To wrap up our week of pediatric vitreoretinal surgery, we are delighted to welcome to the Retina Rounds Podcast Dr. Aaron Nagiel.  As many of you have seen through the videos he has shared with us, Dr. Nagiel is an extremely talented and innovative surgeon.  During this podcast we will get to learn more about Dr. Nagiel’s career path, what drew him to pediatric retina, his thoughts on the future of gene therapy, how to learn new skills as a surgeon, and his pearls as a medical educator.  Let’s check it out!

For our latest podcast, Retina Rounds welcomes Dr. Naresh Mandava, Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado.  Over the past 18 years under Dr. Mandava’s leadership, the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado has seen immense growth including the building of the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center and the expansion of their clinician-scientist faculty to being one of the largest and most innovative faculty in the country.  In this episode, Dr. Mandava talks about his roots and mentors and how they inspired him to build a culture of excellence and innovation in his department.  Dr. Mandava also provides many pearls to junior retina specialists on how they can reach their potential and deal with setbacks.  Let’s check it out!

In this week’s podcast, Dr. Steven Schwartz interviews Dr. Jack Wells, former Vice-Chair for the DRCR.net,  Ophthalmology Department Chair at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, managing member of Palmetto Retina Cdenter in Columbia South Carolina, and a leader in clinical trials.  Dr. Wells talks about his formative years under the mentorship of Tom Aaberg, Alan Bird and Zdenek Gregor, how he got involved in clinical trials and the professional satisfaction that participation in research has brought to his career.  He also reviews key learnings from the DRCR.net trials and tips he provides to fellows in training.  Let’s check it out!

In today's podcast, part of our "Giants in Retina" series, Dr. Steven Schwartz interviews Dr. Mark Blumenkranz.  Dr. Blumenkranz has been an innovator as a clinician, surgeon and department chair.  Known for many contributions in ophthalmology, Dr. Blumenkranz founded the retina fellowship training program at the Beaumont Eye Institute and was the guiding force behind the creation of the Byers Eye Institute while Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Stanford University.  In this interview, Dr. Blumenkranz discusses the difficult decisions he had to make as he navigated from academic medicine to private practice and back to academia, the process of building one of the top eye institutes in the country, and the impact that innovation can and should have on the lives of patients.  

In the latest episode of our "Giants in Retina" series, Steven Schwartz interviews Dr. David Parke.  Dr. Parke has been a leader in ophthalmology, academia and organized medicine having served as the President and CEO of the Dean McGee Eye Institute at the University of Oklahoma and the CEO of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr. Parke discusses his career path in ophthalmology, the guiding principles as a leader of an academic department and the initiatives he established while CEO of the AAO that served to strengthen our field and empower ophthalmologists.  The interview provides a unique perspective on how leadership within organized medicine and ophthalmology can help to advance the field!

For Podcast #2 in our "Giants in Retina" Series, Dr. Steven Schwartz interviews Dr. George Williams.  Dr. Williams is Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Director of the Beaumont Eye Institute in Royal Oak, Michigan.  He has served as past President of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and has been instrumental in shaping healthcare policy, benefiting numerous patients.  In addition, Dr. Williams is a leader in graduate medical education, having served as a mentor to countless residents and fellows.  In this episode, Dr. Williams talks about his personal professional journey, the values he looks for in choosing colleagues and trainees, the joys of training and learning from ophthalmologists around the globe and the role ophthalmologists can play in shaping healthcare policy.  It's an enlightening interview that highlights the importance of interpersonal relationships in our professional lives.

For the first episode in our podcast series, Retina Rounds podcast co-host, Steven Schwartz, MD interviews an innovator, surgical pioneer and one of the fathers of modern vitreoretinal surgery: Steve Charles, MD. Dr. Charles has developed many of the machines and tools we use every day in the operating room, which is one of the many reasons he received the Laureate Recognition Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology . In this interview, Dr. Charles talks about his path in ophthalmology, shares insights on the early days of developing a modern vitreoretinal surgical platform, and provides valuable clinical pearls for both comprehensive ophthalmologists and retina specialists. The interview is filled with many interesting stories and anecdotes, which you will love!