY IOWA?

INTERVIEWS

We will begin with a brief welcome from Dr. Thomas Oetting, Residency Program Director.

Integrated Internship, PGY1

A short video, presentation, and discussion about being a resident at Iowa will follow Dr. Oetting’s welcome.

Each applicant will have three, 20-minute interviews with faculty and residents.

Dr. Thomas Oetting Residency Program Director

Dr. Mark Greiner Cornea Faculty

Dr. Keith Carter Department Head and Chair

Dr. Pavlina Kemp Associate Program Director

Dr. Salma Dawoud Chief Resident

Dr. David Ramirez Chief Resident

WALKING TOUR

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN INTERN

SOCIAL HOUR WITH OUR RESIDENTS

Each applicant will join a 20-minute resident-guided group virtual walking tour.

Each applicant will join a 20-minute intern lead group session regarding the joint internship ad life in Iowa City.

We know you have had many hours on Zoom. Because we value your time, we have built in a Break Room for you to join during any unscheduled time during your half day. There will be at least one resident host available in the break room at all times. We have encouraged all of our residents to pop in throughout the day and introduce themselves, answer questions, and tell you why they are so happy they chose Iowa.

CLICK TO VIEW CO-APPLICANTS >> link will be live on December 2, 2021

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VIRTUAL TOUR Welcome to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. Established in 1925, our clinic has a long history of providing outstanding patient care, educating ophthalmologists, and conducting cutting-edge research. We are so proud to work in such a beautiful environment and are excited to invite you to join us on a virtual tour of our institution. Below, we have highlighted several locations within our department that we would like to share with you. We hope you enjoy! Click for virtual tour

1. University of Iowa Eye Clinic The University of Iowa Eye Clinic is located on the first floor of the Pomerantz Family Pavilion. The front entrance was recently remodeled in 2019. This beautiful working space is approximately 52,000 square feet and has around 60 exam rooms. More impressive than the Eye Clinic itself, however, are the amazing people who work inside the Eye Clinic. Our faculty is second to none and their dedication to patient care and teaching is truly unparalleled. Additionally, we have skilled technicians dedicated to helping residents and ancillary staff who provide incredible services ranging from high quality photography and ultrasonography to electroretinography.

2. Operating Rooms Our surgical volume at the University of Iowa is remarkable and our top-notch operating rooms create a comfortable learning environment for trainees. Due to our high surgical volume, we operate in the Ambulatory Surgical Center located in the Pomerantz Family Pavilion, the Main OR located in the General Hospital, and the Stead Family Children’s Hospital OR, all located in the same connection of buildings. We also have three minor rooms, conveniently located near the Nurse’s Station in our clinic, where many oculoplastics cases and various other procedures are performed every day. More recently, our department instituted an Eye Team, which consists of 14 nurses who work around the clock with us in the operating room. These incredible nurses only do ophthalmology, so they are very very specialized! They also take call and are always willing to support eye doctors wherever and whenever they are needed.

3. Braley Auditorium The Braley Auditorium is located on the lower level of the Pomerantz Family Pavilion beneath the University of Iowa Eye Clinic. This auditorium fosters a comfortable learning environment and is the primary location of our morning rounds, which take place prior to clinic from 8 to 9 o’clock every morning throughout the week. At Iowa, we are extremely fortunate to have this precious time dedicated to our education, in which faculty, fellows and residents all gather. This time complements our learning throughout the day in the clinic and operating room. The Braley Auditorium is also the location of our clinical conferences, which occur multiple times throughout the year and feature well-known guest speakers within the field of ophthalmology.

4. C.S. O’Brien Eye Library The C.S. O’Brien Eye Library is an incredible resource for residents. Our library houses a collection of more than 3,000 print titles and even more digital items, with some items in our print collection dating back to the 1700s. The library provides a wide range of services, from standard literature searches and resource procurement to photoshop assistance, copyright information, and many other things! Our library is open at all times to residents, houses four computers, and a comfortable seating arrangement.Treats are often on the counter for whoever stops by, and our library resource team, including our librarian, one library assistant, and the department’s web and social media coordinator, are available in-person or by email to help with research and education needs.

5. Richard W. Claussen, M.D., Residents’ Room The Richard W. Claussen, M.D., Residents’ Room is truly our home away from home! This room was made possible by a generous donation from Linda Claussen, in memory of her husband Dick Claussen who completed his residency in Ophthalmology at the University of Iowa. The room was recently remodeled in Fall 2018 thanks to an alumnus gift. This spacious area is 600 square feet and provides each resident with a personal locker and cubby. In addition, it offers a small kitchen area, comfortable armchairs, and several computers. We feel so fortunate to use this space as a place to eat, talk, and spend time together everyday.

6. Iowa City VA Health Care System Welcome to the Iowa City VA! This health care system provides services to more than 184,000 veterans living in 50 counties in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. We are beyond grateful for the opportunity we have to honor America’s veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Trainees spend around 50 weeks working at the VA during our 4-year residency program and internship. The clinic faculty and ancillary staff we work with are truly one in a million and the gratitude our veterans have for their health care cannot be understated. We are very excited about our new VA Eye Clinic, which has been recently remodeled and newly opened as of Fall 2020. We are also lucky to have our very own wet lab and EyeSi Surgical Simulator, where residents receive one-on-one structured learning from faculty members aimed at honing surgical skills in preparation for the operating room.

7. The University of Iowa Institute for Vision Research The University of Iowa Medical Education and Research Facility is located adjacent to the UIHC General Hospital and the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. The Vision Wing of the building houses our well-known Institute for Vision Research (IVR). Scientists here are committed to designing gene and stem cell therapies to treat inherited eye diseases. This magnificent structure highlights the reputation of the prominent researchers within our department. Regardless or your future career goals and aspirations, there are countless research opportunities for residents to immediately jump in and get involved with.

