Are Your Patient Education Tools Putting You at Risk for Malpractice? 11/16/2009
When Jo Dewhirst came to the first ophthalmologist’s office in need of cataract removal and lens implant, she was immediately impressed by the thoroughness of the explanations he and his staff gave her. “I was given detailed instruction on how to prepare myself prior to surgery, the necessary arrangements that needed to be made and what I would need to have on hand at home after surgery,” Dewhirst says. “He also covered ‘what I should expect’ from the surgery and what expectations might be unrealistic.” If she had any additional questions, a surgery coordinator was able to fill in the gaps. While nervous, she felt totally mentally prepared for surgery; in fact, the education she received prior to the procedure was so detailed, she almost felt as if she had already gone through the process before the operation even began.
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One to One: David W. Parke, MD 11/16/2009
He chose medicine over dentistry so he wouldn’t have to put his fingers in people’s mouths and wound up in ophthalmology only through a mentor he never would have met if things had gone as planned. In an interview at the Joint Meeting in San Francisco, the father of the Academy’s CEO and EVP discusses the missteps, hard choices and disappointments that have nonetheless made for a very satisfying career.
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Volunteering Made Easy: Three Ways to Use Your Passions and Skills for Good 07/13/2009
I know that volunteering and a recession seem to make about as much sense as peanut butter and pickles (sorry Elvis), but this tenuous economic environment is the perfect time to get involved in volunteer work. And there are so many options for young ophthalmologists. No matter what your interests or specialty, there are programs that need your help at the local, national and international level. Let’s look at each of these opportunities in more detail.
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YO Spotlight: John P. Berdahl, MD 07/13/2009
For this month’s YO Spotlight, we talked to John P. Berdahl, MD, who just completed a fellowship in cornea, refractive surgery and glaucoma at Minnesota Eye Consultants. He came to our attention because of his work with EyeCare America and told us about a life-changing trip to Myanmar that he took right after finishing medical school.
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Do PhRMA Code Revisions Benefit the Patient? 06/15/2009
On Jan. 1, my Alcon pharmaceutical representative informed me that the company was no longer going to provide complimentary kits to patients after cataract surgery. These kits (which contain an eye shield, tape, sunglasses and drug samples of the physician’s choice) help organize patients after their cataract surgery and ensure they have the basic medication necessary to begin a proper recovery.
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Resident Perspective: What’s Next for the Academy — Twit-Book? 06/15/2009
What brought you to this article — was it the title? An attention-grabbing link in an email? Something that caught your interest while surfing aao.org? While you’ve probably already decided if you are going to skim the rest of this article, I ask you to please continue… We live in the Google age, where we are used to having everything we need available to us — right now. Some argue that we are no longer engaged in our surroundings, as we are able to check email and surf the Web with our smartphones at anytime. This is often perceived as a bad thing, but the Academy makes the proposal that this free access to information can actually strengthen the ophthalmology community.
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Big Decisions, Part 3: Combining Academics and Private Practice 05/11/2009
Last month, we explored the pros and cons of careers in both private practice and academics. This month, let’s consider a career that blends these two options: the hybrid model.
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One to One: Academy EVP and CEO David W. Parke II, MD 05/11/2009
David W. Parke II, MD, has been in Academy leadership for a while, but he recently took on his biggest role to date: executive vice president and CEO, succeeding H. Dunbar Hoskins Jr., MD. Dr. Parke talked with YO Info about his decision to leave Oklahoma's Dean McGee Eye Institute for the West Coast and what he sees on ophthalmology's horizon. With just over one month in his new role, he told us he's thankful no one has changed the locks!
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Big Decisions, Part 2: Private Practice or Academics? 04/13/2009
You’ve graduated from medical school, gone through your rotations, settled on ophthalmology, and possibly even made your decision about whether or not to do a fellowship. And, even with all of these decisions, you have yet another to make: do you go into private practice or enter the academic arena?
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Getting a U.S. Fellowship: Requirements for Foreign Medical Graduates 04/13/2009
Once you’ve decided to do a fellowship, the next question becomes where to do it. Fortunately, there are many wonderful learning opportunities and teaching hospitals in the United States — so many, in fact, that the United States has become a destination point for many international ophthalmologists looking to expand their knowledge base.
