Residency Program

resident physcian practicing during a wet lab

residents physician participate in wet lab

Upcoming Events

GW Ophthalmology will be hosting virtual interviews for residency applicants for 2024 on November 22th.

We receive hundreds of applications each year, though only a small number of these qualified 24 applicants are to be invited to interview.

Invitations are sent via email using the SF Match Website and resident selection is also completed through the SF Match.

The George Washington University Ophthalmology Residency is a three-year program that admits four residents each July. The parent and sponsoring institution is the George Washington University, located in Foggy Bottom at the heart of the nation's capital. Participating institutions include:

The program provides comprehensive education in clinical and surgical ophthalmology. The clinical experience is supplemented by training to evaluate, recognize, and apply clinical investigations and basic research to daily practice. Research is encouraged and residents are supported in presenting at national and international meetings.

We were one of the first residency programs in the country with the EYESI® Ophthalmosurgical Simulator, providing our residents and medical students with the most advanced technology in surgical training.

First Year Residency

In the first year, residents spend the first month in the Lancaster Course in Ophthalmology which is a series of lectures from Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Thereafter, each first-year resident will spend most of the year at GW in twelve-week clinical rotations covering Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Glaucoma, and Cornea.

First-year residents will also spend a twelve-week rotation at the VA Medical Center of Washington, DC, where they will have the opportunity to broaden their clinical experience and have early exposure to OR and laser procedures. They also get to associate with the residents from Georgetown University, Howard University and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Second Year Residency

In the second year, residents will spend twelve weeks at the VA Medical Center of August, ME, where they will have the opportunity to start performing cataract surgery. During the remainder of the year, residents participate in rotations in Oculoplastics/Neuro-Ophthalmology (12 weeks) and Retina (12 weeks) at GW as well as a twelve-week rotation in Pediatric Ophthalmology at Children's National Health System which provides the opportunity to perform strabismus surgery and to a see a wide variety of pediatric eye conditions.

Third Year Residency

The senior resident rotate between the Glaucoma Service and the Comprehensive Uveitis Service while at GWU. On the Glaucoma Service, they learn how to perform glaucoma drainage device implants, trabeculectomies as well as the Omni Glaucoma Device. In addition, a twelve-week rotations at the Washington DC VA Medical Center and the VA Medical Center in Augusta, Maine provides a broad depth of clinical and surgical experience. The third-year resident can expect to perform over cataract surgeries between 150-200 cataract surgeries during their residency at GWU. While on the Comprehensive Uveitis Service, the resident learns advanced cataract surgery to include MIGs and Toric and Multifocal IOL implants.

In summary, The George Washington University Ophthalmology Residency Program provides comprehensive, diverse, and innovative training that prepares its residents for fellowship or practice.

For more information, please contact the Program Coordinator, Lauren Aghamiri by phone at 202-677-6094 or email at laghamiri [at] mfa [dot] gwu [dot] edu (laghamiri[at]mfa[dot]gwu[dot]edu)

To apply to our program, please visit the SF Match website.

Please follow the directions about the handwritten letter.

Highlights of the GW Ophthalmology Program:

Fully accredited by the ACGME
Joint Internal Medicine/Ophthalmology Residency Program. Internship at George Washington University (9 months Internal Medicine and electives / 3 months Ophthalmology).
Attending sub-specialists representing all areas of Ophthalmology
Facilities including an in-clinic phaco wet lab and EyeSi™ Virtual reality surgical simulator with cataract and retinal surgical capabilities
Diverse population and access to all that Washington has to offer, including rotations at DC Veterans Hospital, Children's National Medical Center and and Augustus T. Alexander Medical Center.
Superb rotations at the Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta, Maine.
Outstanding placement of residents in prestigious fellowships and employment.
Participation in research and strong representation at national conferences

Application Requirements:

Applications should be submitted through SF Match. Deadline for application submission to George Washington Ophthalmology Residency Program will be September 15, 2024.
A separate statement, 1 page or less, indicating your interest in our program should be sent via mail to Dr. Keith Wroblewski, Program Director at 2150 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington DC 20037 with attention to Dr. Wroblewski.
Please read the exact specifics about the content of the letter of SF Match.

GW Hospital	GW Medical Faculty Associates	Washington DC VA Medical Center	Children's National Health System