Wilson Wang, MD, a resident in the WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, gained a broader perspective on the many career paths available in academic ophthalmology during the Heed Resident Retreat.
The retreat brought together ophthalmology residents and leaders in the field, providing opportunities to learn about careers spanning clinical and laboratory research, innovation, mentorship and industry collaboration. For Wang, discussions about multicenter clinical trials and identifying unmet clinical needs were particularly impactful.
“The most impactful discussions for me were about how academic ophthalmologists get involved in major multicenter clinical trials, and how opportunities often grew from following curiosity about unmet clinical needs and being prepared when unexpected opportunities arose,” Wang said.
The experience reinforced Wang’s goal of becoming an excellent clinician while remaining attentive to gaps in current patient care. He hopes those observations will help shape future research questions and opportunities to participate in clinical trials.
“The Heed Resident Retreat gave me a broader view of the many paths a career in academic ophthalmology can take. Moving forward, I hope to carry that mindset with me by focusing first on becoming an excellent clinician and staying an active observer of where current care falls short.”
Wilson Wang, MD