Open Globe Talk

In this episode, we meet with the OGT team and gather perspectives on exposure to global ophthalmology during medical school.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Dr. Eve Higginbotham, SM MD ML, a renowned glaucoma specialist and professor of ophthalmology at the Scheie Eye Institute. Among the many roles she serves, she is also the inaugural vice dean for the Penn Medicine Office of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. She is also the senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Insitute for Health Economics and a Board member of Ascension's finance and audit committees. Dr. Higginbotham maintains a strong background in serving the community not just at the local level but also at the federal level.

A graduate of Harvard medical school and someone who carries a Master of Law from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Higginbotham shares her thoughts on how we can develop inclusive environments in our medical community. As we discuss this matter, we hope that our listeners will start thinking upstream and at the population level to serve our collective patient community!

For our season finale, we have the pleasure of being joined by Dr. Ike Ahmed, a renowned specialist in glaucoma. Dr. Ahmed holds various positions in both academia and private practice, including serving as the director of the Alan S. Crandall Center for Glaucoma Innovation and as the Chief Innovation Officer and former Medical Director of Prism Eye Institute in Canada. His contributions to the field of ophthalmology are widely recognized, particularly for his development of tools and techniques like Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery, which has revolutionized the treatment of glaucoma. We are truly grateful to have innovators like Dr. Ahmed driving progress in this field, and we extend our sincere thanks to him for joining us on the show today! For more podcast episodes please visit: https://www.openglobetk.com/

Welcome back to Open globe talk, this is your host, Rizul Naithani and I am joined today with Dr. Jullia A. Rosdahl, an incredible glaucoma specialist and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Duke Eye Center.  Dr. Rosdahl obtained her medical education and PhD from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and completed her ophthalmology residency at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. She then completed her glaucoma fellowship from the Duke Eye Center.

As this recording was conducted in February, we want to acknowledge Black History Month and also celebrate all the women physicians who have furthered the medical field. Please join us in this incredibly important discussion on what it is like to have supportive mentorship and also how we can conduct patient education to be better humans for our patients.

Welcome back to Open globe talk, this is your host, Rizul Naithani and I am joined today with Dr. Craig Chaya who is an assistant clinical professor at University of Utah and the division chief of it global ophthalmology department. Dr. Chaya completed medical school at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and an Ophthalmology residency at Texas Tech University. He completed two ophthalmology fellowships. An international ophthalmology fellowship as a Freedom Foundation Fellow through the Himalayan Cataract Project in Nepal. Another in Glaucoma at the University of Utah. Dr. Chaya’s global work has encompassed work in Nepal, Thailand, Haiti, Ghana, Guam, and Micronesia. His research interests are in preventing global blindness and developing novel glaucoma surgery devices with specific attention to customized and holistic care. As one of the prominent leaders in global ophthalmology, we are very glad to have him here with us today and learn about the sustainable approaches to how we can better our healthcare delivery systems.

We are joined by not one but TWO incredible guests from the University of Wisconsin Department of Ophthalmology. Dr. Schneider is the Graduate Medical Education program administrator and Mrs. Hannah Baker is the senior graduate medical education program manager. Both of them are integral in the management of the global ophthalmology curriculum at UW-Madison. With DOVS unique global health curriculum integrated during residency, this is not the episode to miss for aspiring changemakers and global ophthalmologists!

For our video version, check out this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/yhPmX7hnFU8

Episode 31 features Dr. Oluwatosin Smith, MD, a renowned glaucoma specialist based at the Glaucoma Associates of Texas in Dallas. Dr. Smith is also an acclaimed global ophthalmologist who serves on the board of the 'Cure Glaucoma Foundation'. She is also an assistant professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Texas Southwestern. Dr. Smith obtained her MBBS from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria graduating with the Andrew Blair Aitken's Prize in Surgery. She completed her ophthalmology residency from Howard University graduating with the outstanding resident for the class of 2002 award. Thereafter, Dr. Smith obtained her glaucoma specialty training at the Wills Eye Hospital. In this segment, we discuss multiple aspects of global glaucoma work which includes research and service. We also go through Dr. Smith's path in ophthalmology and what the 'Cure Glaucoma Foundation' is!

