Diplomate Digest - The American Board of Ophthalmology Blog

The American Board of Ophthalmology is collecting stories for an ABO-led series in the Morning Rounds section of the American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeNet magazine. If you have a story you think would help illustrate the importance of patient safety protocols, the ABO is presently collecting anonymized cases. Each story of 1,500 words or fewer adheres to a template that includes the following elements: Case Summary Brief case description with key details, including: Expl

After 25 years in ophthalmology, busy Oregon-based glaucoma specialist J. Kevin McKinney, MD, had seen it all. But it was something the American Board of Ophthalmology diplomate didn’t see that troubled him — enough data on patients who could be at risk for retinal damage after taking hydroxychloroquine. So, with his team at Eye Health Northwest, Dr. McKinney set out to develop ways to better identify and monitor patients considered high-risk for retinal toxicity. To start, D

Congratulations to the following American Board of Ophthalmology diplomates who were honored by the American Academy of Ophthalmology last month during AAO 2019 in San Francisco: Special Recognition Award: William L. Rich III, MD Dr. Rich's long and distinguished service for the Academy includes major contributions in advocacy, practice management and quality of care measurements for ophthalmologists. Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award: David F. Chang, MD and Graham E. Qu

American Board of Ophthalmology Director Steven Gedde, MD, was tapped into Iron Arrow this month at a traditional tapping ceremony. Iron Arrow is the University of Miami’s highest honor society. Based on Seminole Indian tradition, Iron Arrow recognizes those in the university community who exemplify the qualities of leadership, character, humility, scholarship, and love of alma mater. A glaucoma specialist, Dr. Gedde is Bascom Palmer’s vice chair of education and the residenc

The American Board of Ophthalmology congratulates the following diplomates who were elected to membership of the National Academy of Medicine in 2019. Election to the National Academy of Medicine is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Anthony P. Adamis, MD, senior vice president, development innovation, Genentech/Roche; and lec

American Board of Ophthalmology Diplomate J. Kevin McKinney, MD, will receive the annual John G. Clarkson Award for Quality Improvement at the 2019 American Academy of Ophthalmology Meeting in San Francisco. Dr. McKinney, a glaucoma specialist and comprehensive ophthalmologist at Eye Health Northwest in Portland, OR, will be honored during the MOC Learning Lounge on Monday, October 14 at 4:00 PM for his successful project to improve documentation for patients taking chloroqui

Congratulations to American Board of Ophthalmology diplomates Allen C. Ho, MD, of Wills Eye Hospital, who recently became President of the Retina Society, and David I. Silbert, who was elected President of the Pennsylvania Academy of Ophthalmology. #professionalachievement #professionalism #diplomates

The National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) has named American Board of Ophthalmology Diplomate Anne L. Coleman, MD, PhD, as the recipient of the fifth annual Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children's Vision Award. The award recognizes significant efforts to improve children's vision and eye health at the state or national level and will be presented at the NCCVEH Annual Meeting on Sept. 14, 2019, in Baltimore, Md. Dr. Coleman is the

The American Board of Ophthalmology sends its congratulations and best wishes to the diplomates listed below who recently assumed the top leadership roles within their state societies and professional organizations: Jeremy K. Jones, MD, President, Georgia Society of Ophthalmology James J. Brown, MD, President, Mississippi Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons Neil T. Choplin, MD, President, International Joint Commission on Allied Health Professionals in Ophthalmology #profe

The American Board of Ophthalmology congratulates the following diplomates, including current and former Directors, on the receipt of the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Life Achievement Honor Award. Recipients must have earned 60 AAO points and made significant contributions to the profession. Cynthia A. Bradford, MD William J. Fishkind, MD Evangelos S. Gragoudas, MD Sadeer B. Hannush, MD Douglas A. Jabs, MD A. John Kanellopoulos, MD Don O. Kikkawa, MD, ABO Director Dani

The American Board of Ophthalmology will once again host a Learning Lounge during the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Annual Meeting, open to any diplomate interested in learning more about maintaining certification. Led by CEO George B. Bartley, MD, and MOC Committee Chair Andreas K. Lauer, MD, along with staff and directors of the ABO, the session will walk attendees through the updates and improvements to the recertification process, including the elimination of the 10

Diplomate Pankaj G. Shah, MD, reminded patients about the importance of choosing a board-certified ophthalmologist in a recent newspaper article. Diplomate and Examiner Tamara R. Fountain, MD, has been nominated as president-elect of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Diplomate, Examiner, and Exam Development Volunteer Joan M. O’Brien, MD, was awarded the Retina Research Foundation Pyron Award by the American Society of Retina Specialists. The award is represented to outs

At the June 2019 Oral Examination in Rosemont, IL, two longtime American Board of Ophthalmology examiners reached the 20-examination milestone: John Welch, MD, of Hastings, NE, has been an examiner for the ABO since 1995. Dr. Welch has mentored nine new examiners and assisted with oral examination content development. Dr. Welch, who practices at Retina Center of Nebraska, earned a medical degree from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and went on to complete his i

In the July 2019 edition of the American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeNet magazine, American Board of Ophthalmology diplomate Tamara Fountain, MD, with co-author and ABO Emeritus Director Philip L. Custer, MD, explore the root cause of a surgical oversight (note: AAO login required). Edited by ABO Director Jane Bailey, MD, the article is part of an ABO-led series for the Morning Rounds section of the magazine. If you have a story you think would help illustrate the importanc

The American Board of Ophthalmology congratulates diplomate Jerry A. Shields, MD, who was presented with the 2019 Lucien Howe Medal from the American Ophthalmological Society during the organization's Annual Meeting in May. Dr. Shields is Founder and Director Emeritus of the Wills Eye Hospital Ocular Oncology Service and Professor of Ophthalmology at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He was selected for the award in recognition

American Board of Ophthalmology Diplomate Peter Blackburn, MD was recently presented with the Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons’ (KAEPS) Ophthalmologist of the Year award. The Ophthalmologist of the Year award is granted to a physician who has made outstanding contributions to KAEPS and made strides to significantly enhance the profession of ophthalmology. Dr. Blackburn is associate professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics in the University of Kentucky College

The American Board of Ophthalmology thanks the diplomates listed below for volunteering to examine candidates at the June 7-9 Oral Examination in Rosemont, IL. Examiners are diplomates selected by the ABO to help develop and administer the Oral Examination. Examiners are selected based on a strict ABO evaluation and a strong commitment to providing quality ophthalmic care. The ABO is grateful to the many current Examiners who assist in the examination process and who do so wi

The American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) is pleased to announce the availability of new options for earning Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part IV credit. Through continued collaboration with the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the ABO has added two AAO-sponsored online learning activities to the Improvement in Medical Practice Menu. Selecting and completing one of these activities will satisfy one ABO MOC Part IV activity requirement. The available AAO activiti

Congratulations to American Board of Ophthalmology Diplomate Lawrence Najarian, MD, of Bedminster, NJ, who received the 2019 Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Awarded annually to distinguished citizens who exemplify a life dedicated to community service and extraordinary accomplishments in their field, Dr. Najarian was one of 94 medalists recognized this year. In a May 11 ceremony held inside Ellis Island’s historic Great Hall, the original registry room and gateway for 12 million

American Board of Ophthalmology Vice Chair Lanning B. Kline, MD, was featured as the North-American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society's (NANOS) "Hero of the Month." In the interview, Dr. Kline was asked about the most important things he'd learned in fellowship along with the top three things he'd learned within the last five years of his practice. Dr. Kline cited "listening to the patient," as the most significant clinical pearl he'd heard during his training. Today, he explained,