DEPARTMENT CLINICAL FACULTY COMPREHENSIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY

NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY

Jaclyn Haugsdal, MD

Tim Johnson, MD, PhD

Sophia Chung, MD

Matthew Thurtell, MBBS, MSc

Ashley Hui, OD

Thomas Oetting, MS, MD

Randy Kardon, MD, PhD

Michael Wall, MD

CONTACT LENS

Vera Howe, OD, FAAO

Christine Sindt, OD, FAAO

Marcus Noyes, OD, FAAO, FSLS

Jennifer Ling, MD

Christopher Sales, MD, MPH

GLAUCOMA

OCULOPLASTICS Keith Carter, MD, FACS

Erin Shriver, MD, FACS

Chau Pham, MD

CORNEA/EXTERNAL DISEASE & REFRACTIVE SURGERY Mark Greiner, MD

OPHTHALMIC PATHOLOGY Nasreen Syed, MD

PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY

Erin Boese, MD

Andrew Pouw, MD

John Fingert, MD, PhD

Nathaniel Sears, MD

Lindsay De Andrade, MD Sara Downes, OD Arlene Drack, MD Alina Dumitrescu, MD

Pavlina Kemp, MD Scott Larson, MD Richard Olson, MD

RETINA

VASCULAR

Michael Abràmoff, MD, PhD

Ian Han, MD

Elaine Binkley, MD

Jonathan Russell, MD, PhD

Culver Boldt, MD

Stephen Russell, MD

VISION REHABILITATION SERVICE

Timothy Boyce, MD

Elliott Sohn, MD

Khadjia Shahid, OD, MPH, FAAO Mark Wilkinson, OD, FAAO

James Folk, MD

Edwin Stone, MD, PhD

Karen Gehrs, MD

Sohan Hayreh, MD, MS, PhD, DSc, FRCS, FRCOphth

VETERAN’S ADMINISTRATION – OPHTHALMOLOGY Michael Abràmoff, MD, PhD

Thomas Oetting, MS, MD

Wallace L.M. Alward, MD

Erin Shriver, MD, FACS

Jaclyn Haugsdal, MD

Nasreen Syed, MD

Randy Kardon, MD, PhD

Michael Wagoner, MD, PhD

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Click to view faculty research

SURGICAL STATISTICS REQUIRED SURGERIES

RRC MINIMUMS

2021 NATIONAL 50%

2021 IOWA AVERAGES

Cataract 86 183 266.8 YAG

41.8

Keratoplasty

10.4

Pterygium/conjunctival & other cornea 3

10.2 25

Laser Surgery

Strabismus

Glaucoma

Oculoplastic and Orbit

Eyelid laceration

24.2

Ptosis and Blepharoplasty

Globe Trauma

10.2

10 52

26.8 17 124.6

“University of Iowa has great academic medicine and great training, but ultimately I chose Iowa because of the amazing faculty and residents who are always willing to teach and help.” >> Justine Cheng, MD Ophthalmology Resident, 2019-2022

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA INSTITUTE FOR VISION RESEARCH The University of Iowa Institute for Vision Research was created to accelerate the eradication of heritable human blindness through interdisciplinary research, education and clinical care.

WHY IOWA?

We asked the current residents what’s so great about the Iowa Ophthalmology Residency Program RESIDENCY

• Longstanding culture of resident education as top department priority • Resident family where residents support and encourage each other • Annual resident retreat to Madison for phacoemulsification course • Program purchases all lenses and loupes for each resident • Iowa refractive surgery course with certification • Program purchases several books including basic science manuals • EyeSi simulator available 24/7 • Wet-lab with virtually unlimited supply of artificial, porcine, and human eyes • EyeRounds.org integrated into our program — residents are paid for content • Free subscription to many journals and Ophthoquestions • One-on-one wet lab teaching to prepare you for the OR • Structured surgical curriculum • Resident room with your own space for books, personal belongings • Morning rounds four days a week and BCSC lectures one day each week • Informal teaching rounds almost every day after clinic with clinical faculty • Two surgically busy VA hospitals • Structured educational environment balanced by lots of autonomy at our 2 VAs • Travel reimbursement for meetings when invited to present • Third-year residents attend AAO Annual Meeting reimbursed by department • $300 per year at UIHC cafeteria ($550 during intern year) • International experience for third-year residents (doesn’t count as vacation) • Five fellowship/job interview days (doesn’t count as vacation) • Chairman who was previously a residency program director and is dedicated to resident education • One annual meeting and five clinical conferences throughout the year with visiting lecturers, good food, and opportunities to meet and network with Iowa alumni • Residency program director that is highly devoted to resident education and has won numerous teaching awards, including the 2012 Straatsma Award for Excellence in Resident Education and the 2021 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Educator Award. • Dedicated ophthalmology library with full-time librarian • Low turnover in faculty and staff • Fantastic residency program coordinator with always-stocked candy dish • Incredible refractive surgery discount for Iowa residents ($500 for bilateral custom wavefrontguided refractive surgery) • Supportive GME office (Eg had 3 residents with health issues who kept salary during extended treatment) • Amazing photography department that is able to capture anything you want to help you with presentations and EyeRounds submissions

LIVABILITY.COM RANKED IOWA CITY #4 AS PART OF THE ‘2019 TOP 100 BEST PLACES TO LIVE’ IN THE U.S.

