Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2017


photo of Scott Cole, M.D.

Scott Cole, M.D.

Interests: Dr. Cole has a passion for fitness and travel. He has used these backpacking through Europe as well as study abroad in Australia and leading Vacation Bible School classes. He has long been interested in promoting general health of those around him and through this has been a collegiate strength coach, personal trainer and Nike Training Club-group exercise instructor.

After graduation: ASOPRS Oculoplastics Fellowship, UNC Chapel Hill


Educational Background

B.S. Exercise & Sports Science -- University of Georgia, Athens -- 2005

M.S. Exercise & Sports Science -- University of Georgia, Athens -- 2007

M.D. -- Georgia Health Sciences University -- 2011

Medicine Internship -- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center -- 2013

Ophthalmic Pathology Fellowship -- University of Utah, Moran Eye Center -- 2014

 Presentations & Awards

September 15, 2014

ESCRS

 

"Cole SC, Liu E, Kohnen T, Hengerer F, Kaproth O, Werner L, Mamalis N. Pathological Evidence of Pseudoexfoliation in Cases of In-the-Bag IOL Subluxation/Dislocation. European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS), London, UK, September 2014 "

September 15, 2014

ESCRS

 

"Cole SC, Werner L, Crandall A. Visual aberrations in a multifocal intraocular lens with injection-related scratches: Case report and laboratorial analysis. European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS), London, UK, September 2014"

September 15, 2014

ESCRS

 

"Mamalis N, Cole SC, Ford J, Kohl J. ASCRS/ESCRS Survey on Foldable IOLs Requiring Explantation or Secondary Intervention 2013 Update. European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS), London, UK, September 2014"

October 17, 2014

AAO

 

"Mamalis N, Cole SC, Ford J, Kohl J. ASCRS/ESCRS Survey on Foldable IOLs Requiring Explantation or Secondary Intervention 2013 Update. American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Chicago, IL, USA, October, 2014"

October 17, 2014

AAO

 

"Werner L, Liu E, Cole SC, Kohnen T, Hengerer F, Kaproth O, Mamalis N. Pathological Evidence of Pseudoexfoliation in Cases of In-the-Bag IOL Subluxation/Dislocation. American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Chicago, IL, USA, October, 2014"

November 1, 2014

Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

 

"Long-term uveal and capsular biocompatibility of a new accommodating intraocular lens. Kohl JC, Werner L, Ford JR, Cole SC, Vasavada SA, Gardiner GL, Noristani R, Mamalis N. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2014 Dec;40(12):2113-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2014.10.011. Epub 2014 Nov 24. PMID: 25465689"

April 29, 2015

Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

 

"Pathologic evidence of pseudoexfoliation in cases of in-the-bag intraocular lens subluxation or dislocation. Liu E, Cole S, Werner L, Hengerer F, Mamalis N, Kohnen T. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2015 May;41(5):929-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2014.08.037. Epub 2015 Apr 29. PMID: 25935341"

May 1, 2015

Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

 

"Evaluation of uveal and capsule biocompatibility of a single-piece hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens with ultraviolet-ozone treatment on the posterior surface. Farukhi MA, Werner L, Kohl JC, Gardiner GL, Ford JR, Cole SC, Vasavada SA, Noristani R, Mamalis N. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2015 May;41(5):1081-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2014.11.043. Epub 2015 Apr 29. PMID: 25935337"

June 26, 2015

PGY-2 Resident Research Presentation

 

"Pathological Evidence of Pseudoexfoliation in Cases of In-The-Bag IOL Dislocation/Subluxation"

June 24, 2016

PGY-3 Resident Research Presentation

 

"Evaluation of the effect of frontal projection measurement on the outcome of ptosis repair"

November 2, 2016

Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

 

"Cole SC, Eftekhari K, Anderson RL, Oberg TJ. Systemic Allergic Response in the Setting of a Metallic Intraorbital Foreign Body With Intraoperative Magnet-Assisted Retrieval. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 2016 Nov 2. [Epub ahead of print]"

June 1, 2017

European Society of Ophthlamology

 

"Cole SC, Brinsko K, and Ulrich L. Acute hypertensive emergency following instillation of preoperative 2.5% phenylephrine and 1% cyclopentolate ophthalmic drops in a patient with autonomic insufficiency. European Society of Ophthalmology (SOE), Barcelona, Spain, June 2017."

June 23, 2017

PGY-4 Resident Research Presentation

 

"A case report on metallic foreign body removal using a sterile pre-packaged magnet"

June 23, 2017

Runner up to best case report award.

 

"A case report on metallic foreign body removal using a sterile pre-packaged magnet"

photo of Adam Luka, M.D.

Adam Luka, M.D.

Interests: Dr. Luka has a wide range of hobbies and interests. A selection of these include bicycling, basketball and racquetball from the sports perspective and grilling, camping, reading and travel from another vantage point.

