Recently Graduated Residency Program Alumni

“My ophthalmology training at Weill Cornell provided me with the knowledge, experience and critical thinking skills required to be a vitreoretinal surgeon through dedicated training curriculum, complex cases, didactics and passionate mentors and educators invested in teaching the next generation of eye surgeons to provide high quality best clinical care with ethos and compassion. I was also very fortunate to be mentored as a physician scientist under the leadership of Dr. D’Amico and Dr. Rosenblatt to pursue research, innovation, and advancing knowledge during my residency as an important way towards improving clinical care for the patients of the future. My years as a resident at Weil Cornell was the foundation for my career in academia as a physician-surgeon -scientist and Professor at University of Chicago, Founder/Leader of UChicago Retina Microbiome team and Director of the J. Terry Ernest Ocular Imaging Center. I will always be grateful to my mentors and for my training at Cornell and proud to be part of the Cornell Ophthalmology family.”

Dimitra Skondra MD, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science
Founder/Leader, UChicago Retina Microbiome Team
Director, J. Terry Ernest Ocular Imaging Center
Vitreoretinal Service
The University of Chicago

“I benefit daily from the valuable experience I gained in residency at Weill Cornell Medicine.  Cornell's team of dedicated attendings imparted their knowledge and demonstrated commitment to patient care, while providing us the autonomy to make important decisions on complex patients when appropriate.  As a chief resident, I was given the opportunity to transition from learner to leader, with guidance. I strive to channel this educational standard in my oculoplastics role at Duke.”

Jason Liss, MD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Oculofacial and Orbital Surgery
Duke University School of Medicine

“After residency at Weill Cornell you will be able to pursue any career path you want. For me, the combination of excellent clinical and surgical training, exposure to severe corneal disease (burns, chemical injury, SJS) and guidance of the faculty gave me the foundation for a career as a clinician-scientist. The biggest thing, however, is the environment at Cornell - a tight-knit residency program and close relationships with faculty who are generous with their time, all in one of the world's most vibrant cities.”

Thomas H. Dohlman, MD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Harvard Medical School
Medical Director, Boston Keratoprosthesis Program
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

“Doing an Ophthalmology residency at Weill Cornell played an integral role in my professional path in medicine. The residency is unique in that is provides the perfect balance of supervision and independence, which is needed for successful development of Ophthalmology knowledge and surgical skills. In addition, the faculty support was unparalleled with daily clinical teaching huddles, individualized wetlab and surgical review sessions, and professional mentoring. I am proud to have graduated from Weill Cornell and matched into a competitive ASOPRS fellowship. I try to embody the concepts that I learned at Weill Cornell with my patients, medical students, residents, and colleagues.”

Anne Barmettler, MD
Professor of Ophthalmology
Professor of Surgery
Director, Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Montefiore Medical Center

“The ophthalmology residency at NYP/Weill Cornell is an incredible springboard for any future opportunity because you experience the breadth and depth of a world-class quaternary care medical center while simultaneously experiencing the tightknit environment of our department and faculty. This combination of meaningful, personalized mentorship in a faculty practice together with amazing patients with the entire spectrum of ophthalmic needs allows for tremendous personal and professional growth. In my case, the mentorship I experienced allowed me to identify glaucoma as my passion, match into my first-choice fellowship at Duke, and then return to be on faculty at Weill Cornell, where I have continued to experience personal and professional growth thanks to my colleagues, patients, trainees, and vast institutional resources.”

Sarah H. Van Tassel, MD 
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology 
Glaucoma, Cataracts, and General Eye Diseases
Weill Cornell Medicine 
Israel Englander Department of Ophthalmology