Should I accept the position of editor in chief for Retinal Physician? I pondered over this question a few months ago, when I was offered the opportunity to succeed Peter K. Kaiser, MD, who has admirably served in this position for the past 12 years. Like many retina colleagues, my academic work schedule is jam-packed with clinic, surgery, research, and administrative duties. In addition, my personal time is immersed in taking care of my 3 young daughters, one of whom is undergoing the trials and tribulations of the teenage years. Did I have the bandwidth to dedicate the time befitting this leadership role?

Several significant factors persuaded me to make the correct decision. One is the retina community. Retina is an amazing surgical subspecialty and the friends I have made throughout my career have made this journey joyful and unforgettable. The opportunity to collaborate with retina colleagues to share insights on the most recent advances that could impact our patients was a chance not to be missed. I have been fortunate to have learned from so many outstanding educators in our field. If I can reciprocate their generosity and share knowledge to the greater retina community, then we can advance the field further and faster. Retinal Physician delivers educational information that is curated for us by retina specialists. Let’s continue to create high-quality content that is practical and digestible for a busy surgeon in today’s world. 

Another factor is gender parity. The Association of American Medical Colleges recently reported that women accounted for 54.6% of medical school students.¹ Women are increasingly entering the ophthalmology subspecialty and in the year 2020, 41% of residents were women.^1-3 However, women have historically been underrepresented in leadership positions, including medical journals.⁴ Gender equity is beneficial across so many aspects of professional careers, especially excellence in medicine. Women in Retina (WinR), a section within the American Society of Retina Specialists, and Women in Ophthalmology, have spearheaded impactful programming to support the advancement of women. As a proud mother of 3 impressionable daughters, I aspire to be a role model to them and other young women who are pursuing careers in medicine. Through my actions and achievements, I hope that any young girl can ultimately reach greater heights.

For these reasons and more, I enthusiastically accepted this leadership position at Retinal Physician. I hope that we, as a community of retina specialists throughout the world, can work together to make Retinal Physician the premier educational resource for our subspecialty. I enthusiastically undertake this journey with all of you. RP

Diana V. Do, MD, is vice chair of clinical affairs and professor of ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, California. She can be reached at dianado@stanford.edu.

References

1. Association of American Medical Colleges. The state of women in academic medicine 2023-2024: progressing towards equity. Accessed December 11, 2024. https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/data/state-women-academic-medicine-2023-2024-progressing-toward-equity

2. Xierali IM, Nivet MA, Wilson MR. Current and future status of diversity in ophthalmologist workforce. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016;134(9):1016-1023. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.2257

3. Azad AD, Chandramohan A, Li AS, et al. Representation of women in ophthalmology subspecialty societies over 20 years. Ophthalmology. 2022;129(5):587-590. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2021.12.011

4. Mansour AM, Shields CL, Maalouf FC, et al. Five-decade profile of women in leadership positions at ophthalmic publications. Arch Ophthalmol. 2012;130(11):1441-1446. doi:10.1001/archophthalmol.2012.2300