In mid-July, UNC Ophthalmology was pleased to welcome Mohammad Soleimani, MD, FICO, as the department’s new Cornea and External Disease Specialist. Dr. Soleimani completed his Ophthalmology residency (2009) and Cornea Fellowship (2012) at the Farabi Eye Hospital and Tehran University of Medical Science. He subsequently joined faculty (2013) at the hospital and became Medical Director of its eye hospital. Dr. Soleimani moved to the US in January 2022 to perform research and clinical fellowships at the University of Illinois in Chicago in advanced Cornea and External Disease management. 
UNC Ophthalmology is excited to appoint Dr. Soleimani as its first Vice Chair of Quality. In this role, he is responsible for developing and overseeing quality improvement initiatives, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, analyzing and reporting performance data, and providing education on quality and safety across the department. Dr. Soleimani’s Vice Chair duties additionally encompass overseeing UNC Ophthalmology’s interfacing with the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)’s IRIS Registry, the world’s largest comprehensive eye disease clinical registry. In a pivotal new role for UNC Ophthalmology, Dr. Soleimani leads the department’s strategic plan to revolutionize its practices and clinical care approaches as it strives toward becoming an eye care center of excellence in the nation.