WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
I grew up in Southern New Jersey near Philadelphia. My mother was a software engineer, and my father has a PhD in food science; therefore, education was always a core value throughout my childhood. I attended the University of Chicago for my undergraduate degree in biochemistry, and then returned to New Jersey for medical school at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
MY PATH TO RETINA
During my undergraduate studies, I was initially drawn to basic science and had been looking for a summer position as a biology lab assistant. However, I ended up applying to a work-study program in the medical retina clinic at the University of Chicago, which at the time was led by Michael A. Grassi, MD. This was my first true exposure to clinical practice, and, to my surprise, I was fascinated by the eye.
In particular, I was intrigued by how many systemic conditions manifested findings within the retina. It was exciting to witness how the synthesis of careful examination techniques and various retinal imaging modalities could reveal underlying vascular diseases, systemic infections, and even rare autoimmune conditions.
This early exposure to retina paved the way for my ongoing interest in ophthalmology during medical school and influenced my eventual decision to pursue a career in vitreoretinal surgery at Duke University.
Dr. Feng’s advice: Consider both professional and personal goals when deciding on your career path. Balancing these factors will hopefully lead to a happier and more sustainable professional career.
SUPPORT ALONG THE WAY
I would consider all the retina faculty at the Duke Eye Center to be my mentors throughout ophthalmology residency and retina fellowship. In particular, Lejla Vajzovic, MD, and Sharon Fekrat, MD, have been truly instrumental in fostering my development as a clinician, surgeon, and scientist in retina.
AN EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER
My most memorable moment occurred during fellowship while operating on an emergency patient overnight with an intraocular foreign body that was embedded in the retina after having penetrated the sclera and damaged the lens. Prior to retina fellowship, there was always a fear of encountering the vitreous during cataract surgery or other anterior segment procedures. That evening, however, I felt confident in my ability to operate on any part of the eye. Fortunately, the intraocular foreign body was embedded in the peripheral retina, and the the patient did well after surgery.
Even today, impactful experiences from my own fellowship continue to motivate me in training the next generation of vitreoretinal surgeons.
