Chair's Welcome to the Program
Welcome to New York Medical College (NYMC) Department of Ophthalmology.
We are home to one of the oldest ophthalmology residencies in the country. Our residents have the exceptional opportunity to work between two hospitals: Westchester Medical Center, the hub of a 10-hospital network, a level one trauma center, and a place with some of the highest complexity cases in the nation; and NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, a safety net hospital in New York City.
Our residents obtain exceptional clinical training in ophthalmology. We work closely together, often one-on-one, on rounds, in resident clinic, and in the operating room. We are proud of our devoted and skilled faculty members who are passionately committed to patient care, teaching, and education.
We have a diverse patient population with high complexity medical and surgical problems, a 250-bed children's hospital, a 50-bed level 4 NICU, multiple intensive care units, brand-new operating rooms, and new outpatient facilities. Our resident clinic has the latest state-of-the-art equipment and is located in the same building as the attendings’ administrative offices so we have easy communication with each other.
Our faculty believes in reinforcing the basics of ophthalmology with a strong didactic curriculum, but we like to mix it up with other fun and creative techniques that reinforce medical education in a way that aligns with adult learning styles. For example, we have a community-based Journal Club where senior faculty come together in someone's home or at a restaurant to discuss current topics from various ophthalmology sub-specialties. We send residents to local, state, and regional eye society meetings. We are using innovative three-dimensional, heads-up (3D HUD) surgery as a novel teaching tool for cataract surgery. Our strong partnerships with industry allow us to have frequent wet labs and hands-on practice sessions to learn the latest surgical techniques. And, along the way, the residents have a very close relationship with the faculty so they can call upon us at any time, even after residency. In a larger program, that might not be possible but, here, we foster a close-knit environment where communication and collaboration are key.
The ideal resident to join our program is someone with a true appreciation for the gift that we are given to be able to practice medicine. You should be enthusiastic and energetic in your commitment to mastering the field, and self-motivated to go above and beyond to foster the didactics of the program with your own reading and passion for life-long learning. We are all grateful every day to do what we do, and we want to share that with you.
Kelly A. Hutcheson, M.D., M.B.A.
Chairman of Ophthalmology
New York Medical College
Director of Ophthalmology
WMCHealth Network
