The New England Eye Center, Tufts University School of Medicine Residency in Ophthalmology offers a three-year program that blends clinical training, academic activities, and research opportunities. There are four residents in each of the three years of the program.
First-Year Residents
![Alicia Casella, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Alicia-Casella-Oph-Intern-U-Miami-300x300.jpg)
Alicia Casella, MD
Medical School: University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Hometown: Saddle River, NJ
Hobbies: drawing, painting, sculpting, running & designing Halloween costumes one year in advance
![Viral Shah, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Viral-Shah-MD-1-300x295.jpg)
Virali Shah, MD
Medical School: Albany Medical College
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Hobbies: hot yoga, running and hiking, trying new cooking recipes, listening to podcasts, traveling to new cities
![Noha Sherif, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Noha-Sherifa-Oph-Intern-U-of-North-Carolina-Chapel-Hill-300x300.jpg)
Noha Sherif, MD
Medical School: University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Hometown: Durham, NC
Hobbies: Cooking, eating, bubble tea ranking, recipe sharing, gardening, traveling, tennis, experiencing different cultures, family time
![Ke Zeng, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ke-Zeng-Oph-Intern-BU-300x300.jpg)
Ke Zeng, MD
Medical School: Boston University School of Medicine
Hometown: South Pasadena, CA
Hobbies: Baseball, finding Boston’s best biking trails, pickup basketball, and playing with my pet Corgi and bunny
Second-Year Residents
Simon D. Archambault, MD
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Hometown: Cromwell, CT
Hobbies: I love watching and playing sports (basketball, golf, tennis), cooking, traveling, and having fun with friends and family.
James Kwan, MD
Medical School: Tufts University
Hometown: Weston, CT
Hobbies: Guitar, weightlifting, and Korean cooking (especially making kimchi)
Heba Mahjoub, MD
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Hometown: Warren, OH
Hobbies: Cooking, traveling, walking all over Boston!
Varsha Pramil, MD
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Hometown: Hershey, PA
Hobbies: Tennis, hiking, intramural beach volleyball, trying new recipes and restaurants!
Third-Year Residents
Daniel Azzam, MD
Medical School: University of California, Irvine
Hometown: Originally born in Cleveland, grew up in Los Angeles, California
Hobbies: Freestyle soccer, trail running especially with my puppy golden doodle, tasting new foods while traveling and recreating them with my wife in our kitchen.
Will Binotti, MD
Medical School: Universidade de Taubate
Hometown: Limeira (Sao Paulo), Brazil
Hobbies: Barbecue with friends, playing guitar, listening to audiobooks/podcasts
Julia Ernst, MD, PhD
Medical School: Medical University of Warsaw
Hometown: Rzeszow, Poland
Hobbies: Skiing, sailing, oil painting
Julia A. Watson, MD
Medical School: University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Hometown: Rocky Mount, NC
Hobbies: Spending time outside, jogging, playing racquet sports (squash, tennis), exploring restaurants and bakeries, spending time with my family, including husband, son, and hound mix
Fourth-Year Residents
Omar AbuQamar, MD, MMSc
Medical School: University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine
Hometown: Boston transplant originally from Amman, Jordan.
Hobbies: Crossfit, Endurance cycling and bikepacking. Also, reading, traveling, soccer and cooking (with a specialty in Jordanian and Middle Eastern cuisine).
Jonathan Caranfa, MD, PharmD
Medical School: University of Connecticut
Hometown: Manchester, CT
Hobbies: Traveling with my family, woodworking, fish aquariums and cooking
Allison Resnik, MD
Medical School: Georgetown University
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Hobbies: Baking, running, and exploring NE for hiking spots!
Angell Shi, MD
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Hometown: Littleton, MA
Hobbies: Tennis, running along the Charles, baking, and learning how to play guitar!
Fellows
![William Carerra, MD, MS](http://neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/William-Carerra-MD-MS.jpg)
William Carerra, MD, MS
![Prashanth Iyer](http://neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Prashanth-Iyer.jpg)
Prashanth Iyer
![Kate Hughes, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Kate-Hughes-MD-Medical-Retina-NEEC-240x300.jpg)
Kate Hughes, MD
Hometown: Highlands Ranch, CO
Hobbies: Watching and playing sports (particularly soccer and ice hockey), walks with my 8 month old son, reading fiction novels, and eating Chipotle
![Yi Ling Dai, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/YLD-214x300.jpg)
Yi Ling Dai, MD
Hometown: Suzhou, China
Hobbies: Traveling, seeking out good food, cooking, thrift shopping
![Karim Sleiman, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Karim-Sleiman-MD-Cornea-Fellow-Lebanese-American-U-U-of-Tennessee-300x300.jpg)
Karim Sleiman, MD
Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon
Hobbies: Listening and dancing to music, trying new foods and cooking
![David Fell, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/David-Fell-MD-Retina-Fellow-Cole-Eye-Institute.jpg)
David Fell, MD
Hometown: New York, NY
Hobbies: Cooking/grilling, running, hanging out with my dogs
![Uma Jasty, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Uma-Jasty-MD-Glaucoma-Fellow-College-of-Wisconsin-300x300.jpg)
Uma Jasty, MD
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Hobbies: Running and spending time with friends/family
![Stephanie Choi, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Stephanie-Choi-MD-Retina-Fellow-NYU-1.jpg)
Stephanie Choi, MD
Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
Hobbies: Eating ice cream, running marathons, cycling, swimming, hiking, avid fan of Patriots, Celtics, and Iowa Hawkeyes
![Nayasha Madhan, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Nayasha-Madhan-MD-Glaucoma-Fellow-Ohio-State.jpg)
Nayasha Madhan, MD
Hometown: Des Moines, IA
Hobbies: Travel, HIIT workouts, and eating!
![Maria Jose Lopez Velasquez, MD](https://www.neec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Maria-Jose-Lopez-Velasquez-MD-202x300-2.jpeg)
Maria Jose Lopez Velasquez, MD
Hometown: San Salvador, El Salvador
Hobbies: Family time with my husband and three kids, leisure reading