We are pleased to host Dr. Adrian Fung, MBBS (Hons1), MMed (Ophthal Sci), MMed (Clin Epi), FRANZCO, who is one of Australia's leading vitreoretinal surgeon and medical retina specialist. Dr. Fung is currently the professor at Macquarie University Hospital and a clinical associate professor at the University of Sydney. He is also the head of vitreoretinal unit at Westmead hospital. Having completed international fellowships at institutions inclusive of University of British Columbia, Manhattan Eye and Ear, the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and Wills Eye, we have an incredibly well-travelled guest to speak with. In this segment, we will not only learn about Dr. Fung's journey, the Australian medical system pertaining to ophthalmology, but also how Dr. Fung co-founded 'Vitreoretinal Surgery Online', an expansive online textbook addressing growing topics in retina! Join us for this discussion and an opportunity to explore a new continent!

In this episode, we are excited to feature Dr. Uday Devgan, MD also known as the 'Cataract coach'! He is an international expert in ocular surgery, ranking #1 in southern California and #3 in the US. He specializes in cataract, refractive lens implant, and LASIK. With over 13 million views on his YouTube channel, Dr. Devgan has added tremendously to the skill sharing required of being a dedicated and proficient ophthalmologist. His 'Back to Basics' monthly feature is disbursed to over 80,000 ophthalmologists around the globe. Dr. Devgan currently practices at Devgan Eye Surgery in Los Angeles and is a full partner at Specialty Surgical Center of Beverly Hills. He has served as a clinical professor at Jules Stein Eye Institute UCLA and has been the Chief of Ophthalmology at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center. He has been awarded the annual ophthalmology faculty teaching award at UCLA a record 5 times! A true leader in ophthalmology, we are incredibly excited to host him on this episode and learn about his thoughts on how to be the best version of ourselves in ophthalmology. 

We are joined today with Dr. Marianeli Rodriguez, MD PhD who is a vitreoretinal surgeon at Vitreoretinal Associates in Massachusetts. She completed her medical school education and PhD at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Then proceeded to continue her ophthalmology residency training at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Dr. Rodriguez then decided to pursue a Vitreoretinal disease fellowship at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. We are excited to have her today as she walks us through her path and shares some important medical insight about the recent ruling that repealed Roe vs. Wade and its impact on Ophthalmological patients' health. 

Join us in this heart-to-heart conversation with soon to be graduating PGY4 Dr. Sila Bal, MD MPH who is at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Having started her global ophthalmology career incredibly early and serving as a board member of Partners for Andean Community Health (PACH), she has a lot to share regarding sustainable development of both international relations and delivery of care. We are excited to chat with her and learn about her take on global health and how she got started, along with the use of social media to create awareness. If you are a young ophthalmologist, you don't want to miss this wonderful segment!

In this episode of Open Globe Talk, we are excited to welcome Dr. Ashiyana Nariani who is an assistant professor at King Edward Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India. Her specialties include complex limbal stem cell transplants, corneal transplants, and ocular surface tumors. Inclusive of being the founder of the "2020 Ophthalmology Educational Series", she is on the AAO Cornea Network Committee, is on the Executive Committee for Refractive Surgery Alliance (RSA), and now the Global clinical consultant for the Himalayan Cataract Project! Join us in hearing her background in the US and how she decided to serve patients and practice abroad as a part of her global ophthalmology career!

Taking on the theme of 'Global is Local', we spin off a new episode and format where we conduct a roundtable discussing Guerrilla Eyecare Service (GES). An organization founded by University of Pittsburgh Ophthalmology residency program director, Dr. Evan Waxman MD PhD, we gain an insightful segment on what is GES, how it was founded, and its profound impact on not just the community but also its participating student doctors. We also host two incredible student doctor mentees of Dr. Waxman join us in this discussion: 4th year Sanya Yadav BS and 2nd year Amrish Selvam BS. While we learn about the program's setup and its director's perspective, hear how students prepare for their ophthalmic service careers as they progress through medical training as they indulge in the resources afforded by GES!

Welcome back to Open Globe Talk and in this episode we have the amazing opportunity to chat with Dr. Bala Ambati, who is a remarkable surgeon at the Pacific ClearVision Institute and also a research professor at the Knight Campus of the University of Oregon.

