Joel and Roberta Porter Visiting Professor Lecture in Cataract and Primary Care - Tom Oetting, MS, MD [NON-CME]

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In this series, we welcome influential ophthalmologists from around the country and the world to speak at Wills Eye Hospital for the benefit of residents and practicing ophthalmologists. Presentations and lectures include clinical and non-clinical content, and reflections on each guest's professional journey. 

Dr. Thomas Oetting is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Iowa.  He also serves as Chief of Ophthalmology at the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Dr. Oetting studied engineering as an undergraduate and graduate student at Duke University. He was in ROTC at Duke and went on to serve in the USAF on active duty and in the reserves, developing avionics for tactical forces. He changed course, inspired by his pediatrician wife, and attended medical school at Duke.  He did his ophthalmology residency at the University of Iowa.  After a brief time in private practice, he joined the ophthalmology faculty at Iowa almost 30 years ago. He served as residency program director at the University of Iowa from 2004 to 2022. 

Dr. Oetting loves teaching cataract surgery. He has staffed over 20,000 resident cases, ranging from simple first cases to complex cases with experienced chief residents. He developed a structured program using simulation, videos, and partial cases to safely bring residents through the risky, early part of their surgical learning curve. His educational approach was influenced by his engineering and Air Force background. Dr. Oetting has won several teaching awards including the inaugural ASCRS 2021 Educator Award, the Iowa GME Impact Award 2022, the Iowa Resident Teaching Award (5 times), the Iowa Provost and President Teaching Award, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)/Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) Straatsma Award, the AAO Secretariat award (6 times), the AAO Achievement Award, and the AAO Senior Achievement Award. 

Dr. Oetting has been active in the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) where he has served as chair of the ASCRS Cataract Skills Transfer Subcommittee, Cataract Committee, and on the Education Committee. He has been active in the AAO where he served as a Trustee at large on the AAO board, lead several committees including chair of the cataract Preferred Practice Pattern (PPP), co-chair AAO/AUPO residency committee, co-chair AAO/FDA Premium IOL endpoint, and chair AAO Continuing Medical Education task Force.  He served as president of the AUPO Program Directors Council.  He has been active with Orbis international. 

He helped found and now serves on the editorial board for http://EyeRounds.org and http://facebook.com/cataract.surgery.  He writes and gives lectures on cataract surgery and medical education.  

This series is not certified for CME credit. 

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