College of Medicine

- Admissions Overview
- - MD Program
    UNMC's rigorous academics, diverse clinical experiences and supportive environment put you on the path to becoming a skilled, compassionate physician.
  - How to Apply
    UNMC prepares medical degree students to meet the needs of patients through clinical practice, biomedical science and research, problem-solving and compassion.
  - Contact Us
    Review contact information for the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs in the College of Medicine at UNMC.
  - Verification and State Licensure
    Review opportunities for state licensure following completion of the MD program in the College of Medicine at UNMC.
- - MD-MBA Program
    A combined MD-MBA degree equips you with the tools you need to become highly skilled in both management and medicine.
  - MD-MPH Program
    Pursue your passion for public health and medicine with a combined MD-MPH and help solve complex health problems.
  - MD-PhD Program
    Do you have a passion for caring for patients and for research? Consider the dual MD-PhD degree.
- Education Overview
- - Curriculum
    Our curriculum produces physicians whose foundation in basic, clinical, and health systems sciences prepare them to promote health and reduce patient suffering.
  - Graduation Requirements
    Review requirements for students pursuing an MD at the UNMC College of Medicine to graduate and receive their degree.
  - Objectives
    The objectives of UNMC's medical degree program are to prepare you for success in primary care or specialty fields.
  - Service Learning
    Active participation in community service provides critical opportunities to apply skills and knowledge gained in medical school and develop a sense of empathy.
- - Enhanced Medical Education
    Enhanced Medical Education Tracks offer medical students an opportunity to perform an in-depth study of an interdisciplinary field of medicine.
  - Enhanced Medical Education Tracks
    EMET applicants are selected for Tracks based on their interest in the topic and motivation to complete work above and beyond the primary MD curriculum.
  - MD Honor’s Thesis Program
    The MD honors thesis encourages students to engage in scientific research during medical education and become eligible to graduate with honors.
- Research Overview
- Internal Grants
  The College of Medicine has a variety of research-related grant and award opportunities available to UNMC faculty.
- Comparative Effectiveness Research
  The Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) program identifies knowledge gaps in the effectiveness of clinical care and improves CER in these areas.
- Great Plains IDeA-CTR
  The Great Plains IDeA-CTR is a collaborative effort between nine regional institutions that provides training, resources. and funding to regional researchers.
- Research and Development Committee
  The Research and Development Committee handles funding opportunities for faculty, including the Bridge Funding program, and student research opportunities.
- Student Opportunities
  The College of Medicine provides a variety of research opportunities for both current and prospective UNMC students.
- Residencies & Fellowships Overview
- Graduate Medical Education Programs
  UNMC's dozens of programs--including nearly 20 in internal medicine--allow residents and fellows a variety of specialties.
- House Officer Resources
  Find information for residents and fellows, including salaries, benefits and nearby housing.
- House Officer Wellness
  Wellness resources for residents and fellows include an assistance program and a private wellness lounge.
- Research
  We aim to facilitate house officers’ involvement in research in the areas of patient safety, quality improvement, healthcare disparities and education research.
- Salary and Benefits
  Paid vacation and professional leave, health insurance and meal allowances are just a few of the benefits residents receive in addition to their yearly salary.
- Contact Us
  Reach out to the Graduate Medical Education office for information about benefits, contracts, orientation or graduation.
Departments

— College of Medicine — Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences — Our Faculty — Iqbal Ahmad, PhD

Iqbal Ahmad, PhD

Professor, UNMC Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Associate dean, director, UNMC Office of Postdoctoral Education
Chair, UNMC Scientific Research Oversight Committee

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Iqbal Ahmad

Dr. Ahmad is a professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, who researches regenerative medicine in the retina to understand and advance treatments for blinding diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

He is an associate dean and director of UNMC postdoctoral education and research. He chairs the UNMC Scientific Research Oversight Committee. Dr. Ahmad is a standing member of an NIH study section (PED1).

Education

BS: Patna University, Patna, India
MS: Patna University, Patna, India
PhD: Kent State University, Kent, OH
Graduate Education: Cell and Molecular Biology, Kent State University, 1990
Postdoctoral Training: Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 1994

Research

Dr. Ahmad is a developmental neurobiologist studying stem cell regulation in the developing mammalian retina. He is using the emerging information on retinal stem cell biology toward following aims:

1. Ex-vivo stem cell approach to retinal degeneration: Transplantation of stem cell-derived retinal neurons to treat photoreceptor and retinal ganglion cell (RGCs) degeneration in animal models of RP/AMD and glaucoma.

2. Disease modeling: Generate human disease in a dish model of RP/AMD and glaucoma to understand the disease process in controlled conditions.

3. Therapeutic activation of endogenous retinal stem cells: Repairing the diseased retinal from within by pharmacological activation of dormant stem cells (=Muller glia)

Leadership

Board of Director, Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures