Ophthalmolgy Update 2009 The annual symposium was very well attended. The audience learned many new ideas. Congratulations to Joel Sugar, MD, the 19th Distinguished Alumnus Lecturer, (center) and invited speaker James Tsai, MD, (right) pictured here with Dr. Michael Kass. The David and Mary Seslen Lecture was presented by Philip Rosenfeld, MD, PhD.
Alumn
Volume: I
Upcoming Events Academy Alumni Reception
Consider joining us for the October 1 & 2, 2010 program: Alumnus Lecturer - Paul Palmberg, MD, PhD Invited Speaker - Stephen Pflugfelder, MD Seslen Lecturer - David Abramson, MD, FACS
AAO Alumni Reception Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 - Grand Hyatt in San Francisco Almost 80 former residents and fellows from many decades and their guests came through the door of the 32nd floor. The weather was mild, the sky clear and the view spectacular. A solid contingent of west coast alums came, but the other parts of the country were also well represented.
Mike Conners, MD, PhD ’00, George Harocopos, MD ’04, Mort Smith, MD ’66, Sean Edelstein, MD ’07 and Rob Chang, MD ’07.
Jon Silbert MD ’99, Stephanie Po, MD ‘97, Dilys Bart, MD ’97 and Jerry Roper, MD ‘98
Third year resident Whitney Lomazow, MD and Cornea Fellow ‘09 Vanee Virasch, MD.
Larry Tychsen, MD, Retina Fellow ’01 Kumar Rao, MD, Mike Conners, MD, PhD ’00 and Sean Breit, MD ’06 enjoy the day at Pebble Beach
Third year residents Whitney Lomazow, MD, Beti Belachew, MD and Andrew Schimel, MD take a moment to rest at Muir Woods.
News
Sunday, October 17, 2010 6 - 8 pm The Drake Hotel 140 E. Walton Place, Chicago, IL Venetian/Georgian Rooms Fall Visiting Professor Series Optics Course September 25 Constance West, MD Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Ophthalmology Update 2010 October 1 and 2 David Abramson, MD Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Paul Palmberg, MD, PhD Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Stephen Pflugfelder, MD Baylor College of Medicine Daniel Bisno Medical Ethics Lecture November 4 Aine Donovan, EdD Ethics Institute, Dartmouth College Nancy Holekamp, MD Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Washington University SLOS* / WU Neuro-Ophthalmology Visiting Professor November 11 Anthony Arnold, MD Jules Stein Eye Institute Barry and Jack Kayes Visiting Professor December 15 Kenneth Kenyon, MD Mount Holyoke College *St. Louis Ophthalmological Society Charitable gifts to the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences can take many forms. Often they represent bequests of money or property. Sometimes they are outright gifts. Funds can be used for general purposes or dedicated to specific projects or pieces of equipment. Some gifts, such as endowments, are given in perpetuity. Our development office, Mike Schroeder, 314935-9895, (mikeschroeder@wustl.edu) will be happy to discuss options and work with potential benefactors to structure their donations according to their desires. All gifts are taxdeductible to the amount allowed by law.
Number: 2
Education Past & Present Hello Alumni and Friends, So Mary H and Mary C wanted to know how our education program differs from 40 years ago. Naturally, they turned to the oldest member of the ophthalmology faculty for the answer. When I started as a resident in 1961, there was much less structure to the education program compared to today. It was essentially Bernie Becker. Dr. Becker moderated all Grand Rounds, and they were outstanding. That is because Bernie knew everything about ophthalmology. Bernie also conducted bedside rounds several mornings each week. The basic didactic lectures did not conform to any structure until the BCSC came along and tighter rules were set by the Residency Review Committee. Case presentations at Grand Rounds today utilize photos of patient’s findings, whereas in the past actual patients were examined in the clinic before we convened in the auditorium. I suppose HIPPA rules preclude us bringing back actual patients for Rounds (although I admit that I have been Visiting Professor in least one ophthalmology department where live patients were examined before Rounds). In all fairness, I am not so sure we need patients rather than photos to keep up to date. In summary, then, I would say that today’s education program at Washington University is much more structured than in the past… but does that necessarily mean that we are learning more? It does mean that every one is learning the same things. And it means that we can structure how to evaluate what they are learning. The ACGME is trying to make teaching residents into a science. But what we don’t want to lose is the art of apprenticeship. The old dogs like me (Mort), Mike Kass, Harry Knopf and Bob Feibel are still mentoring students in the old school. Fortunately WU still recruits residents who understand that ophthalmology is both an art and a science, and they benefit from both the newly imposed structure and the clinical experience that WU still does, and will continue to offer. Mort Smith, MD
Congratulations Mort Smith, MD Samuel R. Goldstein Leadership Award in Medical Student Education for 2009 Received a Goldstein Leadership Award as a reflection of excellence in and commitment to medical student education and recognition for outstanding contributions to teaching.
