Shlomit Schaal, MD, PhD, has been elected by the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology to its Board of Trustees. Her three-year term will begin April 1.
“I embrace this role and I am humbled. Serving on the board of trustees is a priceless opportunity to help shape the future of academic ophthalmology,” said Dr. Schaal, chair and professor of ophthalmology & visual sciences. “Teaching the next generation of physicians and scientists is my greatest privilege.”
A mentor to numerous medical and biomedical sciences students, Schaal has established a graduate medical education program in ophthalmology since joining UMass Chan Medical School in 2016.
Conducting cutting-edge translational research, the Schaal lab focuses on visionary translational projects in the field of vitreoretinal diseases and surgery. The team recently developed a novel automatic algorithm for the early detection of subtle changes in the retina of diabetic patients.
Schaal earned her undergraduate, medical and doctoral degrees from Technion Institute of Technology in Israel, served an ophthalmology residency at Israel’s Rambam Medical Center and completed fellowships in vitreoretinal research and vitreoretinal surgery at the University of Louisville.
“We are extremely impressed with your record of accomplishment and confident you will be an excellent addition to the AUPO leadership team,” wrote David A. Quillen, MD, chair of ophthalmology at Penn State College of Medicine and AUPO nominating committee chair.
Founded in 1966, the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology advances excellence in ophthalmic education, fosters vision research and promotes excellence in eye care.
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