#professionalachievement

Oct 23, 2018
2 min

SACME Spotlight: Try This Virtual Patient Case for Orbital Fracture Following Eye Surgery

An 80-year-old man arrives at the ER complaining of blurred vision, just one week after routine cataract surgery. What happens next is up to you in this Virtual Patient Case co-created by the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). This free online activity, approved for .25 AMA PRA Category 1™ credits, is designed to provide non-geriatrician specialists with guidance on best practices in the care of older adults. This specific

Oct 18, 2018
1 min

What Do You Need to Know From the Past Year's Literature? Find Out at AAO18

Please mark your calendars and join us for the co-sponsored AOS/ABO Symposium at AAO 2018 in Chicago. Advances in ophthalmic research and practice occur rapidly, making it difficult for busy ophthalmologists to keep abreast of important advances outside of their subspecialty. This symposium will highlight a compendium of key journal articles and discoveries published or presented during the previous year in a cross-section of subspecialties, with analysis and commentary by

Oct 10, 2018
2 min

Dr. Martha Wright Receives American Board of Ophthalmology's Goldfeller Volunteer Service Award

On October 5, 2018, the American Board of Ophthalmology recognized the extraordinary dedication of diplomate Martha M. Wright, MD, of Minneapolis, who has served as an Examiner at 20 Oral Examinations. For her long record of service, she was presented with the ABO’s Goldfeller Award. Dr. Wright became an Examiner for the first time in 2001 and has participated in exam development every year since 2013. (Dr. Wright is pictured with ABO Chair Dale Heuer, MD.) Dr. Wright is a pr

Oct 9, 2018
2 min

ABMS Releases Certification Report

More than 880,000 physicians in the United States are board certified; California, New York, and Texas are the states with the largest number of active physician certificates; and Neurological Care is the newest approved subspecialty certification. These are just a sampling of facts and statistics found in the latest ABMS Board Certification Report released by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). (The American Board of Ophthalmology is one of 24 Member Boards of

Sep 13, 2018
2 min

Tennessee Diplomate to be Honored with ABO’s Clarkson Quality Improvement Award at AAO 2018

When cornea specialist Sahar Kohanim, MD, MPH, noticed a high number of patients experiencing severe corneal ulcers due to exposure keratopathy in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) she set out to make changes. Collaborating with residents and medical students, she designed an Improvement in Medical Practice project for Maintenance of Certification to quantify and reduce the incidence of exposure keratopathy-related corneal ulceration. “Exposure keratopathy is completely preventab

Aug 19, 2018
1 min

Honoring Pioneering Women in Ophthalmology's History

American Board of Ophthalmology CEO George B. Bartley, M.D. recently gave a talk on the history of women associated with the ABO at the 2018 Women in Ophthalmology Summer Symposium in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. The talk honored their pioneering spirits and enduring legacies as the earliest and most influential women linked to board certification in ophthalmology. Dr. Bartley's presentation included information about: Ophthalmologist and researcher Laura A. Lane, M.D., first woman

Aug 1, 2018
1 min

Observer Calls Oral Examination a "Model of Professionalism"

Ophthalmology Times recently published a guest editorial by James Lifton, MBA, a public member of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Board of Trustees who observed the American Board of Ophthalmology's June Oral Examination. In the editorial, which summarized his experience at the examination and his perceptions of the process, Lifton wrote that the Oral Examination, "offers a model of professionalism to ophthalmologists, most just beginning their careers...[p]h

Jul 26, 2018
2 min

How the ABO Reports Your Certification Status

A recent American Academy of Ophthalmology Advisory Recommendation requested that the American Board of Ophthalmology modify its public reporting to include the dates of initial ABO certification in addition to whether a diplomate is participating in Maintenance of Certification. Actually, the ABO has been reporting such information for several years with the goal of helping patients make informed decisions when choosing a doctor. Reporting Certification Status: How it Works

Jul 23, 2018
1 min

From Jackson to the Journal: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of AJO

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, American Board of Ophthalmology Chief Executive Officer George B. Bartley, M.D., traced the interwoven heritage of the “yellow journal” and the nation’s first medical specialty certification board. According to Bartley’s essay, prominent turn-of-the-century ophthalmologist Edward Jackson, M.D., not only served as the “founding father” of the ABO in the early 1900s, he played a seminal role in th

Jul 9, 2018
6 min

Congratulations and Welcome to Our Newest Diplomates

The American Board of Ophthalmology diplomate community officially grew 287 members stronger today. Please join us in congratulating the following newly board-certified ophthalmologists on their professional achievement in having recently passed both the Written Qualifying Examination (WQE) and Oral Examination. -A- Salwa Abdel-Aziz, M.D., Tucson, AZ Lilit Ablabutyan, M.D., Glendale, CA Ashley Abraham, M.D., Plano, TX Usiwoma Abugo, M.D., Abingdon, MD Negin Agange, M.D., San