He attended New York University for undergraduate and completed medical school at Mount Sinai. Thereafter, he conducted residency training at Mass Eye and Ear with a subsequent fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery from Duke University. He has also earned his PhD from the Medical College of Georgia and obtained his MBA at the University of Utah.

Having been named as the number 1 eye surgeon in the top 40 under 40 global competition and making the top 100 power list of ophthalmology by The Ophthalmologist magazine, Dr. Ambati is a globally recognized figure who is also an incredible humanitarian. Having worked with ORBIS, Sightlife, Sight for the Sightless, Help Mercy International, and many other service organizations, it is a testament to the contributions he has made to the global ophthalmology community. Today we get to learn about his journey and how his early career has impacted him in the path he leads.

Season 2 premieres the well acclaimed surgeon-humanitarian featured in the book "Second Suns", Dr. Geoff Tabin, MD MA. In this episode, Dr. Tabin chats with us how the Himalayan Cataract Project began and the incredible partnership with the legendary Dr. Sanduk Ruit in Nepal. We also get a chance to hear his unique life perspectives and where the direction of global ophthalmology training should be as he founded the first global ophthalmology fellowship at the University of Utah, Moran Eye Center. It is our great pleasure to host him on our platform!

In this episode of OGT, we are joined by Dr. Peter Macintosh who is an associate professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He is a dual fellowship-trained surgeon in neuro-ophthalmology, Oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. MacIntosh obtained his Ophthalmology residency from Stroger Cook County Hospital and did his fellowships at Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary (Neuro-ophthalmology) and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear infirmary Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery). He is also the program director at the University of Illinois College of Medicine for its Ophthalmology residency program as well as UIC's global ophthalmology fellowship. We are delighted to have him share his journey in the global arena!

In this episode of Open globe talk, we have the esteemed pleasure of speaking with Dr. Alessandro Jammal who is a glaucoma specialist from Brazil and a current research scientist at Duke University. Dr. Jammal completed his medical school at Universidade de Uberaba (Uniube) and his Ophthalmology residency at Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM). He then completed a glaucoma fellowship at the prestigious Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP, in Campinas, São Paulo) and a research glaucoma fellowship at the Duke University in conjunction with his PhD through Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP, in Campinas, São Paulo).

Dr. Jammal has helped organize and create the Duke Ophthalmic Registry, a foundation for several exciting artificial intelligence studies and through which he has worked on and published several high impact research articles. Not only has Dr. Jammal excelled in academia, but he is also a compassionate global ophthalmologist. He has worked as a glaucoma surgeon in countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil and Haiti. With his incredible insight today, we will come to learn of a new perspective on eyecare in Latin America.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Brenton Finklea who is the co-director with Dr. John Anhalt of the Wills Eye Center for Academic Global Ophthalmology. He obtained his medical education from the University of Virginia and then subsequently conducted ophthalmology residency training at the Wills Eye Hospital. Post-residency, he obtained fellowship training in 2 areas. One in Cornea, External Diseases, and refractive surgery from Duke University and the other in Academic Global Ophthalmology from the Wills Eye Hospital. As a trainee he has received multiple awards for his outstanding performance, ranging from intern of the year and the James Shipman Award for best resident paper presentation. We are very fortunate to have a guest like him join us today.

It is our esteemed pleasure to host Dr. Ciku Mathenge, MD PhD, an eyecare leader in Africa (specifically Rwanda) who has earned adulation and respect among her patients and the global ophthalmology community for her clinical care as well as research. Dr. Mathenge originally spent many years as an ophthalmologist in Nakuru Eye Unit at Rift Valley Provincial Hospital in Kenya where she transformed care. She served as the Regional Medical Advisor for the Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) and started programs in Kenya, Rwanda, and Burundi. She was awarded the first Sir John Wilson Fellowship by the British Council for Prevention of Blindness and received her PhD from the acclaimed London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where she conducted research in glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and ARMD in Africa. She has over 30 scientific papers in peer reviewed journals. Currently, Dr. Mathenge has been working diligently on developing the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology (RIIO), a center that aims to become the top center for training and research for all eyecare specialists in the region. Among the many committees Dr. Mathenge has served on, some of them include the ICO advisory committee as well as the ICO Diabetic Retinopathy Task Force. 

