Senior med students match in competitive ophthalmology residency program
Posted on February 11, 2026 by Lindsay Hughes
Two graduating medical students at the Whiddon College of Medicine have secured residency positions in ophthalmology, one of the nation’s most competitive specialties.
Will Johnston and Brooke Tarrant will complete their residency training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Although they matched through the specialty’s early match process, they will join their classmates on Match Day, March 20, at the Mitchell Center to announce their placements and pin their destinations on the map.
A native of Huntsville, Johnston first discovered the field while working as an ophthalmic technician for a retina specialist as an undergraduate at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“Ophthalmology stood out to me as the ideal balance of surgery, clinic-based care, and innovative technology, all while allowing physicians to make an impact on patients’ quality of life by preserving and restoring vision,” he said. “From that point forward, I knew ophthalmology was the specialty I wanted to pursue.”
Tarrant, a Birmingham native, became interested in the field at the start of medical school after a family friend and Whiddon College of Medicine alumna — who had just begun her own ophthalmology residency — encouraged her to explore it further.
“As I learned more about the field,” Tarrant said, “I found that it aligned closely with my interests, skills, and the kind of physician I hope to be.”
She said her four years at the Whiddon College of Medicine “have been defined by strong mentorship and support. Even without an ophthalmology department, the faculty, alumni and community partners were invested in my growth, helping me find mentors and opportunities to explore my interests and prepare for my future career.”
Johnston described his experience at the College of Medicine as “nothing short of exceptional.”
“The rigorous and comprehensive preclinical curriculum prepared me well for board examinations, while my clinical training over the past year and a half provided an incredible amount of hands-on experience and individualized learning,” Johnston said. “I have felt consistently supported by faculty and mentors who are deeply invested in student success.”
“Outside of the hospital,” he added, “I have built lifelong friendships and grown to truly love the Mobile community.”