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School of Optometry

Twenty-four percent of the class of 2024 attain residency placements

by Nathan Anderson

Twenty-four percent of the UAB School of Optometry's class of 2024 has matched and will enter post-graduate residency programs this summer. As residents, UABSO graduates will attain advanced knowledge that expands their basic understanding of eye, vision and health care specific to their chosen training area. 

“I am extremely excited that many of our recent graduates and alumni attained competitive residencies across the country,” said Caroline Pate, OD, FAAO, director of residency programs at UAB Optometry. “A year spent in an optometric residency is an invaluable opportunity for growth and experience. I have had the joy of witnessing the good that residency education has brought to so many residents’ lives – especially in the areas of ability and confidence, level of practice, love for the profession and the doors that opened for their futures. 

“I have also been greatly inspired by the dedication and selflessness of the residency supervisors who give so much to be mentors to the next generation of optometric leaders. It is truly a privilege to be a part of residency education, and I am excited for our UABSO graduates and incoming residents to begin their programs.”

In addition, 15 optometrists will join UAB Optometry as residents for the 2024-2025 academic year. The incoming residents filled slots in eight programs offered by the School. Currently, the School offers advanced clinical education in specialty areas of optometry through three in-house and five affiliated residency programs.

All residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association.

The class of 2024-2025 residents at UABSO include:

Residency in Pediatric Optometry at UABSO

  • Cora McHugh-Morrison (OSU)

Residency in Cornea and Contact Lenses at UABSO

  • Anastasia Logotheti (NECO)

Residency in Primary Care Optometry at UABSO

  • Mallory Wright (SCO)

Residency in Pediatric Optometry at Vanderbilt Eye Institute

  • Melissa Kontos (UHCO)

Residency in Vision Rehabilitation/Low Vision Rehabilitation/Ocular Disease at the Birmingham VAMC

  • Erin McGahey  (UABSO)

Residency in Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry/Retina at the Tuscaloosa VAMC

  • Wyatt Hyke (UABSO)
  • Felix Duarte (UABSO ‘23)

Residency in Ocular Disease at Omni Eye Services of Atlanta

  • Sampson Abu (PCO-Salus)
  • Sara Cha (UIW-RSO)
  • Jessica Dinh (Pacific)
  • Valliammai Subramanian (Pacific)

Residency in Ocular Disease/Refractive and Ocular Surgery at Eye Center of Texas

  • Simbran Bhaidani (UIW-RSO)
  • Harper Gillentine (UIW-RSO)
  • Marissa Gray (UHCO)
  • Anushka Lewkebandara (UHCO)

The class of 2024’s residency placements include: 

Residency in Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry at the Zuni Comprehensive Community Health Center in New Mexico

  • Shelby Baham

Residency in Ocular Disease at the Cincinnati VAMC in Ohio

  • Olivia Bittner

Residency in Primary Care Optometry/Ocular Disease at the VA Tallahassee Healthcare Center in Florida

  • Jasmine Colangelo

Residency in Pediatric Optometry at Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio

  • Emily Deng 

Residency in Ocular Disease/Refractive and Ocular Surgery/Retina at Bennett & Bloom Eye Centers in Kentucky

  • Hailey Dunlow

Residency in Ocular Disease/Refractive and Ocular Surgery at Virginia Eye Consultants in Virginia

  • Kelly Faulkner 

Residency in Primary Care Optometry/Cornea and Contact Lenses at Salt Lake City VAMC in Utah

  • Natalie Fliegel

Residency in Ocular Disease/Refractive and Ocular Surgery at Woolfson Eye Institute in Georgia

  • Amina Glass

Residency in Primary Care Optometry/Ocular Disease at the Greenville VAMC in South Carolina

  • Mary Braden Hendon

Residency in Ocular Disease at the Lexington VAMC in Kentucky

  • Erika Marrs

Residency in Vision Rehabilitation/Low Vision Rehabilitation/Ocular Disease at the Birmingham VAMC

  • Erin McGahey

Residency in Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry/Retina at the Tuscaloosa VAMC

  • Wyatt Hyke

Residency in Primary Care at the University of Houston College of Optometry in Texas

  • Megan McCrory

Post-graduate fellowship:

Fellowship at the Callahan Eye Foundation in Birmingham

  • Brook Childers