Underrepresented in Retina Mentorship Program
The Underrepresented in Retina Mentorship Program, launched in June 2022, is unique in that it is built around groups of mentees and mentors known as families. Each of the six families currently consists of four mentors and two to four mentees. The long-term goal is to foster deep, life-long professional relationships that will encourage the mentees to become retina specialists. The mentees represent a wide range of races and sexual orientations. This is the first ophthalmology mentorship program that openly includes LGBTQ+ trainees.
The program also has a traditional track in which mentors and mentees are paired up one-on-one. These participants also have the opportunity to benefit from some of the family track training materials to allow them insight into the roles and responsibilities of mentorship.
Program facilitators have included Debon Lewis, Dr. Tamara Fountain, Julio Alvarez, Dr. César Briceño, Dr. Taison Bell, Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, and Dr. Stephanie Jones Marioneaux.
Read testimonials from some of our mentees here and view a selection of the mentorship session recordings here!
Applications for the 2025 program are now open! Mentee applicants should complete this application form and mentor applicants should complete this application form. The deadline for the 2025 program is Sunday, February 23 at 11:59pm CT.
To learn more about ASRS's various mentorship programs and to decide which one is right for you, review our mentorship programs overview chart.
Donate to the Foundation of ASRS to support this program (be sure to select "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mentorship Activities" from the Donation Category dropdown box). Your donation to the DEI Ad-hoc Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion represents an investment in the next generation of underrepresented retina specialists at a critical point in their career development. Attending ASRS’s Annual Scientific Meeting allows ophthalmology residents from underrepresented groups to form invaluable professional relationships, learn about leading-edge developments and technology and add to the diversity of perspectives represented.
Thank you to the 2024 family-track mentors:
Adriana M. Ramirez, MD
Adrienne W. Scott, MD, FASRS
Alejandro Ochoa, MD, MPH
Amy S. Babiuch, MD, FASRS
Basil K. Williams, MD
Camille V. Palma, MD
Chase A. Ludwig, MD, MS
David S. Chin Yee, MD, FASRS
Ella H. Leung, MD
Geeta A. Lalwani, MD
Hong-Uyen Hua, MD
Hossein Nazari, MD, PhD
Ilya Leskov, MD, PhD
Ines Lains, MD, PhD
Jennifer I. Lim, MD, FARVO, FASRS
Jessica D. Randolph, MD, FASRS
Jonathan A. Sheindlin, MD
Joseph M. Coney, MD, FASRS
Kisha D. Piggott, MD, PhD
Michael A. Harrell, MD
Roberto Diaz-Rohena, MD
Rolake O. Alabi, MD PhD
Rosa Y. Kim, MD
Sarwar Zahid, MD
Sheila Garcia, MD, MPH
Thamolwan Surakiatchanukul, MD
Vivienne S. Hau, MD, PhD
And thank you to the 2024 traditional-track mentors:
Alexis Warren, MD
Audina M. Berrocal, MD, FASRS
Cecinio (Nikko) C. Ronquillo, MD, PhD
Christopher Brown, MD
Jessica E. Weinstein, MD
Jordan D. Deaner, MD
Joshua H. Uhr, MD
Luis J. Haddock, MD
Merina Thomas, MD
Robin D. Ross, MD, MPH, CPH
Scott D. Walter, MD, MSc, FASRS
Shawn Charles Wilker, MD
Vishal R. Raval, MBBS, DNB, FMRF, FASRS