A message from the Residency Program Director . . .
New Directions Congratulations to our graduating third years and fellows who are moving on the following positions:
Bethlehem Belachew Co-Chief Resident Univ. Eye Service/ John Cochran VAMC
Whitney Lomazow Cornea Fellowship UCIrvine
Azad Mansouri Retina Fellowship National Retina Institute
Andrew Schimel Retina Fellowship Bascom-Palmer Eye Institute
The benefit of the structured surgical wetlab: Three years ago when the University Eye Service took over the resident clinics from BJH we had an opportunity to make some changes in our resident curriculum. We implemented a structured, mentored anterior segment wetlab that meets one half day per week on the first-year clinic rotation and is staffed by adjunct faculty who previously attended the Barnes Eye Clinic. It follows a structured curriculum designed to increase resident proficiency with basic skills (e.g. instrument handling, suturing, wound construction). Subjectively, faculty commented that residents exhibited better skills earlier in their training after we began the wetlab curriculum. Objectively, we measured a 21.3% increase in the average number of primary surgeon cataract cases in the first graduating class to have used the curriculum. We attribute this to an increased efficiency in the O.R., both in terms of resident surgical skill, but also in resident confidence, which translates into a larger number of primary surgeon cases prior to the start of the third year. In light of the huge success of this program a curriculum was designed for oculoplastics skill acquisition, and hope with the addition of the EYESI virtual-reality trainer at the VA that a posterior segment curriculum will soon be available as well. Sincerely,
Susan Culican
David Vollman Co-Chief Resident Univ. Eye Service/ John Cochran VAMC
Sidney Chang Private Practice Hawai’i
Rajiv Rathod Retina Fellowship Illinois Eye and Ear
Adam Buchanan Military Service Washington
Matthew Albright Private Practice Alabama
Matthew Council Faculty St. Louis University Eye Institute
Tara Missoi Arghavan Almony Faculty Faculty Univ. of MO/Columbia Univ. of MO/Columbia
Class Notes
Raymond Wee Private Practice Hawai’i
Do you recognize this equipment located in the 13th floor practice lab? Yes, many of you trained on these actual machines all those years ago. If you are planning on closing or updating your office, please keep us in mind. Donations welcome!
Spotlight on R esident R esear ch Resident Resear esearc
Flash from the Past . . .
1999 Awards Ceremony and Farewell Reception. If you are in this picture, we want to hear from you e.g. promotions, publications, research, family additions, new practice, societal membership/committee, community leadership, old photos (with labels). . . And if you are not pictured here, we STILL want to hear from you. Please email your updates to Mary Carnoali carnoali@vision.wustl.edu
If you think you know who this is, send him an email.
One might say that Washington University Senior Resident Andrew Schimel has a vested interest in age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) research. Ever since Schimel’s grandfather and childhood mentor was diagnosed with ARMD, he has been motivated to discover a novel treatment for dry ARMD. While he may not have tackled this formidable task yet, with the financial support of the Washington University Department of Ophthalmology and the guidance of Dr. Raj Apte, he is undoubtedly on his way. In January of 2010, Schimel was one of four residents or fellows nationwide selected to present at the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology Resident and Fellow Research Forum for his research on an antioxidant known as N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA). While NACA has been established as a promising antioxidant therapy for numerous systemic diseases, Schimel theorized its potential benefit in retinal degenerations such as cobalamin C disease, retinitis pigmentosa, and ARMD. With the use of mouse models and in vitro testing of retinal pigment epithelial cells, Schimel demonstrated the efficacy of NACA in preventing oxidative stress related retinal degeneration. Hoping to take his work from bench to bedside, Schimel believes that NACA may be a novel therapy to delay or even prevent progression of dry ARMD.
