Me with Dr. Tabin
Through the Pinhead Institute I had the privilege of spending a week in Utah shadowing Dr. Geoffrey Tabin. Dr. Tabin, Co-Founder of the Himalayan Cataract Project, is Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Director of the Division of International Ophthalmology at the John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
After this week, I can say with surety that his shadow was one of the brightest places I have ever had the pleasure of being. Not only did I learn more about medicine and ophthalmology than I thought possible in one week, I also learned that there is more to being a medical professional than simply skill and talent.
Dr. Tabin’s character and compassionate nature make him not only an extraordinary doctor, but an outstanding person that is adored by friends and patients alike. After each cataract surgery that was performed in his operating room, he informed the patient that he had good news and bad news. “The good news is,” he would say in a voice muffled by a surgical mask, “that your surgery went beautifully. The bad news is that you won’t get to spend much time with me because it went perfectly.” And right he was about it being bad news. Every second that I spent with Dr. Tabin was very much valued.
My very narrow view of what it means to be a doctor has been substantially broadened, and my desire to pursue a career in medicine has been strengthened. The experiences I have had and the connections that I have made because of this opportunity will stay with me for the rest of my life and will help me reach my goals in the future.
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