Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences honors newest alumni, celebrates employees during annual Night of Recognition

Faculty, staff and trainees from the West Virginia University Eye Institute gathered in Morgantown this summer to honor new graduates from the residency and fellowship programs and celebrate accomplishments from across the department.

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Annual Night of Recognition was held at the Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place on Friday, June 20. The ceremony included the distribution of the residency and fellowship certificates, as well as numerous awards celebrating the academic and clinical achievements of faculty, staff and trainees during the past year.

Fellowship graduates for 2025 included James Dossett, M.D. (Vitreoretinal Fellowship Program), Evan Frigoletto, M.D. (Cornea Fellowship Program) and Diane Wang, M.D. (Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Program). Each graduate was introduced by their respective fellowship director, who shared some kind words before presenting them with their certificate of completion.

Residency graduates for 2025 included Andrew Beiter, M.D.; Parker Cain, M.D.; April Enger, M.D.; and Ami Patel, M.D. Each residency graduate selected a faculty member who served as a mentor during their three years of ophthalmology training to introduce them and present them with their certificate of completion.

Bradley Thuro, M.D., who took over as residency program director in 2022, said this graduating class holds a special place in his heart, as it is the first cohort he has overseen throughout their entire residency training process.

“When I took over the program in 2022 and began my journey as program director, these four young physicians were just beginning a journey of their own as they embarked on their first year as full-time ophthalmology residents,” Dr. Thuro said. “It has been an honor to work alongside these past three years and to watch each of them grow into outstanding and independent ophthalmologists.”

Residents and fellows were also recognized for their achievements in research as well as their scores on the Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) exam, a 260-item multiple-choice examination administered to ophthalmology residents across the country during each year of their training.

In addition to residents and fellows, the ceremony also celebrated achievements of faculty and staff including awards for Clinical and Non-clinical Staff of the Year, Faculty and Educator of the Year and the annual Resident Choice Awards, where residents voted on a faculty member to recognize for their dedication to excellent ophthalmic care and the mentorship of residents, fellows and medical students.

The evening also included a presentation highlighting the successes of the various outreach programs at the Eye Institute over the last year, including the Appalachian Vision Outreach Program (AVOP) and the Children’s Vision Rehabilitation Program (CVRP).

In the last year, AVOP provided 1,961 patients with crucial eyecare services through 19 vision clinics hosted at 11 locations statewide, while CVRP provided direct vision rehabilitation services to 122 students with blindness or visual impairment across 21 West Virginia counties.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our Eye Institute team and all of the accomplishments we’ve achieved across the department over the last year as we work tirelessly to meet the growing needs of eyecare patients across the region,” said Thomas Mauger, M.D., chair for the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and executive chair of the WVU Eye Institute. “I want to take this opportunity to congratulate our new graduates and extend my gratitude to every member of our hard-working team at the Eye Institute.”