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 the creation and early success of the AJO’s Third Series. Along with his numerous other contributions to the profession, Jackson was intensely motivated by serving patients. Bartley wrote:
“Jackson’s efforts to update the Code of Ethics of the American Medical Association (AMA), his role in helping to found the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (AAOO), his fundamental contributions to the establishment of the ABO, and his work in launching the AJO’s Third Series, including his decade as the Journal ’s first editor, have been well chronicled. All of these activities share a recurring theme: a primary focus on professionalism in service to the needs of the patient.”
Though Jackson was among the first ABO Directors to help shape the literature in ophthalmology, he was by no means the last. Over the past century, nearly 50 ophthalmologists have served as both ABO Directors and AJO Editorial Board members, including three ABO CEOs.
To read more about the history of the AJO and ABO, click here for the article in press.