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46 | EYEWORLD DAILY NEWS | APRIL 23, 2022 ASCRS ANNUAL MEETING DAILY NEWS to re-examine our own understanding and the reasons behind our approach to ophthalmic care. "I think when you stand up in front of a group and assume the role of teacher, your understanding must be twice as strong as when you're just applying that knowledge on your own," Dr. Weikert continued. "It forces you to bring your A-game and fosters your own personal growth. Residents and fellows who are hungry to try new surgical techniques push us out of our comfort zone, allowing us to grow right along with them. For me, it helps to keep things fresh and maintain my continued excitement in my career." Dr. Weikert said his mentors and role models led him to a career in oph- thalmic education. "I never really envisioned an academic career for myself when I entered medical school, but as I pro- gressed through my training at Baylor, I witnessed more and more the op- portunities and satisfaction offered by academic ophthalmology," he said. "I'm happy to report that over the last 18+ years, my initial expectations have been exceeded. The collaborative and supportive nature of my mentors, such as Doug Koch, MD, and Alan Crandall, MD, helped open the door for me and countless others to get involved in our professional societies and other ophthalmic meetings. I've found peer-to-peer education to be equally rewarding. This extra dimen- sion has allowed me to work with so many great people throughout my career, many of whom have become friends. Being involved in organizations such as ASCRS allows me to work with, learn from, and hang out with them on a regular basis—what could be better than that?" has done so much for our profession and for me personally," Dr. Weikert said. "Since attending my first meet- ing in 2002, I've reaped the benefits of learning from some of the greatest minds in our field and witnessing how their efforts have advanced our clinical understanding and surgical skills." Education, Dr. Weikert said, is uni- versal to all professions but especially so in medicine. "One of the tenets of ophthalmol- ogy (and medicine, in general) is that of lifelong learning. Thankfully, our profession is constantly advancing and evolving, which is fantastic for our pa- tients but challenging for practitioners. Staying abreast of the latest knowledge and treatment options, while simulta- neously managing a busy practice, is incredibly challenging," he said. "This coupled with the exponential rate at which these developments are occur- ring creates a huge educational need. I think educators are fundamental to the advancement of our profession, and the dedication of ASCRS to these efforts is one of the many reasons why I'm proud to be a member of this organization." Dr. Weikert is a professor of oph- thalmology and residency program director at Baylor College of Medicine. He attended medical school at Baylor College of Medicine, followed by resi- dency also at Baylor and a fellowship at the University of Utah. Dr. Weikert has been honored with dozens of awards and accolades throughout his career. Dr. Weikert said he finds it "very satisfying" to help someone advance their knowledge and skills. "I think most people involved in education would agree that we benefit more from the process than the trainees with whom we work," he said. "We're lucky to be in a field that attracts the 'best and brightest,' and their active pursuit of knowledge constantly challenges us. They force us M itchell Weikert, MD, will be given the ASCRS Educator Award at the Opening General Session. Dr. Weikert was nominated by his peers for this recog- nition, being described as a "selfless teacher and mentor" who has helped develop more than 130 residents, dozens of clinical and research fellows, and more than 150 medical students during his career. "He has dedicated his life to not only improving the care of his own pa- tients with his work but those of others across the country and world," one nomination submission read. "I now consider Mitch one of my best friends and look forward to learning from him throughout the rest of my career and hopefully providing even a fraction of his level of mentorship and guidance to trainees that I have the privilege of working with." Another nomination described Dr. Weikert as "the epitome of what a clinical educator should be." "He is the first in the building and the last one to leave every day. He puts together elaborate multimedia presen- tations for weekly lectures. Dr. Weikert has been known to spend Saturday mornings in the wet lab helping a resident or fellow improve upon their skills. He is not just a world-class edu- cator but a world-class person." The ASCRS Educator Award rec- ognizes an anterior segment surgeon who has shown a career-long commit- ment to education, leadership, and selflessness in the pursuit of expanding knowledge in the interest of improving patient outcomes. "First, let me say how honored I am to receive this acknowledgment from ASCRS, an organization that Mitchell Weikert, MD, to receive Educator Award

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