What advice would you give yourself about establishing a career in ophthalmology?

Gary Wörtz, MD: Prioritize People

“Your satisfaction in a job will ultimately be determined by the character of the people you work with and their willingness to let you practice in a manner that suits you. Try to find a job with people whom you love working alongside (or hang in there long enough to employ your kids).”

Dr. Wörtz as a first-year resident, pictured with daughter Peyton, age 4.

Mark Kontos, MD: Take Detours

“Take detours early, lots of them. Go on the mission trip, say yes to the chance to work on a research project in Africa or whatever the opportunity might be. Looking back, these will be the gold threads in the fabric that is your ophthalmic career.”

Dr. Kontos on an early mission trip.

Mitchell A. Jackson, MD: Pursue With Passion

“Make sure you have the passion for it. If you enjoy what you do, you will do well. I always wanted to pursue ophthalmology because my father was blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other eye from a bacterial meningitis outbreak in Scotland when he was 8 years old. The illness left him with optic neuropathy and caused the loss of seven of his best friends.”

Dr. Jackson in his early LASIK days.

“I have long been committed to clinical research as part of my practice because of my dad’s story. After residency, spending a year in an academic or private practice refractive cataract fellowship (like I offer) can help provide insight into real-world ophthalmology and help you to determine which direction you want to go in for the remainder of your eye career.””

Damien F. Goldberg, MD: Be Kind

“Be bold, be brave, and above all be kind. There are so many great people in our field for mentorship, collaborations, working relationships, and friendships—with both physicians and industry. Get your practice as busy as you want. Write as many articles as you can if you want. Volunteer with your local academic programs or international surgical programs. Go to meetings big and small. Seek out the abundant opportunities around you and build what excites you. There is so much to pursue—you just need to scratch the surface.”

Dr. Goldberg with family and coworkers in the early days of practice.

P. Dee G. Stephenson, MD, FACS: Hold Value

“Sometimes the hardest decision to make is to make a decision. It is OK to change your priorities. Everything you do in your practice of ophthalmology should hold value in your heart—this will always make it worthwhile and keep you humble.”

Dr. Stephenson on the first day of residency (left) and 6 years into private practice, with daughter Tess (right).

George O. Waring IV, MD, FACS: Self-Actualize

“My first piece of advice to my younger self would be to stay younger. I would also recommend the following: Identify your passions early on and focus on self-actualizing goals consistent with your passions. Often, we are drawn in too many directions by wonderful opportunities; however, some of these can end up being a distraction from the things we truly care about. Truly caring about something is required to make a difference.”

Dr. Waring at the inaugural ME Live meeting in 2014.