by Satina Richardson
Leah Grant, OD, has joined the UAB School of Optometry as an assistant professor. After completing a residency in pediatric optometry at the school in 2026, she chose to remain at UAB, where the experience reinforced her commitment to optometric education.
A native of Boutte, Louisiana, Grant earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from Southern College of Optometry in 2025.
“Even before optometry school, I always was interested in learning and becoming an educator,” she said. “I found immense joy from helping others have an ‘Aha!’ moment, whether that be peers, students, or mentees. I was extremely excited when I learned during my first year of optometry school that academia was a way to merge the two careers I wanted to pursue!”
Her residency kept her on the path to academia, proving to be everything she imagined it would be and more.
“Residency allowed me to develop tremendously in a short amount of time as a clinician, public speaker, educator and overall person,” she said. “I was able to see from all perspectives what being an optometric educator is like and how big of an impact you can make.”
Grant carries several lessons from her optometry school and residency experiences into her new role. Those experiences form the foundation of the teaching philosophy she hopes to develop throughout her career, including lessons she believes will help shape students’ careers long into the future.
“My greatest lessons I hope to take with me as an educator involve lifelong learning, patient-centered care and confidence as a clinician,” she said. “I want students to approach patient care with compassion and empathy and see patients as more than a problem to be solved. There is so much value found in connecting with patients on a deeper level to ensure they are heard.”
She hopes to foster confidence and create an environment where students feel safe asking questions, making mistakes and learning from them.
At the school, Grant will continue specializing in pediatric optometry, a patient population she developed a passion for while in optometry school.
“Pediatrics is a unique population that requires specialized care to ensure early detection of developmental issues,” she said. “I may be biased, but they are the most entertaining and funny patients an optometrist could wish for. Pediatrics allows me to be challenged every day but have a fun time doing it!”
Alongside her faculty appointment and clinical responsibilities in UAB Eye Care, Grant plans to earn a Master of Public Health degree. She is already contributing to multiple clinical research studies at UAB Optometry.
“I am most excited about continuing to learn and teach, as nerdy as that sounds,” she said. “Being an educator means continued exposure to critical thinking and communication with students. It also requires commitment to lifelong learning in order to be an effective educator. I am excited to see students develop into amazing clinicians, and eventually colleagues.”