WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
I was born and raised in central Italy. My parents are both physicians and, growing up, I was sure I would never follow in their footsteps. In high school, I dreamt of a career as a journalist or in theater. Somehow, something changed during my last year of high school, and I decided to give medicine a chance. I applied and was accepted to medical school in Milan, where I later completed my ophthalmology residency.
MY PATH TO RETINA
During medical school, I worked with Giulio Modorati, MD, an ocular oncologist and uveitis specialist, and fell in love with the patient interaction, challenges of diagnosis, and the intricacies of treatment. I rotated as an observer at Wills Eye Hospital on the ocular oncology service with Carol Shields, MD, which solidified my passion. During residency, I became even more fascinated by the complexity and variety of retinal diseases.
After residency, I completed two ocular oncology fellowships at Wills Eye Hospital and the University of Cincinnati, and I then pursued an additional fellowship in medical retina and uveitis at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Dr. Di Nicola’s advice: Let your decisions be guided by the kind of physician and person you want to become. Seek environments that stimulate your curiosity, challenge and support you, and allow you to care for patients in a way that feels authentic.
SUPPORT ALONG THE WAY
Francesco Bandello, MD, facilitated my rotation as a student and fellowship with Dr. Shields. He continues to support my career from abroad, and I cherish the moments when we can catch up at various conferences. Dr. Shields taught me about ocular oncology and the importance of staying organized, paying meticulous attention to detail, and developing a systematic process in research.
I owe a lot to my uveitis mentors, Ann-Marie Lobo-Chan, MD, and Pooja Bhat, MD, who created my foundation for how to think through uveitis cases. Just as importantly, they showed me how vital it is to communicate with compassion and humility.
I am forever grateful to all the retina attendings at the University of Illinois in Chicago, especially R.V. Paul Chan, MD, MSc, MBA, who was an excellent teacher in clinic and is the essence of a true leader. He created, and continues to create, opportunities for my professional growth.
Finally, my husband, who is also a retina specialist and ocular oncologist, has been a constant source of support, offering endless encouragement and perspective to continue to grow professionally.
AN EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER
As a new faculty member at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, I cared for a patient in her early 20s who was visiting family in Miami when she noticed acute onset blurred vision. She presented to our emergency department with a melanoma too large to avoid enucleation. She had oculodermal melanocytosis but had never been told she was at risk for developing uveal melanoma. Delivering this diagnosis to such a young patient was emotionally challenging. Years later, she shared that this was the scariest time of her life, yet the way she was cared for helped her feel calm and supported. Hearing that reinforced for me how much our presence and approach matter, and the importance of the human side of our work, especially in moments of great vulnerability.
