WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
I’m a second-generation VietnameseAmerican who grew up in South Florida. I always dreamed of becoming a surgeon. To chase that dream, I was the first in my family to go to medical school. A proud triple ‘Cane, I went to the University of Miami for undergraduate and medical school, where I have returned as faculty. My training journey took me coast-tocoast: Boston for an internship, Los Angeles for residency at the University of Southern California (USC) Roski Eye Institute, and Cleveland for retina fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute.
MY PATH TO RETINA
I first encountered the field of retina as a medical student when I met Audina M. Berrocal, MD—the queen of mentorship in ophthalmology. At the time, I knew little about retina, but she knew I would become a retina specialist. By the end of my rotation with her, I also knew I wanted to pursue retina, with a focus on pediatric retina. From the rewarding lifelong relationships and decades of saved vision, to the fascinating and complex medical and surgical pathology, pediatric retina captured my heart. Residency at USC with Aaron Nagiel, MD, PhD, and Thomas Lee, MD, and fellowship at Cole Eye with Jonathan Sears, MD, only reaffirmed my career aspirations.
SUPPORT ALONG THE WAY
Dr. Berrocal was a formative mentor early in my medical career. She is an exemplary model of an inclusive team builder who challenges all her mentees to be the best they can be. My dream was to one day return to Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and work as her partner in pediatric retina and, with hard work and some luck, that dream came true!
Dr. Hua’s advice: Think critically about what your life priorities are and what truly brings you joy. This is the first time in many years that you finally dictate your life trajectory, so keeping your priorities in mind will help with difficult decisions!
AN EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER
I remember a challenging case of an aggressive Coats funnel detachment in a young boy. His parents were, understandably, extremely worried about his prognosis and very involved in his care. It took several trips to the OR and many consultations with trusted colleagues, but we were finally able to flatten his retina with external drainage and laser. I will never forget the feeling of how grateful his parents were for his care.
