[optimal] Re: Scientific Session idea: gender in ophthalmic

  • From: Ethan Priel <prieleye@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: optimal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2012 10:06:05 +0300

Denice-

 

You know, conversely, I have not heard any of the Women say that the boys
are completing  their chores satisfactorily, either.

 

Have a fun weekend,

 

Ethan 

 

From: optimal-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optimal-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of CPMC Ophthalmic Diagnostic Center
Sent: 10 August, 2012 01:27
To: 'optimal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: [optimal] Re: Scientific Session idea: gender in ophthalmic

 

So glad all of the “guys” think we “gals” are up to the task…..

 

Denice Barsness, CRA, COMT, ROUB, CDOS, FOPS

Ophthalmic Diagnostic Center

CPMC Department of Ophthalmology

2100 Webster Street Suite 212

San Francisco CA 94115

(415) 600-3937   FAX (415) 600-6563

 

From: optimal-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optimal-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Anton Drew
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2012 3:24 PM
To: optimal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optimal] Re: Scientific Session idea: gender in ophthalmic

 

I concur with Mark, having been a Medical Photographer from 1972, who
specialised in Ophthalmic Photography while working in the Medical
Photography Department, eventually to be invited by the Professor of Surgery
to become a full time Ophthalmic Photographer in Ophthalmology. That
"natural progression" Mark mentioned.

 

Some 40 years later, I now have an assistant who has been with me for 8
years, and has a far better command of IT and computer issues than me, and I
gladly let her take the reins in that department.

 

As far as other duties, she does what I do, and as well, I might add, making
my future transition to retirement less stressful knowing I have left the
Ophthalmology Unit in good hands.  :o)

 

Anton Drew

 

On 10/08/2012, at 1:13 AM, Mark Maio wrote:

 

My observations on gender, having started in ophthalmic photography in 1978
after beginning my career in 1975 as a medical photographer.

Most ophthalmic photographers back in the 70’s started as medical
photographers. The majority of ophthalmic photography (a new sub specialty
of medicine) was being done in teaching hospitals and it required not only
the knowledge of diagnostic imaging but also running a full service darkroom
and imaging support for research and educational projects. Medical
photographers were recruited or applied for ophthalmic photography positions
as a natural progression of furthering their careers. Back then I explained
my job as doing diagnostic imaging of the eye and at the same time doing all
the additional functions of a medical photographer in support of the
ophthalmology department. The majority of these photographers were male. 

As many university programs started retina fellowships, a good number of
these new specialists in ophthalmology chose to go into private practice
rather than academics. As they did, the need for retina photography in
private practice increased and many ophthalmic technicians started doing the
photography, the majority of which were women. I remember sitting down with
Paul Montague as he was OPS President in the mid 80’s and I was on the BOD
and discussing the change in gender makeup of the OPS. At the time it was
around 50/50. We looked at the BOD and BOE and saw that men made up the
majority of members running the OPS and decided to start looking for and
encouraging women to run for those positions. We figured that if 50% of our
organization was female, that percentage should be reflected in the
governing bodies. I continued this same philosophy for the four years I was
President after Paul. It would be interesting for someone to do a
retrospective look at the male/female makeup of the OPS over the years. My
guess is that the OPS is probably 75% female. 

I agree with Marty that I don’t think there is a difference between men and
women in photographic or computer problem solving ability or skills. While
working as an ophthalmic photographer I needed to learn to troubleshoot my
equipment to make sure I could continue doing diagnostic imaging on patients
every day. Did I enjoy it? No! I did it because I needed to do it. I have no
need to know how my camera or computer works, I just need to use it to do my
job. On the other hand I know women in our field who are excellent at both
troubleshooting their diagnostic imaging equipment and are quite the “geek”
when it comes to their computers. 

Mark

Mark Maio
InVision, Inc.
5445 Buckhollow Drive
Alpharetta, GA 30005
markmaio@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
404-386-5676                        

Consultant in ophthalmic and biomedical imaging.
Member of Adobe's Biomedical Imaging Advisory Group

My fine art photography is represented by Lumiere:
http://lumieregallery.net/wp/?p=254

 

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