James J. Augsburger, MD is a former Chairman of the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Ophthalmology (1999 – 2014) and inaugural Director of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center’s Ocular Oncology Center (1999 – 2016). Now retired from clinical practice since the end of 2018, Dr. Augsburger remains a member of the faculty of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine holding the title Dr. E Vernon and Eloise Smith Professor of Ophthalmology.
He is currently involved in retrospective clinical research studies of information collected on patients with ocular tumors during nearly 40 years of clinical practice as an ocular tumors subspecialist (Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA [1980 – 1998], University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH [1999 – 2018]).
During his career, he authored or coauthored over 300 articles published in peer reviewed medical jounrals and over 50 book chapters published in textbooks of ophthalmology. He was section editor and multiple chapter author for the first five editions of the textbook Ophthalmology (principal editors Myron Yanoof and Jay Duker) and associated editor of two editions (18th and 18th) of the textbook Vaughan & Asbury’s General Ophthalmology.
On this episode of Cell & Flare, we discuss a variety of topics including his life, research, time as Chairman, and ophthalmology at large.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Continuing research after clinical practice ends | 5:18
- The four types of fundus drawings | 15:40
- How to improve your fundus drawings | 24:50
- How to showcase your talent on the interview trail | 33:08
- How to succeed in school as a student | 37:30
- Deciding to become a physician | 42:18
- Applying to ophthalmology residency | 44:07
- Applying to Ocular Oncology fellowship | 49:32
- How to have difficult conversations with patients | 53:03
- Ophthalmology & Optometry – Collaborative Care | 58:07
- How to examine the fundus | 1:06:43
- How to prepare for ophthalmology residency | 1:09:27
- The steep learning curve of ophthalmology | 1:14:28
- The importance of using different filters when examining the retina | 1:19:14
- How to examine a new retina patient | 1:22:13
- Lens selection for indirect ophthalmoscopy | 1:25:00
- How to adapt surgical techniques to your body | 1:27:16
- Ergonomic challenges in ophthalmology | 1:29:28
- How to strengthen and lead a world-class Department of Ophthalmology | 1:31:53
- The early years of Ocular Oncology | 1:46:08
- The History of the University of Cincinnati Department of Ophthalmology | 1:49:23
- Why words matter in ophthalmology | 1:55:48
- The impact of ophthalmology on the University of Cincinnati Medical Center | 2:00:29
- Knowing the limits of leadership | 2:09:58