About the Program

The Flaum Eye Institute's Residency Program is designed to model expertly trained clinical and research oriented ophthalmologists. We want our residents to become recognized leaders in patient care, research and education. Working under close supervision of our faculty members, residents are required to meet the standards of the American Board of Ophthalmology and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Our Leadership Team 

Rachel Wozniak, M.D., Program Director
Dr. Wozniak has developed a lifelong passion for education, with early roots as a middle and high school science teacher in New York, NY, prior to pursuing her graduate degrees.  Following this formative experience, she received her medical degree and completed a doctorate in molecular genetics at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Wozniak then went on to do her ophthalmology residency at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry's Flaum Eye Institute where she also completed her Cornea and External Disease fellowship under the prestigious Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellow Award. Dr. Wozniak is currently an outstanding corneal surgeon and clinician scientist, with a research program funded by the National Eye Institute and Research to Prevent Blindness focused on understanding the pathophysiology of bacterial corneal infections and the discovery of novel ophthalmic antibiotics. A recipient of a Resident Teaching Award, Dr. Wozniak also has remained committed to education, mentoring residents in the clinic, operating room and laboratory, and serving as the Director of Medical Student Education in Ophthalmology.

Fan Hu, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Program Director
Test. Dr Hu brings to the Flaum Eye Institute a diverse array of knowledge and expertise. She is an expert in patients suffering from inflammatory and infectious eye diseases, including those related to complications of autoimmune and immunosuppressive disorders. This, on top of the routine and complex cataract surgery she performs. Dr Hu received her medical training at Harvard, where she also received a Doctorate in Neuroscience. She remained at Harvard to complete her residency in ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Institute and then went on to complete a fellowship in uveitis at the Moran Eye Center through a prestigious Heed Ophthalmic Foundation fellowship. Dr Hu's research areas include how to improve the diagnosis of infectious and malignant uveitis, along with improving patient outcomes with uveitis cataract surgery. For her research, she has received development funding from the National Institutes for Health.

Fully Integrated

Our residency program became fully integrated beginning during the 2020/21 academic year. Candidates will match for four years as ophthalmology residents, and the intern year curriculum is controlled and designed by the ophthalmology program. We have partnered with other services at URMC to provide the educational experiences that we feel are most helpful to prepare residents in their transition to ophthalmology training. Interns' rotations will include experiences with internal medicine (inpatient, outpatient, and subspecialty), emergency medicine, neurology, and various surgical subspecialties (ENT, dermatology, facial plastics, or neurosurgery). Three months of dedicated ophthalmology experience will be included during the intern year. 

Learn First Hand

We emphasize preceptorship in our training. Our faculty practice and resident clinics are all located in the same physical space to promote interaction and first hand experience. Our clinics offer high surgical volumes with close supervision from faculty members.

Broad Subspecialty Exposure

Flaum Eye Institute offers residents a wealth of online tools and facilities to augment their experience, including a free standing clinic located directly adjacent to the FEI faculty practice. Residents have the opportunity to work with a broad range of sub-specialists in areas of Cornea and External Disease, Oculoplastics, Glaucoma, Retina, Pediatrics and Uveitis.  Additionally, our trainees get the opportunity to work in the fields of Ocular Genetics and Oncology, as well as rotate with our Optometry faculty to learn about Low Vision and Medical Contact Lenses.  Direct immersion in the faculty practice means that our residents see patients alongside faculty specialists to have a truly in-depth and meaningful learning experience.

Urgent Eye Care Clinic

During the PGY2 year, FEI residents spend time in our Urgent Eye Care Clinic that is adjacent to the faculty practice. Six exam rooms are equipped with modern instrumentation and technology allowing residents to focus on treating patients who come for urgent, same-day referrals. All faculty members participate in precepting, so that residents have the opportunity to work with our faculty very early on in training as they learn to manage complex and urgent cases.

FEI Surgical Skills Laboratory

We believe that practicing surgical skills is a crucial aspect of resident education. Accordingly our residents have 24-7 access to a fully equipped wet lab that includes operating microscopes, video cameras to record practice, a classroom area with a smart board and surgical simulator systems.  Through our dedicated wet lab curriculum, residents are able to practice nearly every aspect of cataract surgery, from making the initial incision to removing the cataract and replacing it with an artificial lens. Additionally, residents spend time learning other surgical skills such as suturing, glaucoma procedures and cornea techniques throughout the year.

• Surgical simulation system
• Three current model phacoemulsification machines
• Operating microscopes identical to those used in operating rooms, including video cameras that allow faculty and residents to record and review procedures
• Classroom area with flat screen monitor for demonstration of procedures and surgical review

Gipner Library

Named after former department Chairman John Gipner, M.D., the ophthalmology library has more than 1,000 volumes, archives of clinical and scientific journals and multi-media titles.

Online Resources

We offer a growing number of resources for FEI residents and trainees from other programs to connect with our faculty and with each other

Strabismus Rounds (Matthew Gearinger, M.D.)

L.V. Prasad Eye Institute Webinars

Ophthalmology Residents Instagram

Grand Rounds

Residency and Fellowships in Rochester

Learn more about making the University of Rochester your choice for residency and/or fellowship.