What has being a KMA member meant to you?
Belonging to a group that practices medicine in the state in which I was born and raised has a certain element of friendship and congeniality associated with it. Working side by side with doctors that share my standards and objectives is just a wonderful experience.
What do you think is the biggest benefit to organized medicine?
One voice alone might have a terrific message, but no one is going to hear it, let alone listen.
The power of many is what organizations such as the KMA is all about. It has been a privilege to have been a member for the vast majority of my years in the practice of medicine.
What are your thoughts about practicing medicine for 50 years?
It has always amazed me that my parent’s generation was born when the horse and buggy was the main means of transportation. And thinking about all the changes they observed throughout their lifetimes, including landing on the moon, is such a fascinating glimpse through a rapidly advancing means of technology. Likewise, I feel that the advances in Ophthalmology have been just as earthshaking and I am both lucky and proud to have been a part of such tremendous advancements.
Where do you hope to see medicine in 50 more years?
With the technological advances that we witness each and every day, I see cures for the diseases that have plagued humankind from day one. I see references to cancer and Alzheimer’s as a thing of the past, much as we talk about polio and anthrax. Artificial Intelligence is something I’d like to be around to see, but I’ll have to leave its perfecting to a time when my grandchildren are the witnesses.
Do you have any advice for future physicians?
There is only one way to go: forward. Had I held on to the practices I learned throughout my training, where would I be? Look to the future, reconcile your skills with your patient’s needs, and do not bemoan progress. Remember: pa’lante!
