UHCO Welcomes New Class of Residents & Fellows

This summer, 12 new doctors joined the University of Houston College of Optometry as its newest residents and fellows, ready to begin specialized training in clinical and hospital environments across Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  

The 2026-2027 resident and fellow roster includes:

UHCO-Sponsored Residency Programs

  • Residency in Brain Injury/Vision Rehabilitation
    • Resident: Dr. Nada Abdallah
    • Graduate of Illinois College of Optometry
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Muriel Martinez
  • Residency in Cornea and Contact Lenses
    • Resident: Dr. Daria Gorski
    • Graduate of Michigan College of Optometry
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Anna-Kaye Logan
  • Residency in Low Vision Rehabilitation
    • Resident: Dr. Christine DeMartini
    • Graduate of Southern California College of Optometry - MBKU
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Swati Modi
  • Residency in Ocular Disease
    • Resident: Dr. Shirin Shirazi
    • Graduate of New England College of Optometry
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Joe Wheat
  • Residency in Pediatric Optometry
    • Resident: Dr. Julie Trinh
    • Graduate of the University of Houston College of Optometry
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Muriel Martinez
  • Residency in Primary Care - Family Practice
    • Resident: Dr. Matthew Gomes
    • Graduate of the University of Houston College of Optometry
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Janet Garza
  • Residency in Ocular Disease - Cedar Springs Eye Clinic (Dallas)
    • Resident: Dr. Divya Mistry
    • Graduate of Southern College of Optometry
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Andrew Kemp
  • Residency in Ocular Disease - Community Eye Clinic (Fort Worth)
    • Angela Hembree
    • Graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word-Rosenberg School of Optometry
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Jennifer Deakins

UHCO Affiliate Residency Programs

  • Residency in Primary Care/Ocular Disease - Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
    • Residents: Dr. Ashton Thephaphine, graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word-Rosenberg School of Optometry and Dr. Linsey Del Valle King, graduate of the University of Houston College of Optometry
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Bhagya Segu
  • Residency in Primary Care/Ocular Disease - New Mexico VA Healthcare System
    • Resident: Dr. Dinet Yusuf
    • Graduate of the University of Houston College of Optometry
    • Program Coordinator: Dr. Stacy Washington

Post-Doctoral Fellowships

  • Corneal and Contact Lens Fellowship
    • Fellow: Dr. Yan Wang
    • Graduate of the New England College of Optometry
    • Program Supervisor: Dr. Maria Walker

Positions are currently open for the UHCO Community-Based Fellowship (Program Supervisor: Janet Garza, OD) and the Ocular Surgery Fellowship (Program Co-Directors: Dixon Golden, OD and John McCall Jr., OD).

Optometric residency and fellowship programs are designed to provide optometrists with advanced clinical training within their areas. In addition to a focus on direct patient care, scholarly and didactic activities also contribute to the development of advanced clinical competencies.

Throughout their yearlong programs, residents and fellows gain additional patient encounters, work alongside faculty with a wide range of expertise, and participate in teaching, scholarship, and interprofessional engagement.  

"Our residents and fellows train in a collaborative academic environment that emphasizes both clinical excellence and lifelong learning," said Dr. Beth Harper, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Residency Programs at UH Optometry. "This combination helps develop not only advanced clinical skills but also the confidence and judgment needed to become leaders in the profession."

After their experience at UH Optometry, Dr. Harper hopes they leave with the confidence to approach complex clinical challenges thoughtfully, a commitment to continual growth, and an appreciation for the impact they can have on patients, students, and the profession.

"In addition to the specific skills they have learned here, I hope they carry forward a mindset of curiosity, professionalism, and a dedication to providing compassionate, evidence-based care," she said.  

 

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