9th Annual Cherry Blossom Ocular Pathology Course

February 6, 2026 to February 7, 2026

The purpose of the course is designed to meet the educational needs of a staff ophthalmologist and ophthalmic resident and also to provide a primer for staff pathologists and residents who have an interest in ophthalmic pathology.

The goal is to fulfill a gap in ophthalmic pathology training nationwide since the unfortunate closure of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in 2011.

Target Audience

 
This activity is intended to meet the educational needs of the healthcare team including but not limited to:
  • Physicians
  • Residents
  • Medical Students
  • Pharmacists
  • Physician assistants
  • Nurses
  • Other Healthcare Professionals

Learning Objectives

 
After participating in this activity, learners will be able to:
  • Explain the key stages of ocular embryology and their relevance to congenital eye disorders. 
  • Provide an understanding of ocular tumors to include retinoblastoma, ocular melanoma and choroidal metastases.
  • Identify histopathologic features of major ocular tumors, including retinoblastoma, ocular melanoma, and choroidal metastases. 
  • Review the pathology of ocular surface neoplasia and lymphoma. 
  • Differentiate the pathology of ocular surface neoplasia and ocular adnexal lymphoma based on clinical and microscopic characteristics. 
  • Review the pathology of glaucomatous disorders. 
  • Describe structural and pathological changes associated with glaucomatous disorders and their impact on optic nerve health. 
  • Review the pathology of eyelid and adnexal tumors.
  • Recognize common eyelid and adnexal tumors and outline distinguishing histopathologic features. 
  • Review optic nerve pathology. 
  • Interpret optic nerve pathology findings in inflammatory, neoplastic, and degenerative conditions. 
  • Review the nuances of corneal histopathology.
  • Analyze corneal histopathology, including dystrophies, degenerations, and infectious processes. 
  • Review pediatric ocular tumors
  • Summarize the pathology of pediatric ocular tumors beyond retinoblastoma, including rare entities.
  • Review orbital and lacrimal gland tumors and to review the pathology of ocular inflammatory and infectious diseases
  • Evaluate histopathologic patterns of orbital and lacrimal gland tumors, including benign and malignant variants. 
  • Review the histopathology of ocular inflammatory and parasitic diseases.
  • Assess inflammatory and infectious ocular diseases, including parasitic infections, and describe their histopathologic presentation.
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 16.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 16.00 Completion
Course opens: 
02/06/2026
Course expires: 
02/06/2029
Event starts: 
02/06/2026 - 8:00am EST
Event ends: 
02/07/2026 - 5:30pm EST
Add to calendar: 

TENTATIVE AGENDA:
Friday, February 6, 2026 (EST)

08:00am - 08:05am - Introduction Wroblewski MD
08:05am -10:00am - Guest Lecturer Alan Proia MD PhD MD In Person and Virtual
10:00am -11:00am - Ocular Lymphomas/Ocular Inflammation
11:00am -12:00pm - Ocular Genetics Brooks MD PhD Virtual

12:00pm - 12:30pm - Lunch

12:30pm -14:00pm - Conjunctiva Mudhar MD Virtual
2:00pm - 15:00pm - Pediatric Ocular Pathology Chevez-Barrios MD Virtual
3:00pm - 4:00pm - Immunohistochemistry and Patterns of Disease. Proia MD PhD. Virtual

4:00pm - 5:00pm - Optic Nerve Sabet MD Virtual
5:00pm - 6:30pm - Retina Dubovy MD


Saturday, February 7, 2026 (EST)
09:00am -11:00am - Cornea and Orbit Eberhart MD PhD Virtual
11:00am -1:00pm - Phakomatoses, Iris, Optic Nerve Rodriquez MD Virtual
1:00pm - 2:00pm - Lunch
2:00pm - 4:00pm - Ocular Tumors Milman MD Virtual
4:00pm - 5:30pm - Orbit Elner MD PhD Virtual

Faculty & Disclosure
 
Planning Committee
Keith James Wroblewski, MD     
Vice-Chairman
Department of Ophthalmology
The George Washington University          
School of Medicine and Health Sciences
 
Faculty
Brian P. Brooks, MD, PhD - National Eye Institute (Bethesda, Maryland)
Patricia Chevez-Barrios, MD - Houston Methodist (Houston, Texas)
Sander R. Dubovy MD Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (Miami, Florida)
Charles G. Eberhart MD PhD Wilmer Eye Institute Baltimore Maryland)
Victor M. Elner MD PhD Kellogg Eye Center (Michigan)
Fausto J. Rodriquez MD UCLA (Los Angeles, California)
Sina Sabet MD. Georgetown University (Washington, DC)
Keith J. Wroblewski MD George Washington University (Washington, DC)
Tatyana Milman MD Wills Eye Hospital (Philadephia
Anna Stagner MD PhD Mass General and Mass Eye and Ear
Alan Proia, MD, PhD - Duke University and Campbell University (Raleigh-Durham, NC)
 
 
Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships
In accordance with The Standards for Integrity and Independence, GW requires all planners, faculty, and others in control of educational content to disclose the absence or existence of all financial relationships (of any dollar amount) with any ineligible companies within the past 24 months. We define ineligible companies as those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
 
GW reviews all disclosure statements to determine which financial relationships are relevant to the educational content of the CE Activity.  An individual is considered to have a relevant financial relationship if the educational content an individual can control is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.
 
Disclosure Statement(s)
 
Absence of Relevant Financial Relationships
None of the planners, faculty, or others in a position to control content for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
 
Relevant Financial Relationships
Upon review of all collected information about financial relationships with ineligible companies, GW has determined that the following planners, faculty, and others in control of educational content have relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.
 
An individual is considered to have a relevant financial relationship if the educational content an individual can control is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.
 
[Insert name], [insert role] for this accredited CE activity, is [nature of relationship(s)] for [insert name of the ineligible company(ies)].
 
All relevant financial relationships listed for these individual(s) have been mitigated.
All others in a position to control content for this educational activity have no relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
 
Disclaimer
The information in this educational activity is provided for general medical education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition. The viewpoints expressed in this CME activity are those of the authors/faculty. They do not represent an endorsement by The George Washington University.
 
 
Accreditation Statements
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
 
Credit Designation Statement(s)
Physicians (CME)
 
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences designates this live activity for a maximum of 16.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
 
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) recognizes AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ earned as AOA Category 2 credit. 
 
It is the physician's responsibility to report CME credits earned directly to AOA.
 
Ways to report CME Credit:
 
Other Healthcare Professionals (Attendance)
All other healthcare professionals who successfully complete the activity will receive a Certificate of Attendance.  Many credentialing bodies such as the ANCC, AANP, and AAPA accept certificates of attendance for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME. If you have doubts about whether an activity will qualify for CE, please contact your certifying organization for clarification on credit eligibility.

Available Credit

  • 16.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 16.00 Completion
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