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24 | EYEWORLD DAILY NEWS | MAY 5, 2023 ASCRS ANNUAL MEETING DAILY NEWS After medical school, Dr. Carpel held several academic and medical appointments. He is the former chief of the Division of Ophthalmology for the Minneapolis Veterans Admin- istration Health Care System and a former consultant for the Glaucoma Service of the University of Minne- sota and for the Hennepin County Medical Center. Dr. Carpel served as the department chair for the Phil- lips Eye Institute in 2005 and chief of staff and medical director from 2007–2016. He continues to be an adjunct professor of ophthalmolo- gy at the University of Minnesota, where he was twice voted Teacher of the Year by the residents. Dr. Carpel has served as an investigator for clinical trials, has developed surgical instruments, and holds three U.S. patents, in addition to authoring and co-authoring dozens of peer-re- viewed papers. Being an educator, Dr. Carpel said, has always forced him to "be at the top of my game, to be a kind, honest, and informed resource for a young doctor." Dr. Carpel said he thought he had a "fundamental obligation to pass on information to the next generation, so we all could be the best we could for our patients and colleagues and honor the most won- derful profession." When he found out that the im- pact he has had on others throughout his teaching career had led him to be nominated and ultimately selected for the ASCRS Educator Award, Dr. Carpel said he thought there must have been a mistake. "I'm still dazed. My comfort zone is being anony- mous, way below the radar," he said. "While I'm greatly appreciative, I'm still not processing the reality." practitioner who supported his son's interest. Dr. Carpel went to the same medical school as Dr. Bailey (Hahnemann Medical College at Drexel University) but abandoned the idea of becoming a heart surgeon after being exposed to other fields of medicine. "Almost at the end of medical school, my elderly aunt, who was like a grandmother, seemingly went blind overnight," Dr. Carpel said. A cataract surgeon restored her sight by removing her cataracts and pro- viding her with "coke bottle glasses," the refractive option at the time. "That sparked my interest." Dr. Carpel said he spent time studying at Moorfields Eye Hospital and realized that "ophthalmology had it all: one had to know sys- temic disease, one treated all ages and sexes, the surgery was elegant (relatively so back then), the amount to be learned was endless, and it usually was a patient's most valued sense." Dr. Carpel completed residen- cy at the University of Washington, followed by a fellowship in neuro/ electrophysiology and postdoctoral study at Moorfields Eye Hospital in glaucoma and cornea. Alongside his medical training, Dr. Carpel was in the United States Army from 1969– 1975. He served as chief medical officer at the Yakima Training Center from 1969–1971. After his experience in medical school, where he saw hazing and abusive treatment of students, Dr. Carpel committed to being differ- ent. "I vowed if I ever knew enough that someone wanted my knowl- edge, it would be robust, given with kindness, and we would have fun learning and getting better together," he said. "A very humble man, Emmett is the consummate clinician, surgeon, re- searcher, and most important to him, teacher. He is a critical thinker who is pragmatic, patient, and kind and truly one of the most well-read ophthal- mologists I know with an immense knowledge base." —A nomination for Emmett Carpel, MD, to receive the Educator Award A lifelong teacher. A selfless, lifelong scholar. Commit- ted to excellence. The kind of teach- er every educator should strive to be. Never in a rush when there are lessons to learn. These are just a few samples of the statements made by those who nominated Emmett Carpel, MD, for the 2023 ASCRS Educator Award. Dr. Carpel was selected for the award for his five decades of teaching excel- lence in the Minnesota Twin Cities area. Dr. Carpel's commitment to the education of future generations began early in his career. "Subsequent to my training, the only job I ever applied for was to teach ophthalmology to residents and students. All other positions and endeavors have found me," he said. "I love ophthalmology and enjoy passing on what I know in the science, interpersonal humanity with patients, history, and fun of being in the best profession on earth. It's been my lifelong privilege to do so." Dr. Carpel became interested in medicine when as a child, he read about Dr. Charles Bailey, a cardiac surgeon, in Time magazine. "I wanted to be like him," he said. Dr. Carpel's father was a general Honoring Emmett Carpel, MD, with the 2023 ASCRS Educator Award

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