Harvard Ophthalmology and Mass Eye and Ear are dedicated to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable community—across our department and hospital, and even more broadly at a national level. Building a diverse department strengthens our ability to provide world-class care to our patients, while also strengthening our education and research efforts. Over the past several years, Harvard Ophthalmology has launched many new programs with the goal of supporting and providing more opportunities to those underrepresented in medicine. This Focus post, highlights the Department of Ophthalmology’s highly successful Research Scholars Program.
Closing the Gap in Ophthalmology
Harvard Ophthalmology and Mass Eye and Ear recognize the importance of developing an inclusive, diverse, and equitable community throughout the department of Ophthalmology and the hospital. The diverse backgrounds of clinicians, scientists, and trainees provide unique perspectives, which enhance the eye community and ultimately, benefit patients. However, nationwide there is a gap between the demographic backgrounds of ophthalmologists and the patient populations they serve, with many identities still underrepresented in the field. Committed to inclusion, diversity, and equity (IDE), Harvard Ophthalmology has launched several programs that support individuals who are underrepresented in medicine and encourage them to consider careers in the field of ophthalmology.
One such initiative is the Harvard Ophthalmology Research Scholars Program at Mass Eye and Ear. Launched in 2021 and led by faculty members Joseph Arboleda-Velasquez, MD, PhD, an associate scientist in the Department of Ophthalmology, and Silas Wang, MD, a clinician and member of the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service, the program provides an opportunity for rising second-year medical students who are underrepresented or disadvantaged to engage in research at Mass Eye and Ear. During the eight-week summer session, each scholar is paired with both research mentor and clinical mentors to work on a research project, and co-author case reports. The scholars gain exposure to the innovative research at Mass Eye and Ear and receive mentoring support from national and global leaders in ophthalmology. Beyond hands-on research training, scholars also participate in career coaching, community building activities, and face-to-face networking with faculty. The experiences, skills, and long-lasting connections they build serve as a strong foundation for the next phase of their careers.
Exploring a Growing Passion for Ophthalmology
Cherrell Price, a 2021 alumna of the program and current medical student at Morehouse School of Medicine, was thrilled to explore her growing passion for ophthalmology. She parked an interest in the field during her first year of medical school when she shadowed an ophthalmologist in a disadvantaged community. During the Research Scholars Program, Price worked under the mentorship of researcher Kinga M. Bujakowska, PhD, and clinician-scientist Rachel Huckfeldt, MD, PhD, who are both experts in inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs). Price learned about new gene therapies on the horizon for patients with IRDs while gaining exposure to laboratory techniques, experimental design, and data analysis.
Reflecting on her experience, Price said the program was “a perfect combination of camaraderie and independence,” and she appreciated the freedom to personalize her experience with support from her mentors.
Continued Support and Ophthalmology Career Opportunities
Importantly, the relationships built during the program continue even after the scholars graduate. They continue to receive guidance if/when they apply for research grants and ophthalmology residency programs. For example, after her summer at Mass Eye and Ear, Price was awarded a Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) Medical Student Eye Research Fellowship to continue her research at the Harvard Ophthalmology Ocular Genomics Institute (OGI) at Mass Eye and Ear. This competitive fellowship allows medical students to spend one year on leave at an RPB-supported ophthalmology department to focus on a research project. Working with her mentor Dr. Bujakowska, she investigated exon skipping, a potential genetic treatment strategy for patients with retinal degeneration with the EYS mutation (which can cause the blinding disease, retinitis pigmentosa). Being part of the Research Scholars Program allowed Price to continue her research, and these experiences will be a launchpad for future endeavors as she pursues a career in academic ophthalmology.
Price found the experience to be “transformative,” and she is grateful for the feeling of belonging it instilled in her. As she simply puts it, “There is a place for me in ophthalmology.”
A Growing Program and Advancement for Our Scholars
The program’s reputation among medical students around the country is growing. In 2024, there was a 50 percent increase in applications compared to 2023, and the annual class size has grown by over 30 percent.
Members of the inaugural 2021 Research Scholars class have also moved on to exciting new chapters in their careers:
- Two scholars applied and matched to ophthalmology residency programs at Tulane University and Indiana University.
- Two scholars completed one-year research fellowships, one at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard Ophthalmology and one at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute/University of Miami.
- One scholar is working towards a master’s degree in bioethics.
- One scholar is completing a research fellowship and plans to apply to an internal medicine residency program.
As trainees navigate their winding career paths, equitable access to resources and positive experiences with mentors of shared backgrounds are invaluable. That is why it is so important that opportunities for individuals who are underrepresented are prioritized to diversify the pipeline to ophthalmology and medicine, more broadly. The Research Scholars Program remains a major focus of Harvard Ophthalmology’s IDE initiatives, which have made a positive impact on trainees and faculty, alike.
Harvard Ophthalmology has more information on the Research Scholars Program and how to apply.
