Simple observations, practices leads to innovation

MAUI, Hawaii — Arthur Jampolsky, MD, stresses the importance of clinical observations as ‘good science.’

Perceptions of clinical observations and relevance to physicians in their daily practice needs to be changed, said Arthur Jampolsky, MD, here at Hawaii 2003: the Royal Hawaiian Eye Meeting. Dr. Jampolsky is this year’s recipient of the Philip M. Corboy Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Ophthalmology.

Dr. Jampolsky is founding director and co-executive director of the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

“Terminology creates attitudes,” he told the audience. What is the difference between clinical research and basic research? Or the difference between lab scientists and clinicians?

Dr. Jampolsky reminded the audience about how many scientific breakthroughs happened because of simple observations, including the discovery of penicillin, IOLs or using aspirin as a blood thinner.

“We need to fault the lab people for not putting forward what will benefit patients,” he said. “When you read an article, ask yourself, what’s the usefulness in everyday practice?”

People who are interested in research excel because of what Dr. Jampolsky calls the “Aha! feeling.” “There’s a joy that comes with doing research,” Dr. Jampolsky said. It’s the thrill of discovering something, when “eyes pop open and eyebrows rise up.”

“The feeling of Aha! is reward enough,” he said.

There are two types of observations, he said: new observations or the finishing touches that become the final building blocks of real science.

“Patients are nature’s experiments. We use observations to detect problems and solutions,” Dr. Jampolsky said.