Debbie Perry: Consistency & Reliability Behind the Residency Program

Dr. Krause, Dr. McGehee, Dr. Venkat, Debbie Perry, and Dr. Cook

For Debbie Perry, a strong ophthalmology residency is built on clarity, consistency, and trust. Residents need to know who to turn to, understand what is expected of them, and have the space to focus on learning and patient care. That belief has guided her work in the UVA Department of Ophthalmology for nearly four decades.

Debbie joined the department in April 1989, when residency administration was far less formal and much of the work was done by hand. Over 37 years, she has seen leadership change, training structures evolve, and expectations increase. As the department grew, she took on additional responsibility with a clear focus: making sure residents remained supported as the framework around them became more complex.

“Residents need to know there is someone they can come to and that what they share will stay with me,” Debbie says. That commitment shapes how she approaches her role as Residency Coordinator. Confidentiality and availability are daily practices, not abstract ideals. They allow residents to raise concerns, ask questions, and navigate transitions with confidence.

Early in her career, Debbie managed responsibilities that today are divided across multiple roles. She supported the chair’s office, coordinated residency and fellowship programs, organized the Humphries Symposium, and built call schedules by hand. As Debbie coordinated the expansion of the residency program to four residents per year, oversight simultaneously increased and processes became more structured. Debbie continuously adjusted how she worked while keeping her priorities steady. She absorbed the administrative burden so residents could focus on training rather than battling with bureaucracy.

“A successful year is when residents graduate with jobs or fellowships,” she says. That definition reflects how Debbie measures the health of the program. New accreditation standards, the integrated PGY-1 year, and expanded reporting requirements added pressure over time. Debbie learned what those changes required and managed the details herself, ensuring they never became obstacles to education or patient care.

Her long tenure gives her a perspective she relies on often. She has watched residents arrive unsure of what lies ahead, grow into confident clinicians, and later return as faculty. That continuity helps her recognize patterns across classes and anticipate challenges before they escalate. It also strengthens her ability to advocate for residents when flexibility or support is needed.

Debbie worked efficiently on a typewriter for years and was quite happy to keep doing so. She only gave it up when Jenny Hamlin told her it was time to move to a computer, as residency administration shifted fully to electronic systems. The transition required learning an entirely new way of working, which Debbie did so the growing demands of the role would never slow down the residents who depended on her.

“I am here to support faculty, residents, and coworkers,” Debbie says. Much of that support happens quietly. She tracks schedules, coordinates coverage, and follows through on details that allow clinics and call rotations to function smoothly. During periods of uncertainty, including the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she stayed in close contact with residents and administrators alike, providing consistency when it mattered most.

Debbie takes particular pride in residency recruitment and in the training environment residents step into once they arrive. Each class represents a new group of physicians placing their trust in the program. “The resident clinic is foundational to residency training, and I would want our program to always include it,” she says. Protecting that space means giving residents the hands-on learning, responsibility, and continuity in patient care that define strong clinical training.

Debbie has remained loyal to the department because the work matters to her, particularly the responsibility of ensuring that residents leave UVA prepared, supported, and confident in the next stage of their careers. Nearly forty years in, her role is defined less by time and more by intention.

At the department’s most recent graduation ceremony on June 13, 2025, the creation of the Debbie Perry Resident Advocate Award was announced. Debbie was recognized as the award’s inaugural recipient. At future graduation ceremonies, the award will be presented annually to a faculty or staff member whose sustained advocacy and direct support strengthen the residency program. As the department continues to grow, Debbie remains focused on what she has always believed makes a residency strong: residents who are supported, protected, and able to learn.