University of Alabama Hospital Birmingham Program

Program Identity & Fit

UAB is Alabama's only ophthalmology residency, an academic, university-based program anchored at UAB Hospital-Callahan Eye with a 17-suite operating center and high-volume outpatient surgical infrastructure, supplemented by rotations at the VA, Cooper Green Mercy Health (safety-net), Children's Hospital of Alabama, and Lions Eye Clinic. The curriculum builds graduated autonomy across a structured four-year arc, culminating in heavy PGY-4 surgical volume as primary surgeon, and includes a required international rotation in Nicaragua, exposure to underserved populations, and mandatory resident research culminating in an annual clinical/research symposium. The department consistently ranks in the Top 20 for NIH funding, reflecting a research infrastructure spanning AMD, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, and uveitis, with faculty mentorship available across subspecialties. The program values residents who can thrive in a high-volume, multi-site public/academic hybrid system and engage meaningfully in both surgical training and scholarly output.