A message from the Residency Program Director . . .
New Directions Congratulations to our graduating third years and fellows who are moving on the following positions:
Bethlehem Belachew Co-Chief Resident Univ. Eye Service/ John Cochran VAMC
Whitney Lomazow Cornea Fellowship UCIrvine
Azad Mansouri Retina Fellowship National Retina Institute
Andrew Schimel Retina Fellowship Bascom-Palmer Eye Institute
The benefit of the structured surgical wetlab: Three years ago when the University Eye Service took over the resident clinics from BJH we had an opportunity to make some changes in our resident curriculum. We implemented a structured, mentored anterior segment wetlab that meets one half day per week on the first-year clinic rotation and is staffed by adjunct faculty who previously attended the Barnes Eye Clinic. It follows a structured curriculum designed to increase resident proficiency with basic skills (e.g. instrument handling, suturing, wound construction). Subjectively, faculty commented that residents exhibited better skills earlier in their training after we began the wetlab curriculum. Objectively, we measured a 21.3% increase in the average number of primary surgeon cataract cases in the first graduating class to have used the curriculum. We attribute this to an increased efficiency in the O.R., both in terms of resident surgical skill, but also in resident confidence, which translates into a larger number of primary surgeon cases prior to the start of the third year. In light of the huge success of this program a curriculum was designed for oculoplastics skill acquisition, and hope with the addition of the EYESI virtual-reality trainer at the VA that a posterior segment curriculum will soon be available as well. Sincerely,
Susan Culican
David Vollman Co-Chief Resident Univ. Eye Service/ John Cochran VAMC
Sidney Chang Private Practice Hawai’i
Rajiv Rathod Retina Fellowship Illinois Eye and Ear
Adam Buchanan Military Service Washington
Matthew Albright Private Practice Alabama
Matthew Council Faculty St. Louis University Eye Institute
Tara Missoi Arghavan Almony Faculty Faculty Univ. of MO/Columbia Univ. of MO/Columbia
Class Notes
Raymond Wee Private Practice Hawai’i
Do you recognize this equipment located in the 13th floor practice lab? Yes, many of you trained on these actual machines all those years ago. If you are planning on closing or updating your office, please keep us in mind. Donations welcome!
Spotlight on R esident R esear ch Resident Resear esearc
Flash from the Past . . .
1999 Awards Ceremony and Farewell Reception. If you are in this picture, we want to hear from you e.g. promotions, publications, research, family additions, new practice, societal membership/committee, community leadership, old photos (with labels). . . And if you are not pictured here, we STILL want to hear from you. Please email your updates to Mary Carnoali carnoali@vision.wustl.edu
If you think you know who this is, send him an email.
One might say that Washington University Senior Resident Andrew Schimel has a vested interest in age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) research. Ever since Schimel’s grandfather and childhood mentor was diagnosed with ARMD, he has been motivated to discover a novel treatment for dry ARMD. While he may not have tackled this formidable task yet, with the financial support of the Washington University Department of Ophthalmology and the guidance of Dr. Raj Apte, he is undoubtedly on his way. In January of 2010, Schimel was one of four residents or fellows nationwide selected to present at the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology Resident and Fellow Research Forum for his research on an antioxidant known as N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA). While NACA has been established as a promising antioxidant therapy for numerous systemic diseases, Schimel theorized its potential benefit in retinal degenerations such as cobalamin C disease, retinitis pigmentosa, and ARMD. With the use of mouse models and in vitro testing of retinal pigment epithelial cells, Schimel demonstrated the efficacy of NACA in preventing oxidative stress related retinal degeneration. Hoping to take his work from bench to bedside, Schimel believes that NACA may be a novel therapy to delay or even prevent progression of dry ARMD.
