Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to bring important and hopefully thought provoking conversations through the sight for site eyes podcast highlighting the world of DEI in ophthalmology. I’ve also been able to highlight the unique field of Neuro-ophthalmology through the out of the Blindspot podcast. I’m particularly excited for the conversation that will be featured in the next couple of episodes in the first of its kind cross over event for the two podcasts I produce. That’s because I had the incredible opportunity to speak with Dr. Stephen McLeod, the chief executive officer of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr. McLeod is an extremely accomplished leader of leaders who brings an inspiring perspective from his many years of leadership service at all levels of academia and within the American academy of Ophthalmology.

We spoke about his paths to ophthalmology and leadership, and his leadership philosophy and style. We also spoke about what the CEO of the academy does and what DEI means to him and its importance to the academy and its mission. Finally I had the opportunity to ask him what the academy is doing to support my field of neuro-ophthalmology and the other cognitive specialties of ophthalmology that are at risk of becoming severely undermanned if actions are not taken to address their pipeline and retention issues.

Dr. Stephen McLeod

AAO Staff Leadership

In our last episode, we began a series on the North American Neuro-ophthalmology society or NANOS, the largest organization in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the field of Neuro-ophthalmology. In this episode, we speak with Drs. Kathleen Digre and Larry Frohman about the history of NANOS and how its legacy has been intimately intertwined with the development of the field of Neuro-ophthalmology as we approach the 50th anniversary of the organization. Their multiple and invaluable contributions to NANOS from its early days have helped form and grow it into the amazing organization and resource that it has become today.

Dr. Kathleen Digre

Dr. Larry Frohman 

History of NANOS

NOVEL

Susan Carlow

History of the Walsh Society

Today, we begin a series featuring the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS), the largest organization in the world dedicated to supporting and promoting the field of neuro-ophthalmology.

In the first episode of the series we’ll speak to Drs. Prem Subramanian and Peter Quiros, the current and immediate future presidents of NANOS to learn about what NANOS is, what it does, and their vision for the organization moving forward.

nanosweb.org

Find a Neuro-ophthalmologist

Patient Information 

Journal of Neuro-ophthalmology

In the last episode we began a conversation with Dr. Jane Edmond, a unicorn of sorts with unique life experiences and achievements at the crossroads of neuro-ophthalmology and leadership that set her apart. These include being a super specialized pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist and the inaugural and current chair of the Mitchell and Shannon Wong Eye Institute at UT Austin’s Dell Medical school and  the president elect of the American Academy of ophthalmology to begin her tenure in January 2024. We learned about her pathway to leadership, and some great ideas about how to use her platform as the next president of AAO to support her passions for the cognitive specialties of ophthalmology and to address health disparities and inequities in ophthalmology.

In this of episode we focus more on Dr. Edmond’s leadership experiences. What motivates her as a leader, her style of leadership that sets her apart, and her advice for the next generation of ophthalmologists.

 Jane Edmond, MD - https://dellmed.utexas.edu/directory/jane-c-edmond

2023 AAO President-Elect Nominee: Jane C. Edmond, MD

What is a Unicorn? Do you think of a horse-like mythical beast with magical powers and a single ribbon-like horn protruding from its forehead? While true mytholoigcal unicorns likely don't exist, a unicorn is that rare individual with a unique set of skills, abilities, characteristics, and achievements that sets them apart from the rest. Joining me today is one such individual. Dr. Jane Edmond. She is a pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist and also the past president of AAPOS the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, the inaugural chair of the Mitchell and Shannon Wong Eye Institute at UT Austin’s Dell Medical School, and the President Elect of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, to begin her tenure in 2024.

In the next two episodes of OOTBS we explore the intersection of neuro-ophthalmology and leadership through Dr. Edmond’s life and experiences. How did someone who did not originally set out to be a leader and had no formal leadership training achieve this level of successful and sustained organizational leadership and how can her experience help her subspecialty fields of ophthalmology? Stay tuned to find out what happens when you take the experiences that life gives you, the expected and unexpected, the good and the bad and make the absolute most out of it. 
 
 Jane Edmond, MD - https://dellmed.utexas.edu/directory/jane-c-edmond

2023 AAO President-Elect Nominee: Jane C. Edmond, MD

In the first part of this episode we began a conversation with Drs. Larry Frohman and Prem Subramanian, who are neuro-ophthalmologists with unique and substantial leadership backgrounds and experience with NANOS and the AAO that make them uniquely poised to speak about about the pipeline, work force, and compensation issues that Neuro-ophthalmology has been facing for some time.  In this episode we continue our conversation, taking a deep dive into the value that neuro-ophthalmology brings to medicine, patients and our communities.

Larry Frohman, MD - https://njms.rutgers.edu/departments/ophthalmology/frohman.php

Prem Subramanian, MD - https://som.cuanschutz.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/23271

Mismatch in Supply and Demand for Neuro-Ophthalmic Care

In this episode of OOTBS we begin a 2 part series asking  "What is the value of neuro-ophthalmology?" To answer this question, I speak with Drs. Larry Frohman and Prem Subramanian. Both are world renowned and accomplished neuro-ophthalmologists who have also been on the front lines at both the societal and national levels, championing the value of Neuro-ophthalmology through their leadership and advocacy efforts. I learn a lot through our conversation and I think you will too.

Larry Frohman, MD - https://njms.rutgers.edu/departments/ophthalmology/frohman.php

Prem Subramanian, MD - https://som.cuanschutz.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/23271

In this episode, I speak to Drs. Courtney Francis and Aimee Szewka. Together, they are the co-chairs of the Pipeline committee of the North American Neuro-ophthalmology society or NANOS, the professional organization of neuro-ophthalmology on this continent. Together, they lead a committee tasked with determining and addressing many of the reasons young trainees choose not to pursue a career in neuro-ophthalmology and dispel myths and misunderstandings about our specialty. They are passionate about this important work and the field of neuro-ophthalmology and it definitely came through during our conversation.

Courtney Francis, MD - https://ophthalmology.washington.edu/faculty/courtney-francis-md

Aimee Szewka, MD - https://doctors.rush.edu/details/919

In this first episode of OOTBS, we will be getting right at the heart of the matter. Exploring the specialty of  neuro-ophthalmology and why it is such a unique and wonderful field of medicine.