Wilmer Expands Support for Residents

Published in Wilmer - Annual Report 2022

In a display of Wilmer’s spirit of continuous improvement, the Wilmer community recently opened a newly renovated and expanded Residents Workroom at the Patient Access Center for the Eye (PACE) clinic.

The space, at about 700 square feet and nearly twice as large as it previously had been, now has workstations for each of Wilmer’s 15 residents, along with updated amenities. “It’s night and day,” says Narine Viruni, M.D., one of the residency program’s two assistant chiefs of service, who was a resident at Wilmer from 2017 to 2020.

Strategically located within the PACE clinic where the residents see their patients, the space was renovated to improve resident wellness and increase opportunity for collaboration, says Fasika Woreta, M.D., M.P.H., director of Wilmer’s residency program and Wilmer’s Eugene de Juan, M.D. Professor of Ophthalmic Education.

The concept for the new space was to give residents their own places to work, while also having a common area for social interaction. Wilmer Director Peter J. McDonnell, M.D., envisions the residents using the space as a place to grab a bite of lunch while reading the latest scientific journals or to gather at the end of a long day to discuss particularly challenging cases.

Loka Thangamathesvaran, M.D., a member of the residency class of 2023, says the new space is more accommodating and she has already noticed an increased feeling of togetherness since the residents now have a larger space where they can gather. “There’s a lot more positive energy within the workplace,” she says. “I think it creates a team environment.”

Funding for the renovations included a donation from Parag Parekh, M.D., a graduate of the Wilmer residency class of 2007. Parekh wanted to support the residents while also honoring Henry Jampel, M.D., M.H.S., the Odd Fellows Professor of Ophthalmology, and Esen Akpek, M.D., the Bendann Family Professor of Ophthalmology, who are on Wilmer’s faculty and mentored Parekh when he was a resident. The renovation was also supported by the family of the late Mark Raymond Sawusch, M.D., who was a member of the class of 1989.

As a result, the project strengthens the legacy of the Wilmer residency, connecting current and future Wilmer residents with residents of the past.

“Giving back to the residency that trained them is amazing,” Woreta says. “Residency can be a stressful time in a doctor’s life and this shows we care about them. We’re grateful for this generous support.”