TO FOLLOW | #MedTwitter
Follow along with—better yet, participate in—a social community of medical professionals on Twitter using the hashtag #medtwitter. Conversation topics range from different specialty insights, advice for new physicians, health care policy, and more.
TO READ | IN MEMORIAM: PATRICIA E. BATH, MD
Patricia E. Bath, MD, died at age 76 on May 30 from complications of cancer. In 1988, Dr. Bath was the first black female doctor to patent a medical device, the laserphaco probe.
Dr. Bath graduated from Howard University College of Medicine; interned at Harlem Hospital in New York; completed a fellowship in ophthalmology at Columbia University; and finished her training at New York University, where she was the first African American resident in ophthalmology.
In 1974, Dr. Bath became the first African American surgeon at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Medical Center and the first female ophthalmologist on the faculty of UCLA’s Jules Stein Eye Institute. Among many other roles, she served as chief of the ophthalmology division at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science and director of that school’s ophthalmology residency training program. She also cofounded the nonprofit American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness.
Dr. Bath is survived by her daughter, Eraka Bath, MD; her granddaughter, Noa Raphaelle Bath Fortuit; and her brother, Rupert Bath.
COMMENTS FROM THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY
Benjeil Z. Edghill, MD
Chair, Ophthalmology Section, National Medical Association
Dr. Bath was clearly a pioneer in her work using lasers in cataract surgery. I would imagine that her ideas influenced our current technology.
Although I never met Dr. Bath, I am inspired by her innovation, determination, and commitment to community care. I plan to recognize her accomplishments at our National Medical Association Annual Convention in Hawaii, July 27 to 30.
Mildred M. G. Olivier, MD
Midwest Glaucoma Center, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Professor and Assistant Dean for Diversity and Learning Environment, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
I am honored to have known Dr. Bath. She called me one day to ask what was being done to increase the presence of minorities in medicine and to request more information about the Rabb-Venable Excellence in Ophthalmology Program (www.rabbvenable.org). In talking to her, I learned that she was invested in promoting a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educational curriculum through involvement with Google. A trailblazer in her thoughts and actions, Dr. Bath’s work to make a difference encourages all of us to excel in our fields.
TO WATCH | Avenova on Amazon
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals is now selling its dry eye product Avenova on Amazon for $30, with no prescription required. View this EyewireTV clip to learn more about this new direct-to-consumer channel and see why stockholders are celebrating.
TO LISTEN | The MOD Pod
Looking for more eye care education on the go? Check out The MOD Pod, a new podcast from BMC’s optometric publication, Modern Optometry (MOD). In each episode, select articles from the most recent issue of MOD are read by the authors themselves. In the dry eye episode, contributors discuss scleral lenses, cosmetics and the ocular surface, and pearls for avoiding communication breakdowns in the collaborative care setting.