Tulane University Program

Program Identity & Fit

Tulane's Ophthalmology residency is an academic, university-affiliated program recently converted to a four-year integrated format (2023), pairing a Tulane-based internship with graduated subspecialty and surgical training across a distinctly varied set of clinical sites, including Tulane Medical Center, University Medical Center, and VA facilities in New Orleans, Alexandria, and Biloxi. This multi-site structure produces a high-volume, high-autonomy surgical experience, with residents typically primary surgeon on 5-10 cataract cases by end of PGY-2 and progressing to independently supervised practice at VA Biloxi and Alexandria by PGY-3/4. The program is deliberately small, emphasizing close one-on-one faculty mentorship across subspecialty rotations (cornea, glaucoma, pediatrics, retina, oculoplastics) rather than a large-cohort academic machine, while still supporting resident research culminating in national presentations and first-author publications. Graduates pursue both competitive subspecialty fellowships and academic faculty positions as well as private practice, indicating the program values well-rounded surgical competence and independence over a singular research or fellowship mandate.