After graduation: Private Practice, Jackson, TN


Educational Background

B.S. Biology -- Christian Brothers University -- 2009

M.D. -- LSU-HSC Shreveport School of Medicine -- 2013

Internal Medicine Internship -- Carilion Clinic, Virginia -- 2014

Presentations & Awards

June 26, 2015

PGY-2 Resident Research Presentation

 

"Performance Based Visual Field Testing to Detect Driving Impairments in Individuals with Glaucoma"

June 24, 2016

PGY-3 Resident Research Presentation

 

"Performance based visual field testing to detect driving impairments in individuals with glaucoma"

June 24, 2016

2016 Resident Research Presentation Competition--Third Place.

 

"Performance based visual field testing to detect driving impairments in individuals with glaucoma "

June 23, 2017

PGY-4 Resident Research Presentation

 

"Acanthamoeba Keratitis" "

photo of Azam Qureshi, M.D.

Azam Qureshi, M.D.

Interests: Dr. Qureshi's outside activities include tennis, basketball and travel. While his travel has had diversions, e.g. the climbing of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania he has also devoted time to humanitarian projects. In the Summer of 2008 he worked in India with the KashmirCORPS teaching public health classes and doing health surveys. The year before that he worked with in Botswana as part of a medical research team investigating diagnostic modalities for tuberculosis.

After graduation: Pediatric and Strabismus Fellowship-Jules Stein Eye Institute (UCLA)


Educational Background

B.A. History -- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia -- 2008

M.D. -- University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL -- 2012

Surgery Internship -- Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University -- 2013

PGY-2 Surgery Residency -- Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University -- 2014

Presentations & Awards:

November 1, 2014

Publication (Pre-Ophtho)

 

"Qureshi A1, Podolsky D, Cumella L, et. al. Comparison of stricture rates using three different gastrojejunostomy anastomotic techniques in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Surg Endosc. 2014 Nov 1. [Epub ahead of print]"

June 26, 2015

PGY-2 Resident Research Presentation

 

"Glaucoma Basic Science Involving NMDA"

June 26, 2015

2015 Resident Research Presentation Competition--Second Place

 

"Glaucoma Basic Science Involving NMDA"

February 1, 2016

IVOS Journal

 

"Zhao J, Mysona BA, Qureshi A, Kim L, Fields T, Gonsalvez GB, Smith SB, Bollinger KE. (+)-Pentazocine Reduces NMDA-Induced Murine Retinal Ganglion Cell Death Through a σR1-Dependent Mechanism. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2016 Feb 1;57(2):453-61. doi: 10.1167/iovs.15-18565. PMID: 26868747 [PubMed - in process]"

June 24, 2016

PGY-3 Resident Research Presentation

 

"Ganglion Cell Quantification Involved in "(+)-Pentazocine Reduces NMDA-Induced Ganglion Cell Death Through a Sigma Receptor 1 Dependent Mechanism"

June 24, 2016

2016 Resident Research Presentation Competition--First Place.

 

"Ganglion Cell Quantification Involved in "(+)-Pentazocine Reduces NMDA-Induced Ganglion Cell Death Through a Sigma Receptor 1 Dependent Mechanism"

June 23, 2017

PGY-4 Resident Research Presentation

 

"Ganglion Cell Quantification Involved in "(+)-Pentazocine Reduces NMDA-Induced Ganglion Cell Death Through a Sigma Receptor 1 Dependent Mechanism"



Commencement

Graduation Date: Friday, June 23rd 2017
Place: North Augusta Municipal Building

 

Summary: Long has our annual meeting run and Audrey Forbes has put her wonderful stamp on it. She did all of the work to put together a great, full day time. We had resident and guest lectures. There was a sandwich bar for lunch and reminiscing. The cocktail hour and banquet could not have been held in a better place.

The evening events unfolded as they often do. Ose Aburime, a second year, took the podium and showed off his video editing skills. He had gone around to the different faculty and staff and had them do a little dance. Ose and strung them together and put music to them. There was a lot of laughter at seeing some people in and some people out of character! After Ose finished his little show Azam Qureshi rose to the occasion with a funny, impromptu rundown of his experiences with the department sometimes poking fun at himself. Dr. Ulrich, not realizing that Azam was speaking only for himself jumped in at the end only to find out that Adam Luka and then Scott Cole, too, had some words for a lot of the people they had worked with. Drs. Nussbaum and Ulrich added their 2 cents with Nussbaum especially giving his words of advice to the departing seniors. Some senior gifts were given out and the evening closed up.

Our residents spoke first and this was the first year when we considered resident published case reports to meet the annual scholarly activity requirement. Six of the 9 did these with 3 retaining the more traditional approach. The alumni association gave awards for both first and second places in each of these categories. Dr. Bains gave a great summary of the recent treatments for age-related macular degeneration. Dr. Watsky outlined the wondering pathway that takes research from bench to the bedside. He even included pictures from his pre-collegiate days when he was doing shark research. Curiously upside-down sharks just relax! I didn't know that. Dr. Radhakrishnan gave a very practical talk on angle closure glaucoma and the manner in which it is classified in 2017.