“After interviewing here, I knew there was nowhere else I’d rather train. University of Iowa provides its residents excellent surgical and clinical training, the faculty are experts in their fields, and everyone is dedicated to resident education and training. The support here is unparalleled and one of the most de fining features of this program. The other thing that stood out most during my interview day was just how approachable and welcoming all of the faculty and residents were. It truly felt like a family. Now that I am here, I can confidently say that this is the culture of Iowa, and I feel privileged to be surrounded by such caring, intelligent, and humble individuals. The people here are the difference and make it all worth it.” >> Ryan Diel, MD Ophthalmology Resident, 2019-2022

ABOUT IOWA’S PROGRAM INTERNSHIP

• Three months of ophthalmology • See ophthalmology patients on your own from day one with support from other residents and always supervised by faculty at UIHC • $550 at cafeteria • Being welcomed as a part of the ophtho team as an intern • Free lunch every day • Start working on resident research project or EyeRounds.org publications

ALUMNI

• Great alumni network from all over the world • Alumni Roundtable where alumni share insights into their chosen practice type, job search tips, etc • Generous alumni eager to “give back” to the program with financial and other donations to department designated for residency program

IOWA CITY

• Affordable cost of living (40-50% of residents buy instead of rent) • Medical Partners group for spouses and children of UI medical students/residents with weekly get togethers, play dates, book club, movie nights, etc • Full gym next to hospital with pool, basketball, volleyball, racquetball, track, and other exercise equipment for just $19/month and access to other university exercise facilities • Easily live within walking distance of the hospital (At least 50% of residents walk or bike for majority of the year) • New Hancher Performance Hall and Voxman Music Building

RANKED IOWA #3

OPHTHALMOLOGY RESIDENCY REPUTATION

TRAVEL ELECTIVES

We love our residents to present their work at meetings. Our PGY1 interns can present if they are first author and are either on ophthalmology rotation during the meeting or can get permission for the internal medicine service. Our PGY2-4 residents can easily present when they are first author and our residents have presented for just about every organization in ophthalmology. In the PGY4, or chief year, we encourage travel electives such as the AAO, 1 week business of medicine elective with Vance Thompson Vision, a meeting of the residents choice (without need for first author presentation), and a 1-2 week international experience.

DISTRIBUTED ELECTIVE Our residents have an elective which is distributed across the entire PGY2-4 years of the residency. We call this “captain of my ship” time and we hope that residents will use this time to manage their own education. The time is distributed as half day electives every other week on almost every rotation. Residents have used this time to do bench research projects or practice self-care. They have used this time to work on quality improvement projects or to read in a coffee shop. We assume that the amazing residents we recruit should have an active role in their own development. Click to view 2021-2022 resident rotation

CURRENT RESIDENTS THIRD-YEAR (PGY-4)

Karam Alawa, MD karam-alawa@uiowa.edu

Justine Cheng, MD liang-cheng@uiowa.edu

Salma Dawoud, MD salma-dawoud@uiowa.edu

Ryan Diel, MD ryan-diel@uiowa.edu

David Ramirez, MD david-ramirez@uiowa.edu

Tirth Shah, MD tirth-shah@uiowa.edu

Maggie Strampe, MD margaret-strampe@uiowa.edu

Caroline Yu, MD caroline-yu@uiowa.edu

Tina Hendricks, MD tina-hendricks@uiowa.edu

Mahsaw Motlagh, MD mahsaw-motlagh@uiowa.edu

Sean Rodriguez, MD sean-rodriguez@uiowa.edu

Arnulfo Garza Reyes, MD arnulfo-garzareyes@uiowa.edu

Joanna Silverman, MD joanna-silverman@uiowa.edu

Cheryl Wang, MD cheryl-wang@uiowa.edu

SECOND-YEAR (PGY-3)

Matthew Field, MD, PhD matthew-field@uiowa.edu

Zachary Mortensen, MD, MBA zachary-mortensen@uiowa.edu

FIRST-YEAR (PGY-2)

Aaron Dotson, MD aaron-dotson@uiowa.edu

Zachary Mortensen, MD, MBA zachary-mortensen@uiowa.edu

INTERNS (PGY-1)

S. Bilal Ahmed, MD sbilal-ahmed@uiowa.edu

Chad Lewis, MD chad-lewis@uiowa.edu

Watch video

“Definitely the corn, no question. On a more serious note, when I interviewed here I really felt a sense of family and community. The faculty love to teach, the clinical and surgical training is among the best, and there are so many opportunities for research. I enjoyed this interview day the most because while I was nervous the whole day, I was also laughing and having great conversation the entire time. I felt like I could thrive at University of Iowa and enjoy my training, and I couldn’t be happier to be here” >> Karam Alawa, MD Ophthalmology Resident, 2019-2022

MEET OUR RESIDENTS | PGY4 Why did you choose Iowa? Definitely the corn, no question. On a more serious note, when I interviewed here I really felt a sense of family and community. The faculty love to teach, the clinical and surgical training is among the best, and there are so many opportunities for research. I enjoyed this interview day the most because while I was nervous the whole day, I was also laughing and having great conversation the entire time. I felt like I could thrive at Iowa and enjoy my training, and I couldn’t be happier to be here.

Karam Alawa, MD karam-alaway@uiowa.edu Miami, Florida

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I enjoy spending time with friends and family (especially over good food), going to live music shows, playing the guitar, playing games, and cooking (especially Thai food). I also love tinkering, and I’m always looking for cool projects to work on in my spare time. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? I love food, good music, and good company, and Iowa City has a ton of good restaurants and live music happening pretty often. It’s also been nice to walk around different parts of the city like the Ped Mall and spend time with my co-interns and co-residents.

