Steven J. Gedde, professor of ophthalmology and director of the residency program at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been named Educator of the Year by the South Florida Business Journal. The 2009 Excellence in Health Care Awards were presented October 22 at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale.

“We all want to make a difference in the world and enhance our profession,” says Gedde. “Recognizing that I can best accomplish this by teaching others has helped me to become a more effective health care educator.”

“Dr. Gedde’s contribution to Bascom Palmer is extraordinary,” said Eduardo C. Alfonso, professor and chair of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. “This award is a testament to his patience, kindness, and passion for ophthalmic education, and his belief that through ophthalmic education, eye care around the world is improved for all patients.”

Under Gedde’s leadership, the Bascom Palmer residency program is consistently ranked the nation’s No. 1 ophthalmology training program. Gedde, Bascom Palmer’s residency program director for the past ten years, is a glaucoma specialist with a special interest in glaucoma surgery and medical education.

Each year, 21 residents train at Bascom Palmer, which serves as the department of ophthalmology for the Miller School of Medicine, part of UHealth-The University of Miami Health System. More than 450 applicants apply annually for one of only seven positions. The three-year ophthalmology residency training program is dedicated to learning diagnosis, treatment, subspecialty training, and ophthalmic surgery for all eye diseases and disorders.