In the News

Article: Dr. TikTok, Dr. Google, and You
Publication: EyeNet (American Academy of Ophthalmology)
Published: c. January 6, 2021

This blog is specialized in commentary about more exoteric interest in eye care, that is, developments that reach media attention and subsequently the public. Publications by magazines and journals in ophthalmology and optometry are of great interest to a trainee, but the magnitude and the beauty of such information should not be the purview of this review. That being said, I realized retroactively that my first commentary about an article related to eye care published this year was an opinion piece in EyeNet, a publication of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. As this is an archive of my thoughts, my journey, as much as it is a repository of news articles, I wanted to record those words here as well. It marked a very personally meaningful topic and discussion.

An interesting read. A more experienced version of my own thoughts generally, except for the following: “I sometimes tell a patient with complex disease, ‘I’ll teach you something about your disease at every visit, and eventually you’ll have a PhD in glaucoma.’ I’ve even been known to assign homework.” This is a great joke! And I think it’s a great example to show the devaluing of doctoral degrees across the board. Just as it is a rigorous process to earn an MD, it is a rigorous process to earn a PhD. For one, a PhD requires generating new knowledge, not merely disseminating existing knowledge that (prior) PhDs have produced. I don’t want to go as far as to say that it is ironic, but this is something to be mindful of as well.