Why did you choose Iowa? Iowa has great academic medicine and great training, but ultimately I chose Iowa because of the amazing faculty and residents who are always willing to teach and help. What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I love spending time with my husband and our bassador pup. We love to hike, travel, and discover new places to eat. Justine Cheng, MD liang-cheng@uiowa.edu West Des Moines, Iowa

What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? I love taking my dog and discovering new hiking trails. Kent Park is our go to. I also love finding new places to eat. My favorite Asian restaurants are Soseki and Jianghu Street Food.

Why did you choose Iowa? It is difficult to answer this concisely, but I will do my best! I remember feeling so excited but a little intimidated when I got invited to interview at Iowa. I had heard over and over again how incredible the program was. Everything was top notch: the training, research opportunities, the clinical experience, the faculty and the list goes on. What I remember so distinctly from my interview was everyone I met, attendings, residents and staff were so approachable and kind! Any fear I had before the interview quickly dissolved. I felt comfortable being myself, which was a big sign to me that I was in the right place. Now that I am here I can confirm that my feelings were spot on. I am so happy that Iowa chose me too, and I look forward to these coming years. Salma Dawoud, MD salma-dawoud@uiowa.edu Mississippi

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I love to cook, when I can – especially for guests! My favorite food to make for dinner parties is Palestinian food. Arabic food is made to be eaten by a crowd! I enjoy spending time with my friends, keeping up with my family, and being outdoors. Whenever I get the chance, I also enjoy traveling. My most recent trip was to Spain. Finally, I love spending time with my lovely cat, Simmone. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? So far, I have loved spending time downtown. There always seems to be something going on in the Ped Mall, like a block party or music festival.

Why did you choose Iowa? After interviewing here, I knew there was nowhere else I’d rather train. Iowa provides its residents excellent surgical and clinical training, the faculty are experts in their fields, and everyone is dedicated to resident education and training. The support here is unparalleled and one of the most defining features of this program. The other thing that stood out most during my interview day was just how approachable and welcoming all of the faculty and residents were. It truly felt like a family. Now that I am here, I can confidently say that this is the culture of Iowa, and I feel privileged to be surrounded by such caring, intelligent, and humble individuals. The people here are the difference and make it all worth it. Ryan Diel, MD ryan-diel@uiowa.edu Las Vegas, Nevada

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I enjoy spending time with my wife Candice, my son Chase, and two dogs Jake and Jude. I couldn’t imagine life without them! I also enjoy golfing, ultimate frisbee, baseball, and football. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? Iowa City, though small, has tons of outdoor activities including plenty of trails, parks, and golf courses. If you’re into festivals and live music, the Ped Mall always has something going on!

Why did you choose Iowa? So many reasons. To me, this was the perfect program. I wanted to find the perfect balance between autonomy and hand-holding, and Iowa’s graduated responsibility model fit perfectly. They treat you like an adult and trust you will let them know when you’re ready to progress, but also push you to grow and mature in your clinical reasoning.

David Ramirez, MD david-ramirez@uiowa.edu Mobile, Alabama

The joint internship was a huge draw, because by the time you finish PGY-1, you have already had months of no-pressure, pure “learning for the sake of learning” time in Ophthalmology so you feel as ready as you can for PGY-2. The faculty’s investment in our learning, however, was the clincher for me. Absolutely everyone wants to see you excel, and they go out of their way to make sure you achieve your goals in becoming an excellent Ophthalmologist. People here genuinely care about your well-being not only as a trainee, but as a human being, which I found to be incredibly unique. These same compassionate, humble teachers are also at the top of their fields, which makes learning from them the highest quality training experience out there. What do you enjoy outside of medicine? When I’ve been working a lot in the hospital, eating pizza and laying on my couch watching Netflix are my favorite extracurriculars. Outside of that, I like to play video games, work out (whether lifting weights, rock climbing, or even just walking around Iowa City), do fun city-wide events and explore new restaurants. I’ve also started cooking which I find very cathartic after a long day. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? I’ll admit, I had prepared myself to be spending a lot more time in my apartment than I actually did when I moved here. However, I was blown away by all the things to do--there are so many! Plenty of breweries and live music, festivals during the summer (Pride, Jazz fest, even a bourbon festival!), and great restaurants. I literally went to an orchard and ate an amazing quail/polenta meal in a modernized barn—you won’t find anything like that in LA or New York! There’s also a farm outside the city that sells pizza out of a random pizza oven they built on their property. Suffice to say, my stomach has never been happier.

MEET OUR RESIDENTS | PGY3 Why did you choose Iowa? Iowa supports the residents in whatever they want to do in their careers. This recruits a diverse group of people with very different backgrounds who are interested in going into every type of career in ophthalmology, from private practice to academic research to teaching. This diversity coupled with incredible training and excellent faculty (who all are so knowledgeable and love to teach) provides the ideal training environment for me. Plus, Iowa has one of the best ophthalmology research departments in the country, allowing me to get involved with projects during residency. On a final note, after living in Miami, I really appreciate the low cost of living here and the ability to actually drive places quickly and find parking. Matthew Field, MD, PhD matthew-field@uiowa.edu Ann Arbor, Michigan

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? Tennis, basketball, college sports, bioinformatics, hiking/outdoor adventures, anything technology related. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? It is a great college town with friendly people. Moved into my house and within a week my neighbors came over to introduce themselves. For the size of the city, I am impressed with how great the food is here and all the diverse options. I was surprised to find what a foodie city this is! And of course, can’t wait until Big Ten sports begin. Why did you choose Iowa? Iowa seemed to uniquely balance a renowned reputation with a down-to-earth attitude. While Iowa has been a trailblazer in ophthalmologic medicine, the individuals here appeared to maintain a culture of respect and warmth. I initially felt humbled walking among some of ophthalmology’s leaders, but I quickly felt welcome. All the residents were incredibly happy to be here and I knew it was a place where I too could have a good time and be myself. Lastly, this city provided the perfect home for my family. The relatively low cost of living, abundance of family-friendly activities, and robust network of resident physicians made Iowa a no-brainer.

