Emory Eye Center honors its graduating residents and fellows in song and verse

Artificial intelligence was used to celebrate the real thing

The Emory Department of Ophthalmology's Class of 2023 had one more lesson to learn before leaving: don't forget the healing power of laughter.

At the June 3 Residents and Fellows Graduation Gala, faculty regaled the newly minted ophthalmologists with hilarious send-offs, courtesy of the AI platform Chat CGBT. If the prose was at times dubious, the accuracy was irrefutable: the fodder that generated each tribute came from the residents' very own resumes and personal statements.

The results - a sea shanty, a limerick, an epic poem, a haiku, a sonnet, and a country song - were read by residency program director Jeremy Jones, MD, and assistant director Blaine Cribbs, MD. Purple prose notwithstanding, the affection and camaraderie marbled into each tribute was obvious and heart-felt.

 It was truly an honor to play a role in the education of this talented group of physicians, said Jones, who completed his residency at Emory not too long ago.

They started residency in the heart of the COVID pandemic and handled everything thrown at them with ease. They are an exceptionally talented and professional group of clinicians and surgeons, and I can't wait to see the great things they'll accomplish.

Not to be outdone, the neuro-ophthalmology section celebrated its cohort of domestic and international fellows by leading the entire room in their own rendition of the Walt Disney classic It's a Small World. Tweaking the lyrics to hightlight the diversity of her team, world-renowned neuro-ophthalmologist Nancy J. Newman, MD donned a boa whose 'feathers' were actually world flags.

Check out these photos from the June 3 celebration

Dr. Nancy J. Newman, center, with her small world of international neuro-ophthalmology fellows.

It's a small world after all

Training fellows, short and tall

Come from countries large and small

Neuro-oph's small world

And there's Hetal whose clinic sense can't be beat

Epics' mess, she cleans up, an incredible feat!

Tali's research is great, her pizzaz a super trait

And they're both always on call!

Though less elegant, the AI-generated shenanigans brought its own brand of charm to the podium -particularly when Jones and Cribbs belted out a country ballad 'written' for Texas native Colton McCoy.

Drs. Jeremy Jones and Blaine Cribbs, alias Jones & Cribbs

Ode to Colton McCoy

In a small town, down in Texas,

There's a graduate we all admire.

With a heart full of dreams and a burning desire,

To make a difference in this world, set it on fire.

(Chorus)

Oh, raise your voices, let the guitars play,

For Dr. McCoy, on graduation day.

From the honor societies to leadership roles,

He's touched so many lives, straight to their souls.

While Jones & Cribbs sounds like an up-and-coming country duo, both men promised to keep their day jobs.

A time to refocus

The faculty were not the only ones getting in some ribbing.



Dr. Homaira Ayesha Hossain, far right, was one of several faculty honored by the residents

Reflecting on the many long hours they had put into their rotations, overnights, on-calls, and research, the residents produced their own slate of recognitions. Some humorous, others serious:

Yousef Khalifa, MD, received the The 2023 Thomas M. Aaberg, Sr., Clinical Teaching Award in special recognition of his dedication to resident education, excellence in patient care, and outstanding teaching expertise. You are a role model to us all.

Andrew Zheng, MD was named Fellow of the Year for always being a source of knowledge and support to the residents

Jacquelyn O'Banion, MD received The Jack of All Trades Award for her ability and willingness to care for any patient at the Grady Eye Clinic, no matter what their ophthalmic condition.

Homaira Ayesha Hossain, M.D received The Monday Warrior Award for her expertise and composure in the face of Medical Retina Mondays

Michael Dattilo, MD received The High CDE Award for the immense High Cumulative Delivered Energy (CDE) he devotes to resident education.

Daniel G. Nelson, MD received The Man Award, for his unwavering commitment to convincing the world that optics is fun

Presiding over the entire affair was F. Phinizy Calhoun, Sr. Chair, Dr. Allen D. Beck, himself a product of the same Emory residency and fellowship programs. He did not mince words-before or after he took the podium.

We hope we will see you again, at Emory, he told the graduates. We are proud of the work you've accomplished and look forward to seeing you again as our valued colleagues.

The Next Chapter

The ophthalmology residents and fellows who celebrated their achievements at Emory Eye Center have mapped out the next chapters of their careers. Here's a glimpse of what they will pursue.

THE RESIDENTS



Dr. Allen D. Beck, center, celebrating the ophthalmologists who have completed their residency at Emory Eye Center

Maitri S. Mehta, MD, (Chief Resident) Dr. Mehta will move to Houston, Texas where she will join the Berkeley Eye Center.

Abigail A. Gordon, MD Dr. Gordon will move to Dallas, Texas where she will begin a fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology, oculoplastic, and orbital surgery at the University of Texas, Southwestern.

Colton C. McCoy, MD Dr. McCoy will begin a cornea/refractive surgery fellowship at the University of Colorado in Aurora, Colarado.

Arthur C. Guyton, II, MD Dr. Guyton will move to Oxford, Mississippi where he will practice comprehensive ophthalmology at the Rayner Eye Clinic.

Shaivi A. Patel, MD Dr. Patel will move to Marlyland where she will join the Select Eye Care Center practice in Columbia, Maryland.

Samantha A. Schreimann, MD Dr. Schreimann will move to Florida where she will go into private practice.

THE FELLOWS



Dr. Anastasios Costarides, center, flanked by two glaucoma fellows, Stephen Ambrose and Georgina Agramonte, and their families >

Julio Albarracin, MD (Cornea) Dr. Albarracin will move to Dallas, Texas where he will join the Key Whitman Eye Center practice.

Mark Morel, Jr. MD (Cornea) Dr. Morel will join the Marietta Eye Clinic practice in Marietta, Georgia.

Stephen L. Ambrose, MD (Glaucoma) Dr. Ambrose will join the clinical faculty at the University of Kansas Department of Ophthalmology in Kansas City, Kansas.

Georgina Medina Agramonte, MD (Glaucoma) Dr. Medina will join the Visionary Eye Doctors practice in Washington, DC. She will also be volunteering with the residency program of her alma matar, Georgetown Univerity Medical School.

Hetal Ray, MD (Neuro-Ophthalmology) Dr. Ray will join the cliical faculty at the University of Virgina Department of Ophthalmology in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Avital Lily Tali Okrent, MD (Neuro-Ophthalmology) Dr. Okrent will begin a fellowship in surgical neuro-ophthalmology at the Duke Eye Center in Durham, North Carolina.

Karina Bostwick, DO (Ocular Pathology/Oncology) Dr. Bostwick will begin a cornea fellowship at the Emory Eye Center.

Andrew Fischer, MD (Pediatrics) Dr. Fischer will undertake a neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at the Emory Eye Center.

Ethan Sobol, MD (Retina) Dr. Sobol will join the Retina Group of Washington practice in Washington, DC.

Adaeze Sonuga, MD (Retina) Dr. Sonuga will be pursuing clinical research in Atlanta.

Andrew Zheng, MD (Retina) Dr. Zheng will join Colorado Retina Associates in Denver, Colorado.

 

-Kathleen E. Moore