Rohit Varma, MD, MPH, has been elected president of the clinical chairs of the Keck School of Medicine, a position that also serves as president of USC Care Medical Group, Keck Medicine of USC leaders announced recently.

“The role of the USC Care president is critical to achieving a high caliber, thriving physician practice within the Keck Medical Center of USC,” said Tom Jackiewicz, MPH, senior vice president and CEO of Keck Medicine. “As president, Dr. Varma will coalesce the achievements of our practice into the greater University of Southern California academic and research communities, and collaborate with leadership across the health care enterprise.”

His appointment is in effect until June 30, 2017.

Varma is an internationally recognized clinician and scientist recognized as a visionary leader in the epidemiology of eye diseases. He holds the Grace and Emery Beardsley Chair in Ophthalmology, serves as chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, is professor of ophthalmology and preventive medicine and is director of the USC Eye Institute. He earned his medical degree at the University of Delhi, India and a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his residency in ophthalmology from The Johns Hopkins Hospital and a fellowship in glaucoma at USC. Before becoming chair of the USC Department of Ophthalmology, Varma served as chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Associate Dean for Strategic Planning at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago.

He also is author to more than 247 publications in various peer reviewed ophthalmic journals and co-author of two ophthalmic books.

Varma succeeds John Niparko, MD, professor and chair of the USC Tina and Rick Caruso Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Niparko served as the president of USC Care for more than two years, bringing stability to the medical group and health enterprise during a time of exciting changes. Niparko moves into the role of past president of the Council of Clinical Chairs and will continue to play a role in the leadership of the medical group and clinical enterprise alongside Varma.