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 (except HMO)
- Vantage Health Plan - Medicare Advantage
- Wellcare - Medicare Advantage
Medicaid health plans
- Mississippi Medicaid Fee for Service
- MS CAN Plans: Magnolia, Molina, TrueCare
- MS CHIP: Magnolia, Molina, TrueCare
Dental plans
- Always Care
- Avesis
- Medicaid Fee for Service
- MS CAN: Magnolia Health Plan, Molina HealthCare, TrueCare
- Ambetter
- Unum
Vision plans
- EyeMed
- First Look
- March Vision
Commercial, Marketplace and other health plans
- Aetna Health Management (excludes UMMC Madison)
- Ambetter
- American Life Care - PHCS/Multiplan
- Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi
- BCBS Federal
- Celtic (Transplants)
- Cigna PPO (excludes transplants; excludes UMMC Madison)
- Corvel Healthcare Corp (Workers Comp.)
- 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
- Interlink Health Services (Transplant)
- LifeTrac (Transplant)
- Mississippi Department of Rehab Services (MDRS)
- Mississippi Physicians Care Network (MPCN)
- 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)
- OptumHealth VA CCN
- PPO Plus, LLC/Zelis/Stratose
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- Tricare
- United Healthcare: PPO Commercial (excludes HMO)
- Vantage Health Plan: Commercial, PPACA Plan
- Veterans Administration
Behavioral health plans
- United Behavioral Health
- Cigna Behavioral Health
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 |