Zachary Mortensen, MD, MBA zachary-mortensen@uiowa.edu Salt Lake City, Utah

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? My greatest joy is spending time with my beautiful wife and three wonderful children. We love music and going to concerts. I also enjoy athletics, with basketball and football being my favorite sports. Time outdoors is very important, where I enjoy mountain biking most. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? We are loving all the family friendly activities in North Liberty, Coralville, and Iowa City. I don’t think I’ve ever lived in such a kid-friendly area as this—there’s always something affordable (often free!) and fun for them to do! So far, we’ve also enjoyed Lake Macbride and “eating pizza on the farm” at local small-town farm houses. The Iowa City area seems to have great blend of academic, young family, and small-town vibes.

Why did you choose Iowa? I fell in love with Iowa during my interview. It was so humbling to see how approachable the faculty and residents were - especially given the renowned reputation. The PGY1 joint internship was a big draw. Not only did we have months of ophthalmology working up patients, practicing our ophthalmologic examination, and trying to come up with an assessment and plan, but we also got amazing bi-weekly lectures throughout the year for our level of training and practiced some basic procedural skills, like suturing. I felt this certainly helped ease the stress of the huge learning curve during PGY2 and set a strong foundation for the rest of residency training.

Tirth Shah, MD tirth-shah@uiowa.edu Scottsdale/Phoenix, Arizona

In addition, I was drawn to the excellent research opportunities here, the emphasis on education and teaching, and how approachable and invested the faculty were. It definitely felt humbling to have these famous faculty take such interest in our pursuits. The networking opportunities are phenomenal. Now that I am here, I am so happy I chose Iowa. The program is truly amazing and not only already meets my expectations but far and away exceeds it. What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I love watching/playing sports. I also enjoy anything outdoors, watching movies, and hanging out with my friends. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? I don’t think I have a favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City. I will say, however, it’s been really fun to live here! The parks are so fun to walk around, the food is great, and there’s always something going on during the weekend!

Why did you choose Iowa? I already knew that Iowa had everything I wanted in a residency program – clinical excellence, incredible research opportunities, and an impressive reputation – but it was my interview day that made the decision for me. The people are what make Iowa great, and they are the most supportive, collaborative group. Every program tells you that they treat their residents like family, but Iowa is the only one I interviewed at that really lives up to that promise.

Maggie Strampe, MD margaret-strampe@uiowa.edu Eden Prairie, Minnesota

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? When I’m not working, I love cooking, exercising, being outside, and spending time with my friends and family. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? I love checking out breweries and restaurants in Iowa City. So far, sitting on the patio at Big Grove is my favorite.

Why did you choose Iowa? Choosing Iowa was a gut decision- and I rarely allow my gut to make the call. During my interview day, the camaraderie and warmth of the faculty and residents put me at ease, and I felt a uniquely strong sense of community that instinctually drew me towards this program. The more I researched into the program, the more I realized that Iowa was the perfect combination of stellar faculty, range of research opportunities, tight-knit community, excellent surgical and clinical training, and exposure to a wide range of pathology. As a lifelong Californian, I was (and still am) intimidated by the idea of midwestern winters, but I believe that Iowa more than any other program will help me to become the best ophthalmologist that I can be. Caroline Yu, MD caroline-yu@uiowa.edu San Diego, California

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? Painting, hiking, baking, tennis, playing with my dog, trying new restaurants What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? Jogging with my dog, Ellie.

MEET OUR RESIDENTS | PGY2 Why did you choose Iowa? I chose Iowa because of the friendly & supportive department, ample opportunities & resources to mold your own residency experience, and an overall training experience that’s one to beat! What do you enjoy outside of medicine? Playing piano & traveling

Aaron Dotson, MD aaron-dotson@uiowa.edu Inglewood, California

What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? I really enjoy going to Vue! Wonderful rooftop venue for any day of the week!

Why did you choose Iowa? I chose to train at Iowa because I knew it was a place that would push me to excel, but also provide a supportive and friendly environment. As a medical student here I always felt like the staff and residents included me as part of the team, and I wanted to train at a program that had such a welcoming atmosphere. Iowa has a strong focus on education and provides clinical and surgical training that is among the best in the country. The combination of world-class faculty, a dedication to resident education, and a supportive environment was exactly what I was looking for in my residency training. Andrew Goldstein, MD andrew-goldstein@uiowa.edu Los Angeles, California

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I enjoy spending time with my family and exploring the local coffee shops, restaurants, trails, and rivers. I am a baseball fan and love going to the Kernels game in Cedar Rapids or spending the weekend in Chicago to catch a Cubs game. In more quiet moments I try to catch up on my book list or watch a movie. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? Enjoying live music on a warm summer evening in downtown as part of the Summer of the Arts festivals, buying fresh food at the farmer’s market on a Saturday morning, and eating outside at Big Grove.

Why did you choose Iowa? Iowa had everything I was looking for and then some! I fell in love with the welcoming, family-focused culture, the commitment to resident training, and above all the people who make this department so special. What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I love to experience new things, whether that be food, places, activities. I enjoy cooking (& eating!), being outdoors, water sports, and playing with my daughter, Moriah. Tina Hendricks, MD tina-hendricks@uiowa.edu Ahwatukee, Arizona

What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? Exploring all the different bodies of water (Lake MacBride spillway, Coralville Lake, etc.) and then stopping for a beer and nachos at Big Grove Brewery.

