Several Duke trainees were finalists in the Rabb-Venable Research competition over the weekend.
Medical students Maria Gomez-Caraballo and Nicholas Johnson as well as third year resident Michael Quist, MD and glaucoma fellow Obinna Umunakwe, MD, PhD presented their research. Duke was well-represented on the awards stage.
Quist was selected as the first place resident winner to receive the Rabb-Venable Excellence in Research Award for his podium presentation and Johnson received the first place award for medical students.
The Rabb-Venable Research Award is named in honor of Dr. Maurice Rabb, Jr. and Dr. H. Phillip Venable, two pioneering African American ophthalmologists and researchers. Dr. Rabb, who died in 2005, was internationally known for his pioneering work in cornea and retinal vascular diseases. Dr. Venable was the first African American to join the faculty of Washington University in 1958. He died in 1989 and was well known in St. Louis for his efforts to educate and train young African American physicians in the field of ophthalmology.
Each year, medical students and ophthalmology residents/fellows are invited to apply for this research award. Research may be in any of the subspecialties of ophthalmology and emphasize the latest developments in the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of the many sight-threatening diseases and conditions which affect minority patients as well as the general population.
Excellent work!