We have much to learn from this episode as Dr. Mathenge narrates her journey and shares the incredible path that is forged with hard work, integrity, and a pursuit to make her residence a place of progress and ingenuity!

Welcome back to another episode of Open globe talk. We are joined today by Dr. Cristos Ifantides who is the Director of Ophthalmic Global Outreach and Assistant professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado.

Dr. Ifantides obtained his MD and MBA from the University of Florida college of medicine and subsequently did his ophthalmology residency training at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He then did his fellowship training at Thomas Jefferson University/Wills Eye Institute in Academic Global Ophthalmology and Anterior segment. Listen in on this episode for some key early career advice!

Welcome back to another episode of Open Globe Talk. In this episode we are traveling to Haiti with Dr. William Myers who is an incredible global ophthalmologist as we will come to hear of his exemplary service work. He obtained his MD from Dartmouth Medical School and did his ophthalmology residency at Northwestern University where he is also faculty.  He then did an orbit and oculoplastics fellowship at Medical College Wisconsin and since then he has performed over 30,000 cataract surgeries. Among his many contributions to the field of ophthalmology which include co-developing dropless cataract surgery in 2006, he is the co- instructor of the annual ASCRS and AAO courses on intracameral (inside the eye) agents for anterior segment surgery, featuring leading international ophthalmic researchers from 4 continents.

In this episode of Open Globe Talk, we are joined by Dr. Emily Cole, MD MPH who is the Assistant Chief of Service and a current global ophthalmology fellow at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Cole attended Brown University of her undergraduate and then went on to obtain her dual MD MPH degrees at Tufts University School of Medicine. Most recently, she completed her ophthalmology residency from the University of Illinois at Chicago. As she applies to retina fellowship, we discuss with Dr. Cole how she is preparing to be a global ophthalmologist in the field of retina as well as her tips for training as a global ophthalmologist!

In today's episode, we host the wonderful Dr. Sriranjani Padmanabhan, a glaucoma specialist and a global ophthalmology-trained surgeon. With her recent training, she imparts several advices for how to approach global ophthalmology training. This is especially helpful for those who want to serve under-resourced populations here in the US as well! 

Dr. Padmanabhan earned her medical degree at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed her residency in ophthalmology at the Scheie Eye Institute at University of Pennsylvania. Soon after completing her glaucoma fellowship at Emory Eye Center, she completed a fellowship in international ophthalmology and global blindness prevention at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute.

In this episode we feature the esteemed Dr. Alan Robin, a leader in global ophthalmology and glaucoma. He currently serves as the Executive Vice President of the American Glaucoma Society. He also holds joint Associate Professorships in Ophthalmology and International Health at the Johns Hopkins University and is an adjunct Professor at the University of Michigan. He attended his undergraduate from Yale College and obtained his medical education from Tufts University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Ophthalmology from The Greater Baltimore Medical Center and did his glaucoma fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Medicine Wilmer Eye Institute. He is the member of 2 prestigious and highly selective organizations: the American Ophthalmological Society and the Glaucoma Research Society. Among the many awards he has received, he has been recognized with the Outstanding Humanitarian Service award by the AAO, and the Humanitarian award by the American Glaucoma Society. We are excited to discuss Dr. Robin’s incredible global journey and his work in glaucoma at the Aravind Eye Care System.

In this episode of Open Globe Talk, we talk with renowned ophthalmologist, Dr. Cathleen McCabe, MD, who is the Chief medical officer at Eye health America. She specializes in bladeless laser cataract surgery and LASIK at the Eye Associates of Manatee. Dr. McCabe received her medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin and did residency training in Ophthalmology from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Along with being named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for Ophthalmology, she was also listed in the premier surgeon 300 List as a surgeon innovator for refractive surgery. She has performed over 40,000 cataract surgeries and more than 17,000 LASIK procedures. She has transferred these skills to the international level through her multiple mission trips and we can’t wait to hear from her today!