Why did you choose Iowa? My personal motto is “work hard and be nice to people” and I think the Iowa culture captures that perfectly. The people here are the absolute best – patients and faculty alike. Everyone is approachable, generous with their time, and eager to teach. I was nervous at first moving from larger cities (previously lived in Phoenix and LA), but I promise you will find this place as wholesome and charming as it is described. Also, Dr. Oetting is the greatest program director in the world.

Mahsaw Motlagh, MD mahsaw-motlagh@uiowa.edu Cleveland, Ohio

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I love hanging out with my incredible fiancé, Asad, who is an Anesthesia resident. We have a Russian Blue kitten named Sergei who keeps us busy. Beyond that, I am quietly pursuing a career in the NBA and love to play basketball. Sports are my thing. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? So this is a little difficult given the whole pandemic thing going on right now. But one thing I have discovered is this really cute Dairy Queen on Riverside Drive. It is still in its original 1950s form (so cute!). We love to grab some chocolate dipped cones and walk along the river.

Why did you choose Iowa? The are a lot of reasons why I chose Iowa, but I will try to sum it up. There are many great programs, and Iowa is definitely among them, but it was the “other stuff” that sold me to Iowa. From start-to-finish on interview day, the culture present was pervasive. The faculty are awesome, easy-going, impressive, and really invest in the success program and the residents. The residents I met reflected this as well — they were super impressive, yet down-to-earth and fun to hang out with.

Sean Rodriguez, MD sean-rodriguez@uiowa.edu Corpus Christi, Texas

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I enjoy woodworking in my spare time, playing tennis, and going on long walks with my dog on any of the many scenic trails and gravel paths present in Iowa. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? Being from the South, I think I had some idea that Iowa would be in the middle of the cornfield with nothing around. And, yes, while there is corn-and-pigs-a-plentiful, it has really proven to be different from what I expected. Iowa City has a modern and hip vibe to it, yet there is beautiful nature just a short drive in any direction. While COVID has made it hard to explore many of the restaurants, I have really enjoyed checking out the different outdoor breweries in Iowa City, walking around the pedestrian outdoor mall in downtown Iowa, as well as checking out the different trails that are sprinkled all around the general area.

MEET OUR RESIDENTS | PGY1 Why did you choose Iowa? Iowa has a rich history of excellence in education, patient care, research, and producing leaders who contribute to the field of ophthalmology in a variety of meaningful ways. The focus on residents becoming well-rounded doctors and surgeons is the beating heart of this program. It is an honor to spend the next four years training at an institution with such talented, humble, and genuine people rooting for you from day one. What do you enjoy outside of medicine? Tennis, hiking, working out, podcasting, movies, travel, and trying any and all Thai food. S. Bilal Ahmed, MD sbilal-ahmed@uiowa.edu Elizabethtown, Kentucky

What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? While I’m still new to Iowa and Iowa City, I have no regrets about the area. I live in a fun, vibrant area that is walking distance from one of our main surgery sites, which is conveniently located next to a Trader Joe’s! This city has such a cool mix of a thriving college town with an artistic flavor. Don’t be nervous about moving here if you have never been; I hadn’t been to Iowa before, and it already feels like home. Why did you choose Iowa? I chose Iowa because of the genuinely supportive and friendly culture they’ve built here that allows for a strong work-life balance. It’s easy to see that our residents not only receive a spectacular education from many prominent leaders in the field of ophthalmology, but we also have a great time while doing it.

Cy Lewis, MD chad-lewis@uiowa.edu San Francisco, California

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? Providing mentorship to future doctors from underrepresented and/or underprivileged backgrounds, music, video games, fishing, basketball, home remodeling, and spending time with my fiancée, Carlie (not necessarily in that order haha). What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? Hanging out at get-togethers and house parties with my co-residents and our significant others.

Why did you choose Iowa?

Arnulfo Garza Reyes, MD arnulfo-garzareyes@uiowa.edu Matamoros, Mexico

All residency programs in the country will train a competent ophthalmologist, but very few will offer you world-class training suited for any kind of practice you can imagine. Additionally, very few eye institutes will offer you a resident-driven culture. Iowa is that and more which makes it a unique place at the top of the rankings. Educating you is the priority of every faculty member, and you will find a leader in the field in every subspecialty here at Iowa. I have the goal of going back to the southern border of the country and serving my people as there is a huge need, so it was clear to me that I wanted a place that could offer me elite training to impact my community. I am uncertain about my specialty preference at this point but it gives me peace of mind knowing that graduates from Iowa are widely-known for being capable of excelling right after finishing residency. If I decide to pursue a specialty, the strength of the program and department in general along with the support of the faculty would set me up for success. When you consider residency programs, remember to keep in mind the program’s ability to set you up for a successful career...but the important thing is that success should be defined by you and your own goals. I knew that at Iowa I can come out a well-trained surgeon with experiences that will allow me to shape my career into exactly what I want. Very few places in the country can give you that luxury. To do all of that in a friendly and supportive environment is more than I could have asked for. This is the place to be.

What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I love spending time with my wife watching documentaries, cooking and sci-fi shows. Anything related to spending time with my Yorkie: Dante. MMO’s and MOBA video games. Fantasy football. What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? Lake McBride has a ton of outdoor activities. I was totally unaware this existed when I was applying. Also, I love taking my dog to the Thornberry dog park. It’s a very dog-friendly community here in Iowa City. I particularly enjoy Soseki, a Japanese restaurant downtown, and I look forward to try more restaurants in town. There is college football and you bet I will be there later in the year.

