In this episode, Tamara R. Fountain, MD, discusses her journey into ophthalmology, the importance of mentorship in the specialty, and much more.

• Intro :32
• About Fountain 1:38
• Tamara, if you could tell us about your journey to ophthalmology … did you have somebody to model your path after? 2:36
• Did you have any mentors? How did you rise above as the lone woman in ophthalmology at that time? 6:57
• Do you think that even your experience with your mom as a role model or other women who are in your life that had that same attitude ... do you think that was a formative part of your life as well? 9:47
• Did your perspective change along the way about the fact that sometimes there are gender-directed biases that are affecting how women are moving forward in their career? What was that experience like for you and what were some of those times you felt that? 12:36
• Have you ever felt imposter syndrome? 15:30
• When you feel like you have a knowledge or an experience gap … how do you find that person? What do you do to reach out to the right person? 22:50
• What are some of those changes that you would like to see to further advance women in ophthalmology? 25:12
• How do you see yourself as a leader and what’s it like being on the peak of Mt. Everest? 29:56
• Was there an ‘aha’ moment for you when you realized that in your career? 31:15
• Is there anything we can say to the audience about that concept of women mentoring men to show them how to be good allies to women? 34:46
• What’s your favorite book? 38:55
• What is your favorite quote? 39:10
• What’s your morning routine? 39:51
• Thank you so much for being with us today Tamara 41:02
• Wrap-up 41:01

Tamara R. Fountain, MD, is president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and is a professor at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Zhu, Dr. Enyedi, Dr. McCabe, Dr. MacDonald and Dr. Periman at [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter @Healio_OSN, @DZEyeMD, @CathyEye and @TFountainMD.

Disclosures: Fountain reports she is president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. McCabe is an equity owner of Ocular Innovations and reports receiving numerous grants, consulting fees, advisory fee and speaking fees and is the chief medical officer of Eye Health America and is the medical director at the Eye Associates. Zhu reports being a consultant for Alcon, Lensar, Visus Therapeutics Advisory Board and the EyeSafe Advisory Board.