Celebrating Our Ophthalmology Residents
June brings a familiar and beautiful rhythm to academic medicine: graduation season. Every year, I have the privilege of watching a new group of brilliant ophthalmology residents cross the finish line. There is a funny, undeniable paradox in medical education—the graduating class always seems to stay the exact same age, while I inevitably get a year older.
Yet, working with these young physicians is exactly what keeps my perspective fresh. Teaching has always been a two-way street. While we guide them through complex clinical and surgical challenges, they bring an infectious energy to the department. Through them, I get an annual masterclass in modern culture. From deciphering the newest lingo and discovering the latest elaborate Starbucks orders, to debating the most comfortable trending clinic shoes and exploring the cutting-edge use of artificial intelligence in our daily workflows, I learn something new from them every single year.
Today, we honored their hard work with a wonderful graduation seminar. The academic lineup was a phenomenal reflection of where our field has been and where it is rapidly heading. We enjoyed an excellent talk from a cornea specialist, followed by invaluable leadership pearls for young attendings. We dove into big data with a fascinating presentation on utilizing TriNetX for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) research. And, given my own love for the subject, I was especially captivated by a fantastic deep dive into ophthalmic history.
A day this robust and seamless doesn't happen by accident. Huge kudos to our tireless administrative team for organizing such a beautiful event. I was also incredibly grateful to see so many of our dedicated ophthalmic technicians join the conference; they are the backbone of our daily practice, and having them there reinforced the true team nature of eye care.
In the night, the scrubs and white coats come off as we celebrate with our formal graduation dinner. It is always a joy to meet the families who have supported these residents through the long, grueling years of medical training. As we hand out the end-of-the-year awards and toast to their bright futures, I am reminded of why I love academic medicine. Congratulations to the graduates—we cannot wait to see all the wonderful things you will achieve!
