Dear White Coat Colleagues,
It was great to see so many of you in Chicago! As some of us were unable to attend the ASOPRS meeting, the White Coat dinner, and/ or the AAO anatomy course, I want to provide an update. As a group, we have very much to celebrate and be proud of! Here are some of the highlights of our colleagues’ many accomplishments at the ASOPRS and AAO meetings:
- Roberta Gausas was recognized with the distinguished service award after eight years of service and leadership at the ASOPRS Foundation. The Foundation has never been in such good shape in terms of its administration, finances, and future possibilities! Thanks, Roberta!
- How wonderful that Past President Mike Hawes’ vision many years ago helped bring the Foundation to life.
- Past President Jan Kronish has stepped up to serve as the new chair of the ASOPRS Foundation. Congratulations, Jan! (There’s a guy who just can’t say “No!”)
- Alon Kahana was recognized for his work chairing the Thesis Committee. Under Alon’s leadership, the quality of theses submitted has increased. The committee has been especially helpful to fellows from programs with limited scientific background and resources. Alon was also welcomed as one of the new members of the Program Director’s Committee. Congratulations Alon, on your fellowship! Also, Alon’s presentation of his randomized clinical trial on Vismodegib was among the very highest quality research at the entire 2 day meeting.
- Cat Burkat was recognized again by the Education Committee for her continued dedication as Chair of the ASOPRS Written exam committee. Great job, Cat!
- Cat Burkat and Mark Lucarelli were recognized by the Education Committee for ongoing work on the AAO/ ASOPRS Oculofacial plastic surgery knowledge center.
- “Grandfellow” Ted Wladis has done a great job chairing the ASOPRS Oral examination. In addition, Ted’s excellent research work was again honored – this time with the ASOPRS Research award given to the OPRS article judge best over the preceding year. This paper reported on the expression of Programmed death ligand in aggressive eyelid cancers that invaded the orbit. Ted, your consistent quality keeps making all of us (especially Roberta) really proud.
- Suzanne Van Landingham, Jackie Diels OT, and myself kicked off a new breakout sessions at ASOPRS with the UW Madison perspective on treating facial synkinesis. The session was well received.
- Many other posters and presentations were made by WCS members and their trainees including Kristin Tarbet, Nick Ramey, Greg Griepentrog, Courtney Kauh, Cat Burkat, myself, with several contributions from Don Kikkawa and his many productive UCSD trainees.
At the AAO-
- Past President Don Kikkawa was honored with the AAO’s top award for an oculofacial surgeon as the prestigious Wendell Hughes Lecturer. Don’s lecture on the evolution and revolution of oculofacial surgery was superb!
- Shubhra Goel’s AAO Skills transfer course went into its fifth year and was designated with ⭐status. Congratulations to Shubs on this innovative course that uses silicone heads to facilitate teaching filler technique.
- Among her MANY teaching responsibilities at the AAO, including a lecture at the AAO/ ASOPRS Symposium, Cat Burkat again directed an excellent anatomy Skills Transfer Course. (At 35 years of continuity, we believe this UW original is the longest running skills transfer course at the AAO! Congratulations to course founder, Brad Lemke and subsequent course directors, Russ Gonnering, Dave Lyon, and Don Kikkawa.)
Thanks to the following instructors who helped make it happen:
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- Ramzi Alameddine, MD
- Shubhra Goel, MD
- Sang H Hong, MD
- Pimkwan Jaru-Ampornpan, MD
- Courtney Y Kauh, MD
- Bradford Lee, MD MSC
- Mark Lucarelli, MD
- Marcus M Marcet, MD
- Brett Pariseau, MD
- Karim G Punja, MD
- John Rose Jr, MD
- Richard L Scawn, MBBS
- Joseph P Shovlin, MD
- Suzanne W Van Landingham, MD
Courtney Kauh who joined the full time faculty of the Ohio State University in 2017 hosted a lovely White Coat Society Dinner Meeting at a Chicago favorite Trattoria No 10. An inspirational message was sent by Dortz, along with literary interpretation from the Irish bard John McGetrick. Those of us who could attend enjoyed a wonderful evening of food, wine, and fellowship. Thank you, Courtney, for setting up such a wonderful evening for us!
With so much going on, I have almost certainly omitted important contributions from some of our fellowship colleagues. Please send them to me so that we can recognize them. See you at the Spring ASOPRS meeting in Atlantis, or else next fall in San Francisco – Wishing the best to each of you!
Mark
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Mark J. Lucarelli, MD, FACS
Dortzbach Professor of Ophthalmic Facial Plastic Surgery
Director, Oculoplastic, Facial Cosmetic, and Orbital Surgery
Medical Director, University Station Eye Clinic
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Madison