Why did you choose Iowa? I went to medical school at Iowa, and it was here where I learned just how impactful the work of ophthalmologists are. The department is home to some big role models of mine, and I learned first-hand just how excited the physicians/residents at Iowa are to go out of their way to help cultivate our skills and passions as learners. As a frequent over-thinker, this was an easy gut decision. What do you enjoy outside of medicine? Linocut printmaking and collage, watching psychologic thrillers, cross-country skiing, and hanging out with my family/friends and retired Greyhound Waylon Joanna Silverman, MD joanna-silverman@uiowa.edu

What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? Hiking trails at Squire Point

Why did you choose Iowa? I chose Iowa because of the culture. I have met so many people here who are not only super interesting and impressive but also humble, down to earth, and really pleasant to be around. I can recall many moments from being a medical student here where people went the extra mile for me or were generous towards me with their time, effort, and consideration, even if I was a stranger to them. These memories have made a lasting impression on me and represent the kind of physician and person I would like to become. What do you enjoy outside of medicine? I love cooking, eating, and studying Egyptian Arabic. Cheryl Wang, MD cheryl-wang@uiowa.edu

What is your favorite place or thing to do in Iowa City? One of my favorite things to do is have a backyard bonfire with friends.

“So many reasons. To me, this was the perfect program. I wanted to find the perfect balance between autonomy and hand-holding, and Iowa’s graduated responsibility model fit perfectly. They treat you like an adult and trust you will let them know when you’re ready to progress, but also push you to grow and mature in your clinical reasoning. The joint internship was a huge draw because by the time you finish PGY-1, you have already had months of no-pressure, pure “learning for the sake of learning” time in ophthalmology so you feel as ready as you can for PGY-2. The faculty’s investment in our learning, however, was the clincher for me. Absolutely everyone wants to see you excel, and they go out of their way to make sure you achieve your goals in becoming an excellent ophthalmologist. People here genuinely care about your well-being not only as a trainee, but as a human being, which I found to be incredibly unique. These same compassionate, humble teachers are also at the top of their fields, which makes learning from them the highest quality training experience out there.” >> David Ramirez, MD Ophthalmology Resident, 2019-2022

Resident Selection Committee

Number of Primary Cataract Surgeries

10-Year Data for Primary Cataract Surgeries National Median vs. Iowa Median

National Median

Iowa Median

“It is difficult to answer this concisely, but I will do my best! I remember feeling so excited but a little intimidated when I got invited to interview at University of Iowa. I had heard over and over again how incredible the program was. Everything was top notch–the training, research opportunities, the clinical experience, the faculty and the list goes on. What I remember so distinctly from my interview was everyone I met, attendings, residents and staff were so approachable and kind! Any fear I had before the interview quickly dissolved. I felt comfortable being myself, which was a big sign to me that I was in the right place. Now that I am here I can confirm that my feelings were spot on. I am so happy that University of Iowa chose me too, and I look forward to these coming years.” >> Salma Dawoud Ophthalmology Resident, 2019-2022

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IOWA ALUMNI

Alumni from the University of Iowa’s Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences are located in over 60 states and provinces in North America and 29 countries worldwide.

9% 20%

31%

PRIVATE PRACTICE

71%

ACADEMICS FELLOWSHIP

2012-2021 Iowa Residency Graduates Current Position

67%

FELLOWSHIP PRIVATE PRACTICE ACADEMICS

2012-2021 Iowa Residency Graduates First Position Following Residency

IOWA ALUMNI 2021 2020

2019

2018

2017

Christopher Fortenbach, MD, PhD Lauren Hock, MD Tyler Quist, MD Alexis Warren, MD Caroline Wilson, MD

Fellowship (Vitreoretinal Surgery) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Fellowship (Glaucoma) – Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA Fellowship (Glaucoma) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Fellowship ((Vitreoretinal Surgery) – University of Illinois, Chicago, IL Fellowship (Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery) – Vance Thompson Vision, Sioux Falls, SD

Matthew Benage, MD Private practice – Vancouver Clinic, Vancouver, WA Anthony Chung, MD Academic medicine – Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH Austin Fox, MD Fellowship (Glaucoma) – University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City, IA Academic medicine – UC Irvine Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Irvine, CA Benjamin Janson, MD Private practice – Eye Physicians & Surgeons, Iowa City, IA Heather Stiff, MD Fellowship (Pediatric Ophthalmology) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Academic medicine – Children’s Hospital and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI Stephanie Lynch, MD Spenser Morton, MD Aaron Ricca, MD Brittni Scruggs, MD, PhD Daniel Terveen, MD

Fellowship (Medical Retina) – Emory University, Atlanta, GA Private practice – Eye Specialists of Georgia, Atlanta, GA Private practice – Vance Thompson Vision, Sioux Falls, SD Fellowship (Vitreoretinal Surgery) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Retina Associates of Kentucky, Lexington, KY Fellowship (Vitreoretinal Surgery) – Casey Eye Institute, OHSU, Portland, OR Academic medicine – Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN Fellowship (Cornea) – Vance Thompson Vision, Sioux Falls, SD Private practice – Vance Thompson Vision, Sioux Falls, SD

Thomas T.J. Clark, MD Lindsay De Andrade, MD Matthew Miller, MD Lorraine Provencher, MD Tyler Risma, MD

Fellowship (Oculoplastics) – Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI Private practice – Eye Surgical Associates, Lincoln, NE Fellowship (Pediatric Ophthalmology) – UCLA Stein Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA Academic medicine – University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA Fellowship (Glaucoma) - University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Eye Associates of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO Fellowship (Glaucoma) – University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, Ann Arbor, MI Private practice – Cincinnati Eye Institute, Cincinnati, OH Private practice – Fuerste Eye Clinic, Dubuque, IA

Steven Christiansen, MD William Flanary, MD Jaclyn Haugsdal, MD Lucas Lenci, MD Prashant Parekh, MD, MBA

