Derek Welsbie, M.D.

The residency program has been at the heart of the Wilmer Eye Institute since its founding in 1925. As the Assistant Chief of Service (ACS), my job is to help the residents reach their full potential as physicians. The Wilmer residents are selected from a large applicant pool of over 400 of the best medical students in the country, and each has the potential to make a major contribution to Ophthalmology and Medicine.

At Wilmer, residents have the opportunities and resources to develop their careers, whether in research, clinical medicine, or surgery. Our residents go on to be world leaders in Ophthalmology. As ACS, I play a critical role in mentoring, supervising and supporting these academic pursuits.

In addition to supervising resident trauma surgery, cataract surgery, and laser procedures, the ACS is the Associate Director of the Eye Trauma Center at the Wilmer Eye Institute. Lastly, the ACS examines overnight patients in the Johns Hopkins Hospital Emergency Room, at morning Chief Rounds, and during Inpatient Consult Rounds.

The ACS has several administrative tasks, such as sitting on planning and oversight committees, coordinating resident lectures, and scheduling the weekly Grand Rounds lectures at Wilmer. It is an extremely intense, busy and demanding job, but the rewards are equally great.