Open Globe Talk's 10th episode introduces Dr. Hunter Cherwek, an inspiring leader and global ophthalmologist. Dr. Cherwek is the Vice President of Clinical Services at Orbis International, the Flying Eye Hospital.  He received his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill and his medical degree from Duke University. After his transitional year at Scripps Hospital, he completed his residency in ophthalmology at Emory University, where he was elected Chief Resident. Immediately upon graduating from Emory, Dr. Cherwek joined Orbis International, where he was able to lecture and work in over 20 countries aboard the Flying Eye Hospital and help build the organization’s award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight. We are excited to host him on the podcast and learn more about the incredible Orbis organization!

In this episode, OGT hosts Dr. Jacquelyn A. Jetton O'Banion, MD MSc, the director of Global Ophthalmology at Emory (GO-Emory). She is also an assistant professor of Ophthalmology and she practices Comprehensive Ophthalmology. Dr. O'Banion received her MD from University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio and subsequently pursued a residency in Ophthalmology from the University of Oklahoma where she also did her Global Eye Care fellowship training. Following this, she then went on to pursue a Masters in Public Health, MSc, at the world-renowned London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her research interests include pediatric vision screening and improving access to address health care disparities for underserved communities. Dr. O'Banion has had experience working in countries such as Peru and Eswatini where she has worked with local hospitals, clinics and ministries to establish national eye care plans. Having been an invited lecturer for global eye care, we are excited to host Dr. O'Banion today to share her experience!

As a student-led initiative, open.globe.talk is a platform to share information regarding global ophthalmology. While we encourage all our viewers to use the resources we have assembled here, we would like to mention that not all information may be found on our website and we continue to edit resources for your educational purposes. If you are considering applying to a training program, please contact the respective department of the program you are interested in so that you can obtain direct and updated information. We wish you the best in your academic endeavors and are honored to have you as part of our growing digital family!

Disclaimer: No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website by the organization’s leadership or guest speakers. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. You agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Under no circumstances will Rizul Naithani, other organization leadership personnel, or any guest speaker be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast or blog. Rizul Naithani does not receive any money from any pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, this blog and podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.

In this episode, I am joined by our esteemed guest, Dr. Jeff Pettey, MD MBA who serves as the vice chair of education and associate professor at the University of Utah Department of Ophthalmology. His love for Utah shines through in his academic journey where he obtained his BA from the University of Utah. And while he got his medical degree from the Ohio state university college of medicine he decided to return back to the university of Utah to complete his residency in ophthalmology where he also completed his executive MBA and fellowship training in anterior segment. Dr. Pettey specializes in complex cataract surgery and complex anterior segment surgery. He is prominently known for his health policy and international outreach work in ophthalmology. He lectures nationally and internationally on cataract surgery and global ophthalmology. In 2017, Dr. Pettey was awarded with the Artemis Award in recognition for his international and local work.

As a student-led initiative, open.globe.talk is a platform to share information regarding global ophthalmology. While we encourage all our viewers to use the resources we have assembled here, we would like to mention that not all information may be found on our website and we continue to edit resources for your educational purposes. If you are considering applying to a training program, please contact the respective department of the program you are interested in so that you can obtain direct and updated information. We wish you the best in your academic endeavors and are honored to have you as part of our growing digital family!

Disclaimer: No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website by the organization’s leadership or guest speakers. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. You agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Under no circumstances will Rizul Naithani, other organization leadership personnel, or any guest speaker be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast or blog. Rizul Naithani does not receive any money from any pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, this blog and podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.

Dr. VK Raju is a renowned ophthalmologist who has served many roles at the international level. He is a clinical professor of Ophthalmology at West Virginia University and is also an adjunct professor of Wilmer eye institute, JHU. He is the founding chairman of Goutami Eye Institute in Rajahmundry, Andra Pradesh and is the President and founder of the Eye Foundation of America, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and curing childhood blindness. Among the many awards he has been endowed, some of them include being a four time awardee by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and also received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama. Dr. Raju has had over 100 publications and is the author of multiple books, one of which we will be discussing in today’s episode.

As a student-led initiative, open.globe.talk is a platform to share information regarding global ophthalmology. While we encourage all our viewers to use the resources we have assembled here, we would like to mention that not all information may be found on our website and we continue to edit resources for your educational purposes. If you are considering applying to a training program, please contact the respective department of the program you are interested in so that you can obtain direct and updated information. We wish you the best in your academic endeavors and are honored to have you as part of our growing digital family!