Ophthalmolgy Update 2009 The annual symposium was very well attended. The audience learned many new ideas. Congratulations to Joel Sugar, MD, the 19th Distinguished Alumnus Lecturer, (center) and invited speaker James Tsai, MD, (right) pictured here with Dr. Michael Kass. The David and Mary Seslen Lecture was presented by Philip Rosenfeld, MD, PhD.
Alumn
Volume: I
Upcoming Events Academy Alumni Reception
Consider joining us for the October 1 & 2, 2010 program: Alumnus Lecturer - Paul Palmberg, MD, PhD Invited Speaker - Stephen Pflugfelder, MD Seslen Lecturer - David Abramson, MD, FACS
AAO Alumni Reception Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 - Grand Hyatt in San Francisco Almost 80 former residents and fellows from many decades and their guests came through the door of the 32nd floor. The weather was mild, the sky clear and the view spectacular. A solid contingent of west coast alums came, but the other parts of the country were also well represented.
Mike Conners, MD, PhD ’00, George Harocopos, MD ’04, Mort Smith, MD ’66, Sean Edelstein, MD ’07 and Rob Chang, MD ’07.
Jon Silbert MD ’99, Stephanie Po, MD ‘97, Dilys Bart, MD ’97 and Jerry Roper, MD ‘98
Third year resident Whitney Lomazow, MD and Cornea Fellow ‘09 Vanee Virasch, MD.
Larry Tychsen, MD, Retina Fellow ’01 Kumar Rao, MD, Mike Conners, MD, PhD ’00 and Sean Breit, MD ’06 enjoy the day at Pebble Beach
Third year residents Whitney Lomazow, MD, Beti Belachew, MD and Andrew Schimel, MD take a moment to rest at Muir Woods.
News
Sunday, October 17, 2010 6 - 8 pm The Drake Hotel 140 E. Walton Place, Chicago, IL Venetian/Georgian Rooms Fall Visiting Professor Series Optics Course September 25 Constance West, MD Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Ophthalmology Update 2010 October 1 and 2 David Abramson, MD Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Paul Palmberg, MD, PhD Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Stephen Pflugfelder, MD Baylor College of Medicine Daniel Bisno Medical Ethics Lecture November 4 Aine Donovan, EdD Ethics Institute, Dartmouth College Nancy Holekamp, MD Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Washington University SLOS* / WU Neuro-Ophthalmology Visiting Professor November 11 Anthony Arnold, MD Jules Stein Eye Institute Barry and Jack Kayes Visiting Professor December 15 Kenneth Kenyon, MD Mount Holyoke College *St. Louis Ophthalmological Society Charitable gifts to the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences can take many forms. Often they represent bequests of money or property. Sometimes they are outright gifts. Funds can be used for general purposes or dedicated to specific projects or pieces of equipment. Some gifts, such as endowments, are given in perpetuity. Our development office, Mike Schroeder, 314935-9895, (mikeschroeder@wustl.edu) will be happy to discuss options and work with potential benefactors to structure their donations according to their desires. All gifts are taxdeductible to the amount allowed by law.
