Gustavo Costa Munguba, MD

As a senior in high school, I enjoyed taking classes relevant to the medical field and thought my contribution to medicine would take place inside the ambulance as an emergency medical technician. Midway through the first semester my sports medicine teacher encouraged me to apply to universities as an alternative to community college, where more career options within medicine and science would be available and I listened. Having had a job since the 8th grade, I knew that I would need a job to supplement my living expenses.

My commitment to ophthalmology began as a simple undergraduate job, which has developed into a fulfilling and rewarding professional career. In order to supplement my academic scholarship, I sought out an entry level position in a cell biology research laboratory. This opportunity afforded me a glimpse into the intricacies of human biology and my curiosity was piqued. The lab quickly became the place where I would spend most of my time as an undergraduate student – working, learning, and eventually publishing my work in academic journals and presenting at national conferences propelling my pursuit of training in an M.D./Ph.D. combined program.              

Shortly after matriculating at the University of Miami’s Medical Scientist Training Program, I immediately identified a vision research laboratory at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute where I obtained my Ph.D degree in Neuroscience. My doctorate thesis work involved applying microsurgical techniques to simulate optic nerve, utilizing state of the art imaging and molecular techniques to better understand pathophysiology in ocular disease. This work has been recognized with awards such as the National Eye Institute’s individual NRSA F-31 fellowship, the Society for Neuroscience Neuroscience-Scholars fellowship, a Fight for Sight Foundation summer fellowship, among other awards.         

I appreciate the logic behind the diagnostic and treatment approaches in ophthalmology and the years I have spent training as a scientist have prepared me to approach critical questions in the ophthalmic clinic and operating room with a unique perspective. After graduating from both graduate and medical school, I did a general surgery internship at JFK hospital and attended Case Western Reserve University for my formal Ophthalmology clinical training at the University Hospitals Eye Institute. Training in a level 1 trauma center ensured me exposure to every facet of clinical and surgical ophthalmology. After many years training all over the country, I have brought my family to where I grew up and intend on raising my children while serving Central Florida through cutting edge evidence based ophthalmic care.