OVS Residency Program

Yes. Because you will be learning Ophthalmology during three months of your intern year at UTMB if you match with us, you will already be familiar with our department once you start your PGY-2 year. However, we still provide a period of time where you phase in as a more independent resident in Ophthalmology. During your first several months as a PGY-2, you will take primary call with an upper-level resident using the buddy system, and you will also continue receiving introductory lectures and hands-on skill workshops to help you acclimate further to our field, along with rotating on various services in our department where you always will be able to have backup and teaching from more senior residents, fellows, and/or faculty.

We accept four positions into each year of residency.

https://www.utmb.edu/gme/salaries

https://hr.utmb.edu/hrbbc/benefits/

Duty hours are defined as all clinical and academic activities related to the residency program, i.e., patient care (both inpatient and outpatient), administrative duties related to patient care, the provision for transfer of patient care, time spent in-house during call activities, and scheduled academic activities such as conferences. Duty hours do not include reading and preparation time spent away from the duty site.

Duty hours will be limited to 80 hours per week, averaged over a four-week period.

Residents must be provided with one day in seven free from all educational and clinical responsibilities, averaged over a four-week period, inclusive of call. One day is defined as one continuous 24-hour period free from all clinical, educational and administrative activities.

Adequate time for rest and personal activities must be provided per ACGME. This should consist of a 8-hour time period provided between all daily duty periods.

At-home call (or pager call) approved by the Graduate Medical Education Committee:

• The frequency of at-home call is not subject to the every-third-night, or 24+6 limitation. However, at-home call must not be so frequent as to preclude rest and reasonable personal time for each resident.
• Residents taking at-home call must be provided with one day in seven completely free from all educational and clinical responsibilities, averaged over a four-week period.
• When residents are called into the hospital from home, the hours residents spend in-house are counted toward the 80-hour limit.
• Even though our residents are not required to take in-house call, during busy periods while taking call (or to recover between clinical duties with a quick nap for fatigue mitigation) it may be necessary to use the sleep room facilities at Jennie Sealy hospital which are available 24 hours a day.  

   GME Resident & Fellow Lounge and Sleep Rooms

Yes. The Moody Medical Library is located on the UTMB campus. UTMB also provides online access to the Moody Medical Library, with PubMed and other databases available by remote login. The ophthalmology department also provides books and other resources which can be checked out with the Program Director’s Office.

Moody Medical Library

Yes. There is a residents' office/lounge which has workstations and desktop computers for individual use.

Yes. Parking is provided at a discounted rate for residents throughout the UTMB campus.

Yes. We do have away rotations. There are 2 rotations in Houston, which is not far away; however, housing is provided so that you don’t have to spend time commuting each day. There is 1 rotation in Orlando, and of course housing is provided. Mileage reimbursement for the Orlando VA rotation is provided 

• We have thoughtfully selected our away rotations to provide residents with a comprehensive and enriched surgical and educational experience—one that goes beyond what is typically possible when training is confined to a single institution. While residents can meet their surgical case requirements within the UTMB system alone, our curated away rotations are designed to expand their clinical exposure and deepen their learning by serving various patient populations across different healthcare settings. 

• These rotations offer the opportunity to work with leading specialists from across the country, gain exposure to a variety of healthcare systems, and experience a wide range of clinical environments—from hospitals to outpatient clinics. Residents benefit from learning different surgical techniques, clinical strategies, and practice styles unique to each site and faculty team. 

• Please see our rotations and facilities page for additional information: https://www.utmb.edu/ovs/education/residency-program/away-rotation-facilities  

Yes. Our program offers two primary clinical settings where residents can develop and exercise guided autonomy. While faculty remain readily available for supervision and support, residents are encouraged to take more responsibility for managing patients based on their level of training and demonstrated competence. This structure allows residents to build confidence and independence in a supportive environment that prioritizes both learning and patient safety.  

The TDCJ hospital is a unique component of our program, providing residents with an exceptional exposure to a wide range of pathologies- spanning multiple subspecialties, stages of disease, age groups, and patient backgrounds. Residents gain hands-on experience managing various types of cataracts, including mature, uveitic, traumatic, and polar cataracts. 

