UAMS Jones Eye Institute Ophthalmology Residency Program Ranked 13th Nationally for Research Output

By Benjamin Waldrum

The institute, which has 16 residency slots, ranked ahead of several larger ophthalmology programs, which can have up to double the number of residents.

Doximity rankings, which included 124 ophthalmology programs, are based in part on resident and alumni satisfaction. For research output, the service includes an index of publications made by alumni over the past decade, the ratio of current residents and recent graduates publishing research, as well as research grants awarded and participation in clinical trials.

The institute also ranked 54th among programs nationally in reputation. Both are excellent results for a mid-size ophthalmology program, said Director Paul Phillips, M.D.

“This is truly a remarkable achievement, and I expect us to rank even higher in the future,” Phillips said. “It is a challenge to highlight the many publications, presentations and videos that we publish now on a daily basis.”

Phillips thanked the institute’s faculty, residents, medical students and staff, as well as members of the research team, including residency director Ahmed Sallam, M.D., Ph.D., Jeremy Lemmons, Alejandra Pelayo and Deborah Troilett, among many others.

This year, the institute’s faculty and residents have made dozens of presentations at national conferences. In April, Sayena Jabbehdari, M.D., MPH, was named the first female resident finalist in a national ‘Shark Tank’-style ophthalmology innovation competition.

The Jones Eye Institute has Arkansas’ only ophthalmology training program and includes a comprehensive curriculum that allows residents to benefit from broad clinical and surgical experiences. Its extensive faculty of subspecialist ophthalmologists makes it the region’s largest ophthalmologic specialty group. The institute has an active community-based faculty, allowing residents to develop close working relationships with generalists and specialists.