Fellowship (Vitreoretinal Surgery) – Cincinnati Eye Institute Private practice – Bend, OR Private practice – Eye Health Northwest, Portland, OR Private practice – Iowa Eye Center, Cedar Rapids, IA Academic medicine – University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Missouri Eye Institute, Springfield, MO Fellowship (Vitreoretinal surgery) – Cincinnati Eye Institute Private practice – Center for Excellence in Eye Care, Miami, FL

2016

2015 2014

2013

2012

Johanna Beebe, MD Fellowship (Neuro-ophthalmology) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Park Nicollet Hospitals, Minneapolis, MN P. Christi Carter, MD Private practice – Alamo City Eye Physicians, San Antonio, TX Christopher Kirkpatrick, MD Private practice – Eye Center of Northern Colorado, Fort Collins, CO Philip Niles, MD, MBA Fellowship (Vitreoretinal Surgery) – Toronto Western Hospital/University of Toronto Private practice – Buffalo Niagara Retina, Williamsville, NY David Phillips, MD Fellowship (Glaucoma) – Moran Eye Center, Salt Lake City, UT Private practice – Quincy Medical Group, Quincy, IL Jonathan Hager, MD C. Blake Perry, MD Bradley Sacher, MD Jesse Vislisel, MD Jeffrey Welder, MD

Private practice – Riverhill Ophthalmology PA, Kerrville, TX Fellowship (Oculoplastics) – Casey Eye Institute, Portland, OR Private practice – Eyeplastics, La Jolla, CA Private practice – Wheaton Eye Clinic, Wheaton, IL Fellowship (Cornea) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Associated Eye Care, Stillwater, MN Private practice – Siskiyou Eye Center, Ashland, OR

Elizabeth Gauger, MD Pavlina Kemp, MD Angela McAllister, MD Justin Risma, MD Matthew Weed, MD

Fellowship (Int’l. Oph.) – Dean McGee Eye Institute, Oklahoma City, OK Private practice – Iowa Eye Center, Cedar Rapids, IA Fellowship (Pediatric Ophthalmology) – Mass. Eye and Ear, Boston, MA Academic medicine – University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Essentia Health, Duluth, MN Private practice – Fuerste Eye Clinic, Dubuque, IA Fellowship (Ophthalmic Genetics) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Fellowship (Pediatric Ophthalmology) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Spokane Eye Clinic, Spokane, WA

Meredith Baker, MD John Brinkley, MD John J. Chen, MD, PhD Amanda Maltry, MD Jordan Rixen, MD Priya Gupta, MD Esther S. Manolarakis, MD Shaival S. Shah, MD Matthew S. Ward, MD Chris E. Watts, MD

Fellowship (Oculoplastics) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Minn. Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery Specialists, Edina, MN Fellowship (Neuro-ophthalmology) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Academic medicine – LSU Health-Shreveport, LA Fellowship (Neuro-ophthalmology) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Academic medicine – Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN Fellowship (Ocular Pathology) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Academic medicine – University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN Fellowship (Cornea) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Eye Surgical Associates, Lincoln, NE Fellowship (Glaucoma) – Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD Private practice – Surrey Eye Care Centre, Surrey, BC Private practice – Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento, CA Fellowship (Pediatric Ophthalmology) – Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI Private practice – So. California Permanente Group, Yorba Linda, CA Fellowship (Cornea) – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Private practice – Riverwoods Eye Center, Provo, UT Private practice – Eye Physicians & Surgeons, Iowa City, IA

2021 Ophthalmology Times Best Programs Survey

Best Overall Program

Clinical Care

Residency Education

#10

Vision Research

JOINT INTERNSHIP

Our joint internship (PGY-1 year) will be in its eighth year with your group. The internship has rotations in our internal medicine and ophthalmology departments. As an intern on the ophthalmology service, you will learn basic examination skills and be ready to take care of most simple problems and triage complex eye problems. While on the ophthalmology service, you will have no call, thus allowing you to focus on study.

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THE INTERN YEAR WILL BE DIVIDED INTO 4-WEEK ROTATIONS: Ophthalmology (no call)

- Iowa City VA Medical Center, caring for patients in clinic - UIHC, caring for patients in clinic, emergency department, and inpatient units Internal Medicine

Inpatient medicine (VA and UIHC) Rheumatology (no call) Night float (every other night) Infectious disease consult service (no call)

3 weeks of vacation over the year - 2 weeks during medicine blocks - 1 week during ophthalmology blocks

ADVANTAGES We believe there are many distinct advantages to our joint internship program: • Providing far more ophthalmology experience than would be possible at an outside preliminary or transitional year program. This added level of experience, all before taking any call, will make the transition to call responsibilities smoother and more effective. • Becoming an integrated member of our ophthalmology team early in your training • Avoiding multiple interviews for other intern year positions, saving time, money and stress • Bi-monthly lunch lectures directed towards interns on basic, commonly encountered diagnoses in ophthalmology • Moving only once during residency • Gaining familiarity with the hospital, electronic medical record, and members of other services with whom you will be working throughout the remainder of your residency • Having access to our structured wet lab and EyeSi surgical simulator • Acquiring exposure to a broad range of available research projects that can be carried forward through your ophthalmology residency We are excited to offer this joint opportunity that promises to make our program the best in the country. In the additional months of ophthalmology training, our residents will learn systems-based skills, have ample time for independent study, and learn basic ophthalmology exam and assessment skills which will put them far ahead by the time they begin their PGY-2 year.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Graduate Medical Education website gme.medicine.uiowa.edu

Ophthalmology website medicine.uiowa.edu/eye

Maps uihc.org/parking-and-map

Ophthalmology residency website gme.medicine.uiowa.edu/ophthalmology-residency

EyeRounds EyeRounds.org

Connect With Us @UIowaEye