William M. Watkins Jr., MD
Specialties: Ophthalmology, Cataract Surgery
Gender: Male
Biography: William Watkins, M.D., Associate Professor, is a board-certified surgeon in Comprehensive Ophthalmology. Dr. Watkins is a native of Jackson, MS, and after graduating from Mississippi College with a biology major, he attended medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). After graduation, Dr. Watkins completed a General Surgery internship, also at UMMC, and then pursued his residency training in Ophthalmology at Vanderbilt University. While at Vanderbilt, Dr. Watkins served as chief resident in Ophthalmology and was recognized with the Vanderbilt Eye Institute Benchmark Award for Residence Excellence. After completing his residency training, Dr. Watkins began his ophthalmology practice at UMMC in 2013 and has served here throughout his career. As part of his UMMC service, Dr. Watkins was medical student educator from 2015 through 2018 and most recently became the Ophthalmology Residency Program Director in 2018.
Dr. Watkin’s wife is an attorney in Jackson and together they have one daughter.
Practice Locations
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1
Lakeland Medical - UMMC
764 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS 39216 View Location |
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2
Grants Ferry - UMMC
1010 Lakeland Place, Flowood, MS 39232 View Location |
Accepted Insurance Plans
The University of Mississippi Medical Center accepts all plans, but may not be an in-network provider with your plan. We encourage you to contact your insurer and ask if the plan is in network with UMMC. Always contact your insurance carrier for specific coverage information.
*Note: Grenada and Holmes County locations have different payor contracts. Oral Surgeons are considered in-network to the medical health plans listed below NOT dental.
Jackson and Madison
Medicare health insurance plans
- Devoted Health
- Humana Medicare Advantage
- Medicare - Fee For Service
- Railroad Medicare - Fee for Service
- Shared Health Mississippi
- United Healthcare
- Vantage Health Plan - Medicare Advantage
- Wellcare - Medicare Advantage
Medicaid health plans
- Mississippi Medicaid
- MS CAN - Magnolia Health Plan, Molina HealthCare, MS TrueCare
- Medicaid MS CHIP - Molina MS CHIP and Magnolia Health Plan
Dental plans
- Always Care
- Medicaid
- MS CAN - Magnolia Health Plan, Molina HealthCare, United Healthcare
- Ambetter - Magnolia Health Plan
Commercial, Marketplace and other health plans
- Always Care - Dental & Vision
- Avesis (Molina)
- Aetna Health Management (excludes UMMC Madison)
- Ambetter - Magnolia Health Plan
- American Life Care - PHCS/Multiplan
- Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi
- Cenpatico - Behavioral Health
- Cigna PPO and Behavioral Health (excludes transplants)
- Corvel Healthcare Corp
- First Choice Health Plan - includes Humana PPO Commercial, but not Humana Medicare Advantage
- First Health Network/Coventry - Aetna
- Government Employees Health Insurance Association (GEHA) - United Healthcare
- Hattiesburg Clinic Professional Association - MPCN
- Interlink Health Services - Transplant Services
- LifeTrac - Transplant Services
- Mississippi Department of Rehab Services (MDRS)
- Mississippi Health Partners (MHP) - Family Medicine Only
- Mississippi Physicians Care Network (MPCN)
- Mississippi State Hospital
- Mississippi State and School Employees' Health Insurance Plan (AHS Network administered by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi)
- Multiplan - PHCS/American Life Care
- North Mississippi Health Link
- OptumHealth Care Solutions, Inc. - Transplant Services
- OptumHealth VA CCN
- PPO Plus, LLC/Zelis/Stratose
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- Tricare
- United Healthcare - PPO Commercial, CHIP, MSCAN, Behavioral Health
- Vantage Health Plan - Commercial, PPACA Plan and Medicare Advantage Plan
- Veterans Administration
Education
| Board Certification: | Ophthalmology |
| Fellowship: | University of Mississippi Medical Center |
| Graduate School: | Vanderbilt University Medical Center |
| Internship: | University of Mississippi Medical Center |
| Medical Education: | University of Mississippi Medical Center |
| Residency: | Vanderbilt University Medical Center |
Experience
Current Positions
| Associate Professor, School of Medicine, UMMC, Jackson, MS 39216 | 05/2017 - Present |
Specialty Certification Licensure
| Certification, American Board of Ophthalmology | 08/2014 - 08/2024 |
| Licensure, Medical Licensure, State of Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure | 07/2013 - Present |
Honors, Awards, and Recognition
| Vanderbilt Eye Institute Benchmark Award for Resident Excellence, Vanderbilt Eye Institute | 2013 |
| Ophthalmology Chief Resident of Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt Eye Institute | 2012 |