The retina, private practice and being your own boss

Abstract

Interview by Jitesh PatelAbdhish R Bhavsar, MD, is a retina and vitreous surgeon who was born in Connecticut, USA, grew up in Michigan and has practiced in the Minneapolis/St. Paul (MN, USA) area since August 1997. He graduated from Dartmouth College with an Honors Thesis in Biochemistry and from the Wayne State University School of Medicine with Alpha Omega Alpha honors. He completed his internship in internal medicine at Duke University (NC, USA), his ophthalmology residency at the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary in Chicago, USA, and his retina surgery fellowship training at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA (CA, USA). He was also a Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellow.Bhavsar has maintained research interests in macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, endophthalmitis and retinal oxygen metabolism. He is a principal investigator in multiple clinical trials in macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and venous occlusive disease and also maintains a broad range of interests in managing vitreoretinal, medical and surgical diseases, with additional interests in retinopathy of prematurity and intraocular tumors.Bhavsar is an active member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Retina Specialists and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota and an Attending Surgeon at the Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis. Bhavsar is a past President of the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology, past President of the Minneapolis Ophthalmological Society, past Chair of the Phillips Eye Institute Department of Ophthalmology, founding Chair of the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology Web Site Committee and the state Chair for Diabetes Eye Exam Initiative. Dr. Bhavsar was the first Chair of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Web Advisory Task Force and graduated from the American Academy of Ophthalmology Leadership Development Program in 2001.