Number: 2
Education Past & Present Hello Alumni and Friends, So Mary H and Mary C wanted to know how our education program differs from 40 years ago. Naturally, they turned to the oldest member of the ophthalmology faculty for the answer. When I started as a resident in 1961, there was much less structure to the education program compared to today. It was essentially Bernie Becker. Dr. Becker moderated all Grand Rounds, and they were outstanding. That is because Bernie knew everything about ophthalmology. Bernie also conducted bedside rounds several mornings each week. The basic didactic lectures did not conform to any structure until the BCSC came along and tighter rules were set by the Residency Review Committee. Case presentations at Grand Rounds today utilize photos of patient’s findings, whereas in the past actual patients were examined in the clinic before we convened in the auditorium. I suppose HIPPA rules preclude us bringing back actual patients for Rounds (although I admit that I have been Visiting Professor in least one ophthalmology department where live patients were examined before Rounds). In all fairness, I am not so sure we need patients rather than photos to keep up to date. In summary, then, I would say that today’s education program at Washington University is much more structured than in the past… but does that necessarily mean that we are learning more? It does mean that every one is learning the same things. And it means that we can structure how to evaluate what they are learning. The ACGME is trying to make teaching residents into a science. But what we don’t want to lose is the art of apprenticeship. The old dogs like me (Mort), Mike Kass, Harry Knopf and Bob Feibel are still mentoring students in the old school. Fortunately WU still recruits residents who understand that ophthalmology is both an art and a science, and they benefit from both the newly imposed structure and the clinical experience that WU still does, and will continue to offer. Mort Smith, MD
Congratulations Mort Smith, MD Samuel R. Goldstein Leadership Award in Medical Student Education for 2009 Received a Goldstein Leadership Award as a reflection of excellence in and commitment to medical student education and recognition for outstanding contributions to teaching.
Introducing. . . The Resident Class of 2013
Daniel J. Hammer, MD Ohio State University College of Medicine
The Co-Chiefs and Fellows - Classes of 2011 and 2012
Bethlehem Belachew, MD Co-Chief Resident W ashington University
David E. Vollman, MD Co-Chief Resident W ashington University
Jorge J. Rivera, MD Cornea Fellow Private Practice
Loren S. Seery, MD Cornea Fellow Mayo Clinic
Omar F. Abbasi, MD Glaucoma Fellow Kresge Eye Institute
Steven M. Couch, MD 2 Yr Plastics Fellow Mayo Clilnic
John M. Franklin, MD Pediatric Fellow University of Louisville
Mathew W. Aschbrenner, MD 1st Yr Retina Fellow University of North Carolina
Gokul N. Kumar, MD, MBA University of Illinois at Chicago
Courtney L. Kraus, MD Washington University, St. Louis
Jonathan Jonisch, MD 2nd Yr Retina Fellow North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Aaron Y. Lee, MD Washington University, St. Louis
Jan R. Wong, MD SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine
Bryan M. Kim, MD 1st Yr Retina Fellow University of Illinois - Chicago
Kamalesh J. Ramaiya, MD 2nd Yr Retina Fellow W ashington University
Congratulations to the following investigators who received awards between July 2009 and June 2010. Continued success with the research! Principal Investigator
Title
Funding Agency
Usha P. Andley, PhD
Alpha-Crystallin Function in Lens Biology
NIH
Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD
Effect of Aging on Macrophase Function in Maulcar Degeneration
Reeves Foundation
WNT Signaling in Choroidal Neovascularization
Macula Society
Role of Cholesterol in Regulating the Pro-Angiogenic Properties of Senescent Macrophage
Thome Foundation
Steven Bassnett, PhD
CORE Grant For Vision Research
Shiming Chen, PhD
CRX and its Regulatory Network in Retince Digenerations Visionary Award Application
Thomas A. Ferguson, PhD
Regulation of Immunity of Dead Cells
Mae O. Gordon, PhD
OHTS WU ICTSA Pilot
J. William Harbour, MD
Molecular Predictive Testing Ocular Melanoma
Didier M. Hodzic, PhD
Involvement in the Linc Complex in Emery-Dreifuss Muscular The Nucleus Cytoskelton Connection in Health and Disease
Michael A. Kass, MD
NIH NIH - Stimulus Hope For Vision NIH NIH - Stimulus NIH BJH Kling NIH MDA NIH/Sub Johns Hopkins
OHTS
NIH - Stimulus
K-12 Pros Scholar
NIH - Stimulus
Vladimir J. Kefalov, PhD
Calcium and Adaptation in Mammalian Cone Photoreceptors
NIH - Stimulus NIH
Daniel Kerschensteiner, MD
Synaptic Reorganization and Visionrescue in the Nerual Retain after Loss of Photoreceptors Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow Award
Hope For Vision Alfred P Sloan Foundation
Steven M. Kymes, PhD
WU ICTSA Pilot
NIH
R. Lawrence Tychsen, MD
Visual Brain Repair
NIH