Disclaimer: No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website by the organization’s leadership or guest speakers. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. You agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Under no circumstances will Rizul Naithani, other organization leadership personnel, or any guest speaker be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast or blog. Rizul Naithani does not receive any money from any pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, this blog and podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.

In this episode we talk with Dr. David Khorram, MD who is the Director and Lecturer for the Global Ophthalmology Division at The University of Virginia Department of Ophthalmology. He is also the Co-founder & Medical Director of Marianas Eye Institute. Dr. Khorram has spent over 20 years at Saipan, serving as its first full-time Ophthalmologist. As part of his professional roles, Dr. Khorram has been to numerous countries via organizations such as the Himalayan Cataract Project and has been a dedicated educator in the field of global ophthalmology. 

Disclaimer: As a student-led initiative, open.globe.talk is a platform to share information regarding global ophthalmology. While we encourage all our viewers to use the resources we have assembled here, we would like to mention that not all information may be found on our website and we continue to edit resources for your educational purposes. If you are considering applying to a training program, please contact the respective department of the program you are interested in so that you can obtain direct and updated information. We wish you the best in your academic endeavors and are honored to have you as part of our growing digital family!

Disclaimer: No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website by the organization’s leadership or guest speakers. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. You agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Under no circumstances will Rizul Naithani, other organization leadership personnel, or any guest speaker be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast or blog. Rizul Naithani does not receive any money from any pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, this blog and podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.

In this episode of Open Globe Talk, we are joined by a recent graduate of the Moran Eye Center, Dr. Ashlie Benhisel. Dr. Benhisel is an specialty trained ophthalmologist who recently completed her global ophthalmology fellowship at the Moran Eye Center in Utah. She also obtained her medical school training and residency training at the University of Utah. She conducted subspecialty training in cornea and refractive surgery at The Shiley Eye Center at the University of California, San Diego. She also holds a MPH from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. With several papers published in peer reviewed journals, Dr. Bernhisel is an accomplished global ophthalmologist who started obtaining global health exposure very early in her training career. We are excited to share her experience and journey during a time when global ophthalmology training is an incredibly vital tool to keep our world connected!

Disclaimer: As a student-led initiative, open.globe.talk is a platform to share information regarding global ophthalmology. While we encourage all our viewers to use the resources we have assembled here, we would like to mention that not all information may be found on our website and we continue to edit resources for your educational purposes. If you are considering applying to a training program, please contact the respective department of the program you are interested in so that you can obtain direct and updated information. We wish you the best in your academic endeavors and are honored to have you as part of our growing digital family!

Disclaimer: No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website by the organization’s leadership or guest speakers. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. You agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Under no circumstances will Rizul Naithani, other organization leadership personnel, or any guest speaker be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast or blog. Rizul Naithani does not receive any money from any pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, this blog and podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.

In this episode, we are joined by our esteemed guest Dr. Gullapalli N Rao. This episode is incredibly unique because not only is Dr. Rao our first international guest speaker but also a founder of one of the top eye institutes in India. Dr. Rao is an Indian ophthalmologist specializing in cornea and is the founder and chair of the world-renowned LV Prasad Eye Institute located in Hyderabad, India. He completed medical schooling at the Guntur Medical College and obtained postgraduate training in ophthalmology from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Dr. Rao obtained further training at Tufts university and then University of Rochester where he served as a former associate professor.

He returned to India to provide equitable eye care. Dr. Rao is a fellow of the National Academy of Medicines in India. He has been honored by multiple awards such as the Padma Shri (the fourth highest Indian civilian award in the country) and obtaining 5 honorary doctorates from Australia, UK, and India. He was also elected in 2017 to the Ophthalmology Hall of Fame instituted by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Most recently he and his organization have been one of the few recipients of the very prestigious ‘The Greenberg Prize – End Blindness 2020’. Join us in this enriching episode as Dr. Rao teaches us what LVPEI is and how an inspirational model must be built to support our community. 

