Dr. Phillips received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his medical degree from State University of New York Stony Brook College of Medicine. He completed an internship program at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and his ophthalmology residency program at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Phillips then completed a neuro-ophthalmology fellowship program under the tutelage of Dr. Arthur H. Wolintz, former ophthalmology professor and department chair at SUNY Downstate.
Dr. Phillips earned the respect and admiration of peers and patients alike as an early adopter of the no-stitch and no-needle cataract surgery technique, which shortens recovery time and allows patients to resume work and other activities more quickly after surgery. Dr. Phillips was also an early proponent of multifocal and accommodating lenses, which enable patients to see clearly at all distances after cataract surgery without glasses or contacts.