Sight For Sore Eyes

This episode of SFSE is the last in our series of rebroadcasted episodes on the history of AA in medicine and ophthalmology for Black history month and features my conversation with ophthalmologist, Dr. Clifton Peay. Dr Peay is an ophthalmologist practicing in Richmond Virginia specializing in glaucoma, refractive, cataract, laser, and anterior segment surgery. He has served on the Board of the National Medical Association’s ophtha...

As we continue through black history month we are continuing our rebroadcast of the series of episodes addressing the history of the AA experience in medicine and ophthalmology that was first published last year. This first episode is of my conversation with Dr. Lenworth Johnson, a Neuro-ophthalmologist and the author of the book Breaking the Color Line in Medicine, African Americans in Ophthalmology.

Breaking the Color L...

As we enter black history month we’ll be revisiting the series of podcasts addressing the history of AA in ophthalmology first published last year. We begin with the history of slavery and Jim Crow segregation in this country as they form the contextual foundation for the current state of medicine with its disparities in healthcare outcomes and lack of diversity, which extend into the field of ophthalmology. Included in this episod...

The national medical association or NMA is a professional and scientific organization and the largest and oldest national organization representing the interests of African American physicians and their patients in the United States.  The NMA Ophthalmology Section has a long and storied history and to learn more about the current organization, I spoke with Drs. Fasika Woreta and Basil Williams, the immediate and future chairs of th...

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to bring important and hopefully thought provoking conversations through the sight for site eyes podcast highlighting the world of DEI in ophthalmology. I’ve also been able to highlight the unique field of Neuro-ophthalmology through the out of the Blindspot podcast. I’m particularly excited for the conversation that will be featured in the next couple of episodes in the first of its kin...

In the last episode we began a conversation with Drs. Janice Law, Jacquelyn O’Banion, and Ninita Brown about the work they are doing building bridges for HBCU medical students to gain experience in the field of ophthalmology.

In this episode, we continue our conversation and learn more about how their unique backgrounds and experiences have shaped their perceptions of the Inclusion, Equity and Diversity space and how they ...

Historically black colleges and universities or HBCUs were born out of America’s history of systemic racism and segregation with the the law of separate but equal instituted at the turn of the 20th century. These institutions  have played integral roles in the development and support of black professionals including physicians. Because HBCUs have and continue to produce more URiM physicians than all majority institutions combined, ...

In the last episode, we heard a cautionary tale from Dr. Vandana Reddy about a DEI related conflict within her organization that significantly impacted her professional life. We also learned from Dr. Lynn Gordon that these situations are not uncommon and that we need to be ready to address potential DEI-related conflict in our organizations and professional lives.

In the next part of our conversation in we learn about the origins of...

Today, we bring a cautionary tale that should make us reflect on how effectively the spaces and organizations we work in adequately employ the concepts of inclusion equity and diversity to everyone. I speak with an individual whose experience has impacted her professional life and motivated her to tell her story so others who may have had or be having a similar experience can know they’re not alone. We also speak with an individual...

In April of this year, I was invited to give a grand rounds presentation to the Weill Cornell department of ophthalmology in NYC by my friend and North American Neuro-ophthalmology Society DEI committee member Cristiano Oliveira, as part of their Diversity week activities. This episode is the recording of that talk edited slightly for time and content. My trip to New York was a wonderful experience that gave me the opportunity to s...

The decision in Students for Fair Admissions vs Harvard and The University of North Carolina rejected race-conscious admissions at colleges and universities in the United States. The ruling and its potential effect on the pipeline of URiMs to medicine and ophthalmology, is important and as we begin this season of sight for sore eyes, I want to share my thoughts on this landmark case.

The SCOTUS Decision

The Amicu...

In this final episode of a series highlighting some of the foot soldiers of the AAO's Task Force on Disparities in Vision Health and Eye Care, I speak with Dr. Angela Elam, the first author of the white paper that headlined the compendium of articles and commentaries produced by the Task Force.  She is a glaucoma specialist at the University of Michigan and played an essential role in this group's work. Dr. Elam is humble...

In the last episode we began a conversation with retina specialists Drs. Jessica Randolph, Basil Williams, and Kristen Nwanyanwu, about their experience participating in the AAOs Task force on Disparities in Visual Health and Eye Care. In this episode, we switch gears, speaking with them about their other passion, the field of retina where they have played a formative role in working to diversify this field of ophthalmology. You do...

In the last episode, we began the first of a series of conversations, speaking with the foot soldiers so to speak of the AAOs Task Force on Disparities in Visual Health and Eye Care .  In this episode, I begin a conversation with Drs. Jessica Randolph, Basil Williams, and Kristen Nwanyanwu. Dr. Randolph is an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia, Dr. Williams is an associate ...

Today we begin a series of conversations speaking with the foot soldiers, so to speak, of the AAOs Task Force on Disparities in Visual Health and Eye Care . These individuals were on the front lines of health equity research in ophthalmology before making their important contributions to the task force's work and have unique perspectives on their participation in the work done and the lessons learned along the way. In today&ap...

In the last episode we were introduced to the founders of the AAOs DEI Taskforces Drs. Tamara Fountain, Paul Lee, and David Parke.  We learned about the origins of the taskforce on Disparities in Visual Health and Eye Care, which was charged with reporting on how social determinants of health impact the ophthalmic care our patients receive, and why its commissioning and the work that was done is such an integral part of the America...

In this episode I speak with Drs. Tamara Fountain, Paul Lee, and David Parke about their foundational roles in the development of the AAOs Taskforce on Disparities in Visual Health and Eye Care, which produced a seminal compendium of articles and commentaries that are arguably the most comprehensive analysis of the factors underlying the disparities of patient care delivery to marginalized communities in medicine.

Link to ...

In this episode, I speak with Jane Aguirre, the Vice President of Membership and Global Alliances for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Over her distinguished 42-year career with the Academy, she has held several positions and led numerous important initiatives and programs. Despite her numerous accomplishments and accolades with and from the academy over her career, however, perhaps her most personally cherished and ultimatel...