Disclaimer: As a student-led initiative, open.globe.talk is a platform to share information regarding global ophthalmology. While we encourage all our viewers to use the resources we have assembled here, we would like to mention that not all information may be found on our website and we continue to edit resources for your educational purposes. If you are considering applying to a training program, please contact the respective department of the program you are interested in so that you can obtain direct and updated information. We wish you the best in your academic endeavors and are honored to have you as part of our growing digital family!

Disclaimer: No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website by the organization’s leadership or guest speakers. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. You agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Under no circumstances will Rizul Naithani, other organization leadership personnel, or any guest speaker be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast or blog. Rizul Naithani does not receive any money from any pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, this blog and podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.

In this episode of Open Globe Talk, we introduce Dr. Leela Raju, MD who is a Clinical Associate Professor & Director of International Ophthalmology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. As an Ophthalmologist, she specializes in Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery. Dr. Raju is also currently the chairperson of the 'Eye-Bank of New York' and serves as the secretary and education coordinator of the Eye Foundation of America, a legacy started by her father Dr. VK Raju, MD, who is also an ophthalmologist. In this wonderful session we discuss with Dr. Raju her journey into Ophthalmology and how her work internationally has shaped her perspective on practicing the specialty. 

Disclaimer: As a student-led initiative, open.globe.talk is a platform to share information regarding global ophthalmology. While we encourage all our viewers to use the resources we have assembled here, we would like to mention that not all information may be found on our website and we continue to edit resources for your educational purposes. If you are considering applying to a training program, please contact the respective department of the program you are interested in so that you can obtain direct and updated information. We wish you the best in your academic endeavors and are honored to have you as part of our growing digital family!

Disclaimer: No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website by the organization’s leadership or guest speakers. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. You agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Under no circumstances will Rizul Naithani, other organization leadership personnel, or any guest speaker be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast or blog. Rizul Naithani does not receive any money from any pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, this blog and podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.

In this episode, we catch up with Dr. Wallace Alward, MD who is a Glaucoma specialist and Professor Emeritus of the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology. He was recently named as an Orbis Hero for his service work, especially during the pandemic when Orbis went virtual. Dr. Alward founded the website Gonioscopy.org in 2007 as a resource to teach gonioscopy to residents. He has also been a driving force in launching the Iowa Glaucoma Curriculum which is a 50 lecture introduction to glaucoma. He continues to be dedicated to his craft and is always looking to better the ophthalmology community. Please join us as we discuss his remarkable journey and get to know some important lessons he has learned along the way.

Disclaimer: As a student-led initiative, open.globe.talk is a platform to share information regarding global ophthalmology. While we encourage all our viewers to use the resources we have assembled here, we would like to mention that not all information may be found on our website and we continue to edit resources for your educational purposes. If you are considering applying to a training program, please contact the respective department of the program you are interested in so that you can obtain direct and updated information. We wish you the best in your academic endeavors and are honored to have you as part of our growing digital family!

Disclaimer: No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website by the organization’s leadership or guest speakers. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. You agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Under no circumstances will Rizul Naithani, other organization leadership personnel, or any guest speaker be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast or blog. Rizul Naithani does not receive any money from any pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, this blog and podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.

Our first guest speaker to start off the conversation on Global Ophthalmology is Dr. Zubair Ansari.  He is the Assistant Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and currently practices comprehensive Ophthalmology where he specializes in cataracts and refractive disease. He has a wealth of information regarding Academic Global Ophthalmology, which he conducted fellowship training in at the Wills Eye Hospital. This session is nothing short of gold for listeners as he explains what the field is about, unique lessons learned abroad, and what it means to harness the lessons abroad to use them in our own country to create equity.

Disclaimer: As a student-led initiative, open.globe.talk is a platform to share information regarding global ophthalmology. While we encourage all our viewers to use the resources we have assembled here, we would like to mention that not all information may be found on our website and we continue to edit resources for your educational purposes. If you are considering applying to a training program, please contact the respective department of the program you are interested in so that you can obtain direct and updated information. We wish you the best in your academic endeavors and are honored to have you as part of our growing digital family!

Disclaimer: No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website by the organization’s leadership or guest speakers. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. You agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Under no circumstances will Rizul Naithani, other organization leadership personnel, or any guest speaker be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast or blog. Rizul Naithani does not receive any money from any pharmaceutical or device company. Additionally, this blog and podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.