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Big Decisions, Part 1: Is a Fellowship for You? 03/16/2009
The question of getting a fellowship can be a tricky one. Do you need the additional training within the area of ophthalmology you want to practice? Will it give you an edge in a competitive market? Can you command a higher salary with a fellowship? For most people, the two immediate issues are cost and time.
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The ABCs of Fellowship Applications 03/16/2009
The first stop for most ophthalmology residents interested in a fellowship is SF Match. The San Francisco-based matching program has been coordinating the processing, distribution and review of post-graduate medical education applicants since 1977 and has processed more than 50,000 registered applicants worldwide.
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One-to-One with Michael W. Brennan, MD 01/12/2009
He’s a volunteer for the Defense and State Departments and a self-described “accidental doctor” who didn’t become a YO until his 40s. Meet Michael W. Brennan, MD, the Academy's 2009 president. In a YO Info exclusive, this fascinating ophthalmologist shares how his passion for exploration led to a group practice in Burlington, N.C., and leadership in his profession.
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A Few Good Resolutions: YO Info’s Editorial Board Members Share Their Plans for a Better 2009 01/12/2009
With the new year in full swing, we wondered what the new YO Info editorial board members had on their resolution list. Meet the new board and compare their diverse goals for 2009 with your own, then check out our list of recommended resources.
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YO Spotlight: Milan Shah, MD 11/24/2008
For this month's YO Spotlight, we talked to Milan Shah, MD, who first came to our attention for his involvement in the 2008 Mid-Year Forum and Congressional Advocacy Day, part of his participation in the Academy’s Advocacy Ambassador Program. He discussed his passion for advocacy, especially regarding scope-of-practice issues. Dr. Shah is currently in a vitreoretinal surgical fellowship at Indiana University.
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5 Ways to Jumpstart Your Career 10/20/2008
Are you entering practice or looking for a new position? Then the Professional Choices Job Fair — Sunday, Nov. 9, from 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. — is for you! Begun in 2003, the job fair returns this year as a convenient forum connecting hundreds of physicians seeking employment opportunities with representatives from more than 100 hiring practices. Best of all, it’s FREE for job seekers. Here’s how to get the most from your experience.
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Tricky Decisions: 7 Common Ethical Quandaries 10/15/2008
For young ophthalmologists and members-in-training, a formal discussion of professional ethical responsibilities is not likely to be a high priority. Rather, decisions about buying into a partnership, whether to obtain fellowship subspecialty training and whether or how to co-manage may be primary concerns. However, a successful career requires enhancing your understanding of professionalism and medical ethics. The following snapshots of core ethical issues are critical for ophthalmologists entering practice.
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One to One: Wesley Millican 09/15/2008
Wesley D. Millican, MBA, is the founder and CEO of CareerPhysician Advisors L.P., one of the nation’s leading providers of comprehensive career and business education resources to residents, fellows and training program directors. He is also founder and President of MillicanSolutions Inc., an executive search and consulting firm focused on strategic leadership initiatives for children’s hospitals nationally. Millican serves on the boards of the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship, Texas A&M University, as well as the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church.
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Did They Stay or Did They Go? Why YOs Keep or Leave Their First Jobs 09/15/2008
First jobs can be a bit like young love. We might optimistically hope that this is the start of a beautiful future, but things don’t always go as planned. Whereas theories may abound for failed love, however, less is known about why some first jobs result in long-term employment while others do not. To learn more about this, the Academy recently surveyed young ophthalmologists about their experiences.
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YO Spotlight: Diana Shiba, MD 07/17/2008
Diana Shiba, MD, is a resident at the University of California, San Diego, who has already been active in both California politics and the AMA. The following interview highlights Dr. Shiba’s philosophy about the practice of medicine, as well as her drive and dedication to preserve the sanctity of medicine for doctors and patients alike.
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Amazing Benefit of the O.N.E Network: Online Journals 07/17/2008
The benefits of the Ophthalmic News & Education (O.N.E.) Network are numerous. But one of our favorites is the free access to journals online. If you compare the cost of purchasing each individual journal to the cost of an annual membership to the Academy, you will quickly see the benefits of being an Academy member.
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From Past to Present: The Changing Demographics of Women in Medicine 06/20/2008
Despite ongoing challenges, there are currently more women in medicine than at any point in history. And, according to Ann M. Renucci, MD (a corneal and external disease specialist in Grand Rapids, Mich.), women continue to gain greater representation in academic medicine and in leadership positions.
