Roles
Assoc. Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology - Pending Rank
Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
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Biography
Basil K. Williams, Jr., MD is an associate professor of clinical ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, who specializes in adult and pediatric ocular oncology and vitreoretinal diseases and surgery. Dr. Williams completed his ophthalmology residency and vitreoretinal surgery fellowship before serving as the chief resident and co-directing the ocular trauma service at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. He then completed another fellowship in ocular oncology at Wills Eye Hospital. Dr. Williams now returns to Miami after holding the Mary Knight Asbury Endowed Chair of Ocular Oncology at the University of Cincinnati and directing the retinoblastoma program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Dr. Williams grew up in the Bronx, NY, received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Yale University and attended The Chicago Medical School. He is a member of the Gold Humanism and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Societies, the Chair Elect of the Ophthalmology Section of the National Medical Association, and the Co-Chair of the Early Career Section of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS). Dr. Williams’s ocular oncology leadership positions include being the current president of the Pan American Ocular Oncology Society, the ocular oncology and pathology section chief for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) One Network, and the Ocular Oncology section editor for ASRS’s Retina Atlas. Dr. Williams is also Bascom Palmer's vice chair for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). He also contributes nationally to diversity initiatives as a member of the Retina World Congress and ASRS DEI committees, a member of the AAO Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring Program Executive Committee, and the Vice President of DEI of the Vit-Buckle Society. -
Education & Training
Education
Post Graduate Training
Licensures and Certifications
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Teaching Interests
Dr. Williams enjoys teaching and works with medical students, ophthalmology residents, and retina and oncology fellows. He has been recognized for his teaching by being selected for the Fellow of the Year Teaching Award at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in 2017, the William Tasman Fellow Teaching Award at Wills Eye Hospital in 2018, and the Medical Student Educator of the Year at the University of Cincinnati in 2021. Dr. Williams actively engages in mentoring, particularly for those who are underrepresented in ophthalmology and retina. He serves as a mentor for the Early Career Mentoring Program through the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) and for the Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring Program through the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He designed the Fostering Careers for Underrepresented Stars (FOCUS) Mentoring Program for the Vit-Buckle Society and helped design the Underrepresented in Retina Mentoring Program for the ASRS. -
Research Interests
Dr. Williams’s research interests include surface and intraocular tumors of adult and pediatric patients, imaging and treatment of retinal vascular diseases, vitreoretinal surgical techniques and health disparities. -
Publications
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