Jul 5, 2018
4 min

Nine Trailblazers Who Championed Ophthalmology’s Independence in Medicine

The founding Directors of the American Board of Ophthalmology included some of the most prominent ophthalmologists of the day. Directors, who believed in setting high standards for the protection of the profession and the public, represented each of the three founding organizations: the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, the American Ophthalmological Society, and the Section on Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association. The nine original directors o

Jul 2, 2018
1 min

New Directors Set to Join the ABO in 2019

At its June meeting, the American Board of Ophthalmology voted to invite Chris V. Albanis, M.D., and Bennie H. Jeng, M.D., to join the Board of Directors in 2019. Dr. Albanis is a Managing Partner at Arbor Centers for EyeCare, a Clinical Associate at the University of Chicago, and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Chicago, where she practices comprehensive ophthalmology. Dr. Albanis has held numerous leadership posts with the Illino

Jun 28, 2018
1 min

ABO Diplomate Joan Miller, M.D., Receives 2018 Lucien Howe Medal from AOS

The American Board of Ophthalmology congratulates diplomate Joan Miller, M.D., who received the 2018 American Ophthalmological Society's (AOS) Lucien Howe Medal for her scientific and service contributions to ophthalmology and medicine. Dr. Miller is the David Glendenning Cogan professor at Harvard Medical School as well as the chair of ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. #professionalachievement #professionalism #diplomate

May 4, 2018
1 min

Emeritus Director Receives Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology Service Award

The ABO extends its congratulations to Emeritus Director J. Douglas Cameron, M.D., MBA, who will receive the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology's 2018 Budd Appleton, M.D., Award for Service to Ophthalmology. The Appleton Award is presented to a member of the Minnesota Academy who has performed the greatest service to the field of ophthalmology through patient care, public education, and political advocacy. Dr. Cameron holds the titles of Director of Research and Professor in

May 3, 2018
1 min

Congratulations to ABO Diplomate Thomas Samuelson, M.D., New ASCRS President

The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery recently named Thomas W. Samuelson, M.D., of Minnesota, as its new president. A diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology, Dr. Samuelson is the current vice president of ASCRS and the OSN Glaucoma Section Editor. He specializes in the treatment of glaucoma and anterior segment disorders. The ABO extends its congratulations to Dr. Samuelson on this appointment. #professionalachievement #diplomates #professionalism

Apr 30, 2018
8 min

Thank You to All Our Volunteers

National Volunteer Month is a perfect time to spotlight the hard work of board-certified ophthalmologists around the country who advance excellence in ophthalmology by giving generously of their time and expertise. Each year, hundreds of busy clinicians write and review questions and content for ABO examinations and Quarterly Questions, set rigorous standards for achievement in ophthalmology, and enable the successful administration of oral examinations. Here are the members

Apr 28, 2018
1 min

Clinician Well-Being Resources

As a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties community, ABO diplomates can access a new selection of physician well-being resources through the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). The Clinician Well-Being Knowledge Hub provides clinicians and health system leaders with valuable resources to combat clinician burnout in their professional and personal lives. According to research, burnout is nearly twice as prevalent among physicians as compared to US workers

Apr 27, 2018
2 min

Retiring? Changing Careers? There’s a Certification Status for That

If you’re considering retirement or your daily responsibilities have shifted away from direct patient care, there’s no reason to give up your hard-earned American Board of Ophthalmology certification. Consider the following options: No Longer Practicing Clinical Ophthalmology Diplomates employed in research, administration, or academia, who no longer engage in direct ophthalmic patient care, may designate themselves as Clinically Inactive. The Clinically Inactive Status optio

Feb 6, 2018
2 min

Article-Based Learning and Assessment in Quarterly Questions

“Must-read” articles from the peer-reviewed literature play a pivotal role in the American Board of Ophthalmology’s (ABO) Quarterly Questions assessment program. Launched in 2017, the program measures “walking around knowledge” based on the things ophthalmologists see and do every day before challenging participants to use recent journal articles to build new practice-related knowledge. Each year, participants answer 40 knowledge-based questions and 10 article-based questions

Jan 29, 2018
1 min

New Directory Makes it Easy to Locate CME and SACME Opportunities

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) launched a new Continuing Certification Directory this month. The site hosts CME opportunities that have been approved by one or more ABMS Member Boards for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credit, including the American Board of Ophthalmology. The ABMS Continuing Certification Directory provides access to high quality, practice-relevant, accredited CME activities. You can easily browse activities that the ABO has approved fo