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Words of Wisdom for New Graduates 06/18/2008
After the confetti has fallen and the congratulations have been extended comes the realization that you just graduated and are now embarking on a life in ophthalmology. It is usually about this time that the panic sets in. What are you supposed to do now?
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YOs in the Spotlight 05/21/2008
One of the many ways the Academy works to champion their members is by collaborating with the AMA to ensure ophthalmology’s interests are represented in the big house of medicine. This is key for ophthalmology, as our profession makes up just 3 percent of medicine. Therefore, it is imperative that ophthalmology has a seat at the "AMA table" with powerful voices.
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Getting the Most from the O.N.E. Network Search 05/21/2008
Searching for information on the Ophthalmic News & Education (O.N.E.) Network is easy and can be tailored to your needs. To help you navigate this incredibly useful program, we will highlight several ways to search for information.
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One to One: Cynthia Bradford, MD 03/21/2008
Cynthia Bradford, MD, is the Academy’s current Secretary for State Affairs. She is a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Oklahoma and practices at the Dean McGee Eye Institute.
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New Ophthalmic News & Education Network is the O.N.E. for You 02/22/2008
If you are not familiar with the new Ophthalmic News & Education Network (O.N.E.) then you are missing out on a fantastic FREE resource. After years of discussion about what members truly wanted and needed in an education resource center, the Academy has delivered a customized clinical education source that provides all of the functionality, targeted information and cutting-edge search technology any ophthalmologist could hope for.
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One to One: David W. Parke II 01/25/2008
Academy President David W. Parke II, MD, recounts his own experiences as a young ophthalmologist and what lead him to choose a life in academia. In addition to sharing his thoughts on the future of ophthalmology and medicine in general, he also talks about his role models and the effect they have had on his life and career.
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One to One: Charles P. Wilkinson 10/12/2007
Charles P. Wilkinson, MD, is the current president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is the chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, which is part of an integrated residency program with Wilmer Eye Institute. Dr. Wilkinson is also a professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
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Statistically Speaking 10/12/2007
After several months of intense preparation and gathering of opinions and data, we’ve compiled a fantastic look at the viewpoints of young ophthalmologists. Here’s what you and your colleagues had to say about the profession and practice of ophthalmology.
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YO Spotlight: Christopher Thiagarajah 10/12/2007
For this issue of YO Info, Leslie Jones, MD, nominated a very driven and enthusiastic fellow by the name of Christopher Thiagarajah, MD. Dr. Thiagarajah graduated from New York University and received his medical degree from and did his residency at Howard University. He completed his first fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology at the University of Cincinnati with Karl Golnick, MD, and is currently working on fellowship in ophthalmic plastics with Robert Kersten, MD, also at the University of Cincinnati.
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One to One: H. Dunbar Hoskins Jr. 06/13/2007
When I look back on my first few years in ophthalmology, I realize how many different opportunities there were, and how challenging it could be to navigate one's way through the options. As you embark on this amazing journey, I'd like provide a few beacons to help light your way. I'll share a few of my experiences, offer some insights, and then challenge you to live up to the integrity and responsibility of the degree you hold.
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Statistically Speaking 06/13/2007
Test your Academy knowledge. Did you know…
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YO Spotlight: Christopher Chambers 06/13/2007
For the premier issue of YO Info, it was strongly suggested by several of our colleagues to profile Christopher Chambers, MD. Dr. Chambers attended the University of Notre Dame and received his medical degree from Ohio State University. He is currently a first-year ophthalmology resident at Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit.
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Building Your Practice 04/18/2007
When meeting a patient for the first time, introduce yourself as "Doctor" and address them as "Mr." or "Mrs." Ask permission to call them by their first name. For instance, "Good Morning, Mr. Amsler" or "Do you prefer to be called Marc or Mr. Amsler?" Make a note of it in the chart.
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Jumping Into Your First Year of Practice? 07/13/2006
The first year of practice can be an overwhelming experience for even the most well adjusted physician. It can often mean moving to a new community, operating in a new O.R., working with new staff in a setting remarkably different than the typical university training program and making independent clinical judgments alone, perhaps for the first time. All these new experiences can make for a stressful year. However, a logical approach to entering practice may make the experience more pleasant. Here are some ways to help soften the fall. |
