Dr. Goyal is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and President of the Illinois Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons.
1. Please share with us your background.
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and completed my undergraduate degree at Benedictine University, where I was a full-tuition Presidential Scholar and played Division 3 tennis. I moved out to Washington, DC, and attended Georgetown University for medical school. My then fiancé (now husband) was in cornea fellowship in Baltimore, and seeing his passion for ophthalmology led me to pursue a career in the field. I headed back to Chicago for ophthalmology residency at Rush University and completed my glaucoma fellowship with Theodore Krupin, MD, at University Eye Specialists at Northwestern University. I returned to Rush as an attending and partner physician at University Ophthalmology Associates, where I currently practice in my private clinic while also training residents in the Rush ophthalmology residency program.
2. What is the main focus of your efforts outside of clinical care?
Now in my 17th year of practice, I have expanded my interests to include clinical and patient care in a broader perspective. I am serving my second term as president of the Illinois Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, a role in which I work to address patient advocacy issues and serve the interests of our ophthalmologist members. I have completed numerous surgical mission trips to Honduras to perform cataract and glaucoma surgeries. I also serve in a variety of mentorship roles and created a mentoring program for minority trainees in ophthalmology at Rush University.
3. What has your experience been collaborating with industry?
I have collaborated with industry in a variety of ways. I have served as a consultant and an advisor to companies as well as to other physicians who are new to certain techniques and products, namely in the MIGS space. I have engaged industry sponsorship to help support young ophthalmologists in training and involve them in the state society and its advocacy efforts.
4. In your opinion, how is the role of women in ophthalmology evolving?
The female “footprint” in ophthalmology has changed drastically over the nearly 2 decades I have been in practice. From the more common manels (all-male panels) at large national meetings, we are now seeing more female key opinion leaders, panelists, and physician scientists. There has been increased support of motherhood in ophthalmology, which can be seen in accommodations like dedicated lactation rooms and childcare at the AAO Annual Meeting. There is more access to female mentorship and support systems through Women in Ophthalmology programming as well as female ophthalmologist forums on social media, where members feel comfortable discussing work-life balance, part-time work options, payment structures, and even guidance on starting a solo practice.
5. What hurdles do you feel women in health care still face?
Women have made great strides toward achieving better representation in medicine, but there is still much work to be done. Even though women make up over half of graduating medical school classes, their trajectory often tapers off mid-career, with only 21% of academic females achieving full professorship. With the paucity of women in leadership positions, fewer women are asked to participate in scientific research, panels, and lectures, which propogates the disparity. There is no single cause behind this effect but rather a series of contributing micro inequalities. In many instances, the pandemic magnified the imbalance for women physicians, as many bore a greater burden of at-home tasks such as virtual learning during school shutdowns.
I applaud recent efforts to address these inequalities and am already seeing change taking place. We are seeing more women on the podium, on panels, and even a handful in ophthalmology chair positions. It takes time, but progress is occurring.
6. What advice can you offer to young female ophthalmologists who are still in training or just beginning their careers?
Don’t burn out. Women tend to want to do everything, all at once, and perfectly. This is impossible. Work-life balance is critical. Advocate for yourself. You will take better care of your patients if you take care of yourself. There are times in our lives when we can give less to our career, especially in certain phases of motherhood and life in general. Then there are times when we can jump in with both feet. Give yourself time and space, and follow your own professional timeline. As an esteemed mentor once told me, you can do it all—just not all at once.
7. Can you propose a unique or creative idea that may help women in ophthalmic practices?
One issue that has come to light is that the biologic clock isn’t always in sync with our medical training. Many female ophthalmologists have children toward the end of their training or even in their first few years of practice. This can disrupt how quickly they build their practice and their surgical volume, and it can also affect their surgical confidence. Some women come back from maternity leave and feel uncomfortable in the OR.
I propose a mentorship program where female surgeons can reach out to other surgeons (male and female) for an observership or even a mini fellowship of a few weeks to get their surgical feet wet and regain their confidence. We should not be losing female surgeons to unavoidable gaps in their career.
PUBLISHED WORKS
- Goyal NA, Choi HS, Brown SVL. Treating bleb dysesthesia. Glaucoma Today. October 2011.
- Goyal NA, Krupin T. Endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation: surgical pearls discussion. Glaucoma Today. November/December 2006.
- Goyal NA, Cohen JA, Packo KH. Delayed extrusion of ganciclovir implant. Retina. 2006;26(7):829-830.
- Goyal NA. Epi-LASIK: the changing face of refractive surgery. Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today. September 2005.
- Dangas G, Weissman NJ, Tinana A, et al. Negative remodeling is an important determinant of lumen compromise in the aorto-ostial location: intravascular ultrasound analysis of coronary and renal artery atherosclerosis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2000;35(2):59A.
- Hollenberg SM, Burns DE, Scherer M, et al. Coronary endothelial dysfunction predicts progression of allograft vasculopathy after heart transplantation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1999;187.
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS
- American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
- Fellow | 2009
- American Eye Study Club (AESC)
- Fellow | 2022
- American College of Surgeons (ACS)
- Fellow | 2019
- American Glaucoma Society (AGS)
- Illinois Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (ISEPS)
- President | 2022–2024
- Vice President | 2018–2021
- Director at Large | 2013–2017
- Chicago Ophthalmological Society (COS)
- Chicago Glaucoma Society (CGS)
- Women in Ophthalmology (WIO)
HONORS & AWARDS
- Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness Research Grant | 2023
- Vince A. Persico Advocacy Award | 2019
- American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award | 2018
- Golden Apple Teaching Award, Rush University Department of Ophthalmology | 2014
- Who’s Who Among Benedictine University Alumni, Benedictine University | 2014
- St. Benedict Scholar | 1994–1998
- University Scholars Program | 1994–1998
- Magna Cum Laude, Benedictine University | 1998
