WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia. As a child, I fell in love with the intricacies of computers and technological gadgets; I would pore over instructional books, learning to build and fix computers, and eventually got my first job as a computer technician. I completed my undergraduate studies at Pennsylvania State University, majoring in Biology and Economics, before moving to New York City to attend medical school at Weill Cornell Medical College.
MY PATH TO RETINA
Ophthalmology was not on my radar at the start of medical school. In college, I spent a significant amount of time developing telemedicine-based global health initiatives. During Weill Cornell’s introductory coursework in global health, I connected with R.V. Paul Chan, MD, MSc, MBA, and Michael F. Chiang, MD, who approached global ophthalmology from an educational and technological perspective. From there, I was hooked on ophthalmology and retina.
SUPPORT ALONG THE WAY
I have many amazing mentors who have played a crucial role at every step of my training. Drs. Chan and Chiang were instrumental in guiding me to ophthalmology when I was a young medical student at Cornell.
During residency and fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital, I was fortunate to work with many amazing mentors, of which there are too many to list individually. These mentors were instrumental in fostering my development as a clinician, surgeon, and researcher. Beyond imparting their clinical and surgical wisdom, they taught me the importance of Wills Eye’s motto of “Skill with Compassion”: provide the highest quality of care with respect for the individual needs of each patient. I’m lucky to be working with them, and they continue to serve as a constant source of advice for everything retina and beyond.
Dr. Patel’s advice: In a field as demanding as ours, it is easy to dwell on failures and overlook successes. Always remember that being entrusted with a patient’s vision is a rare honor that should sustain you through the toughest moments of your career.
AN EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER
While clinical milestones are rewarding, the most memorable aspect of my career thus far has been the opportunity to train our vitreoretinal surgery fellows. There is a unique fulfillment in watching a fellow master complex surgical maneuvers for the first time and knowing that you played a small part in their journey toward becoming an independent surgeon.
