Mentorship breeds propagation of science, clinician says

KOLOA, Hawaii — It is a benefit to become a mentor, according to Claes H. Dohlman, MD, not only for the mentor and the student, but for all of science.

“It is greatly through mentor relationships that science propagates itself,” Dr. Dohlman said at Hawaii 2004: the Royal Hawaiian Eye Meeting.

Dr. Dohlman was the recipient of this year’s Philip M. Corboy, MD, Memorial Award at the meeting. Dr. Dohlman, who was mentored by Charles Schepens, MD, and physiologist David Morris, MD, specializes in end-stage corneal diseases and severe ocular burns.

Dr. Dohlman was with the Cornea Services of Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for more than 40 years. Of the up-and-coming physicians he mentored in that time, “52, so far, have earned the rank of full professor, and 31, so far, have been appointed department chairs,” he said.

The Corboy award is given by the Royal Hawaiian Eye Foundation to an ophthalmologist who has advanced the field and who exemplifies the highest standards of the field, according to Carmen A. Puliafito, MD, one of the program directors of the Hawaii 2004 meeting. He presented the award to Dr. Dohlman.

“You have set a high standard for role models in ophthalmology, Dr. Dohlman,” Dr. Puliafito said during the award’s presentation. The award was supported by Bausch & Lomb.