Julia Haller, MD, sees opportunity to advocate for ophthalmology as new member of National Academy of Medicine
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Wills Eye Hospital’s Ophthalmologist-in-Chief Julia Haller, MD, was recently selected to be one of 100 new members of the National Academy of Medicine, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional and academic achievement and commitment to service.
As one of only a few ophthalmologists ever selected to the prestigious honor, and the first from Wills Eye Hospital, Haller sees the honor as an opportunity to advance advocacy for the field.
“Ophthalmology is in the position of being an underrepresented minority in the National Academy of Medicine,” she told Healio.com/OSN. “For the public, this is the premier, most respected body for prioritizing strategies in health care for the future. This gives me an opportunity to advocate for vision, and the quality of life impact related to vision, on the list of national health care priorities.”
The specialty is often at the forefront of medical innovation from laser therapy to minimally invasive and outpatient surgeries, but it lacks adequate recognition for such.
“Ophthalmology has been at the tip of the spear of so many medical advances,” Haller said. “We need to have that recognized and valued so that eye research, funding and vision policy at the highest levels of government and lawmaking are being prioritized.”
Haller’s induction into the National Academy of Medicine, which is scheduled for an October 2020 ceremony, is based on her innovative work fighting blindness on many fronts, including sustained drug delivery devices, ocular pharmacotherapy, retinal “chip” implants, gene therapy, telemedicine and combating health care disparities, according to a press release from the Academy.
“My career owes so much to team effort and colleagues’ support, so I really look at this as a mark of how lucky I am in my life to work with great people at great places where I have had so many opportunities to be part of teams responsible for really advancing medicine,” she said. “This honor will open doors for me, and I want to use those doors to advance the cause of vision, vision research, vision health and ophthalmology.” - by Rebecca L. Forand
Disclosures: Haller reports no relevant financial disclosures.