This 12-week rotation is designed with a team-based structure that includes a PGY2, PGY3 and PGY4 resident working collaboratively under faculty supervision. This setup fosters peer learning, continuity of care, and progressive responsibility in a highly educational and supportive environment.   

Our residents consistently exceed the ACGME minimum requirements across all surgical categories. Cataract surgery is often a key area of interest, and in 2024, our residents averaged approximately 210 cataract cases by graduation—closely aligning with national averages. 

What sets our program apart is not just the number of cases, but the complexity of the cataracts our residents manage. From mature and uveitic to traumatic and small pupils, our residents gain extensive experience with challenging cases. As a result, they graduate not only proficient in routine cataract surgery but also highly competent in managing complex surgical scenarios with confidence and skill. 

 

 

Yes. Our program offers several avenues for residents to share feedback and voice concerns, ensuring they are heard and addressed in a timely manner. 

• We hold a resident meeting every month, led by the chief resident. Residents are encouraged to voice their questions/concerns during the meeting or submit them to the chief resident. For residents who prefer anonymity, concerns can be submitted via multiple channels – including an anonymous email, anonymous monthly survey, or anonymous drop box (yes, we have an old fashion drop box in the resident lounge). In practice, most residents feel comfortable sharing feedback during the resident meetings or speaking directly with the chief resident, associate program director, program director, or program manager. Anonymous submissions are rare, which reflects the culture of open communication within our program.  All concerns are reviewed by the residents and the program leadership, and discussion outcomes – along with action items and timelines – are documented and shared. Outstanding items are revisited in subsequent meetings until they are resolved.  
• Of course, confidential issues that arise are kept confidential. 

• There’s truly something for everyone when it comes to living in and around Galveston. If you enjoy a small-town atmosphere with historic charm, Galveston Island is a unique and welcoming place to call home. The island’s rich history is evident in its architecture, especially in the downtown area—walkable streets and preserved buildings make it feel like stepping back in time. 

• Galveston offers a vibrant community life with events year-round, including popular festivals like Dickens on the Strand, Mardi Gras, the Lone Star Rally, Oktoberfest, as well as regular art walks, family-friendly events, and other outdoor festivals. There are many one-off restaurants privately owned with delicious food. Residents enjoy relatively light traffic (with the exception of some busy tourist weekends, which locals learn to navigate easily), and the local schools—especially elementary and junior highs—are strong. While the cost of living has increased in recent years, it remains quite affordable compared to larger metropolitan areas. 

• Outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to enjoy, from beach activities to fishing, kayaking, surfing, bird watching, running and biking. UTMB also provides residents with access to a well-equipped gym, pool, courts, and a track—making it easy to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

• For those seeking a more suburban or urban lifestyle, the mainland offers greater access to shopping, dining, entertainment, and a wider variety of housing and schooling options. Just a short drive away, these areas offer more of the “hustle and bustle” many associate with city living. 

• Our residents live both on and off the island, depending on personal preference, family needs, and commute considerations—especially if a spouse works at UTMB, in Houston, or at NASA. Similarly, most of our faculty live off the island, often due to their spouse’s work or the convenience of being closer to the mainland. 

• More information regarding Galveston living and events can be found in the links below. 

•  https://www.utmb.edu/utmbliving/  

• https://www.visitgalveston.com/events/ 

• Our program seeks candidates who are academically strong and deeply committed to continuous growth and learning. A successful resident in our program is someone who takes feedback constructively and applies it quickly and thoughtfully to improve their performance. Attention to detail, strong clinical reasoning, and professionalism are essential, as our residents work closely with faculty, peers, other specialties, and members of the broader healthcare team. We place high value on teamwork, communication, empathy, and a positive, respectful attitude. 

• Most importantly, we seek individuals who are hardworking, adaptable, and genuinely passionate about patient care. We believe that when a resident prioritizes the well-being of the patient, everything else—diligence, compassion, curiosity, and collaboration—naturally follows.

• We review all qualified applications and do not necessarily give preference to home students. It varies from year to year and is based on the quality of the applicants (and ultimately the match algorithm). 

• We holistically review applications and then use the interview process to try and get to know the candidate on a more personal level to see if they would be a good “fit” to our program. With that said, we do match some of our own medical students, but their applications and interviews are scored and ranked just like everyone else's. As you know, the match process does not allow us to control exactly who matches with us and is foundationally based on the candidate's first preference