One to Watch: Avni P. Finn, MD, MBA

Please share with us your background.

I was born in London and moved to Claremont, California, when I was young. I went to college at Stanford University where I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology with a minor in Spanish. I have always been interested in science, with a particular interest in health care policy and international health. This led me to working in health care policy for a year before realizing that I really needed be face-to-face with patients, so I applied to medical school.

When did you first know that you wanted to become a retina specialist?

As a resident at the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary, some of the most challenging cases I saw, both medical and surgical, were tackled by vitreoretinal surgeons. I saw them as the “last stop” eye surgeons. If there was a complicated surgery or a unique systemic manifestation, it usually involved a retina specialist. This was both intimidating and intriguing as a resident. As my examination and surgical skills developed, it became less intimidating and more exciting. I knew vitreoretinal surgery would be challenging yet very fulfilling—no surgery is the same and there is an art to treating each patient.

Who are your mentors?

I have been very fortunate in my training to have many excellent mentors; they have instilled in me a passion for retina and have contributed to helping me succeed within our field. To mention a few: Joan W. Miller, MD; Dean Eliott, MD; Glenn J. Jaffe, MD; Cynthia A. Toth, MD; Lejla Vajzovic, MD; and Sharon Fekrat, MD. Mentorship, however, doesn’t just end in training. I know I will continue to find surgeons and friends who will provide support and mentorship.

Describe your current position.

I am an assistant professor at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute where I practice vitreoretinal surgery and am involved in clinical care, research, and teaching on a daily basis. I work with residents and fellows in my clinic and in the OR. Working with trainees keeps me on my toes—you get to see things through a different set of eyes and figure out how to best teach skills to others. As a surgeon, this has me continuously evolving my techniques. My research endeavors are focused on big data and imaging to better understand biomarkers of surgical retinal disease in the hopes that this can guide visual prognosis and surgical decision making.

What has been the most memorable experience of your career thus far?

One of the most memorable experiences of my career was discussing a new surgical technique in clinic, putting it into practice in the OR, and seeing the surgical success with improved vision for a patient. This was a unique internal limiting membrane flap that my team and I planned for a difficult myopic macular hole case, which we called the “internal limiting membrane retracting door” technique. I performed this surgery during my fellowship with Tamer Mahmoud, MD, PhD, and we subsequently published our technique in Retina.¹ I think of this case often, as it epitomizes surgical innovation and how we can do better for our patients.

What advice can you offer to individuals who are just now choosing their career paths after finishing fellowship?

Attend meetings, remain curious, and collaborate with your colleagues. Focusing on these three things has been really fulfilling for me and can create new opportunities.