NANOS Heroes - Dr. Kevin E. Lai

VOLUNTEER CORNER - NANOS HEROES

Meet our October hero and NANOS 2020 Merit Award recipient, Dr. Kevin Lai. 

DR. KEVIN LAI, NANOS AMBASSADOR AND NANOS COMMITTEE CHAIR

Kevin Lai, MD, Chair of the NANOS Patient Information Committee, Co-Chair of the Informatics & Telemedicine Committee, Vice Chair of  the Practice Support and YONO Committees 

Ophthalmology or Neurology? Ophthalmology

What was the best clinical pearl you learned in fellowship?
Listen to my patients. Validating their experience can be as therapeutic as medical or surgical intervention, and may help lead to a more accurate diagnosis.

What are the top 3 things you’ve learned over the last 5 years?

1) Training my staff is critical to making sure nothing slips through the cracks - communicating explicitly and empowering capable individuals results in a much stronger team.
2) Watch carefully for signs of burnout in myself and my staff, and proactively find ways to keep work enjoyable.
3) Understanding business and personal finance are essential for young physicians to become successful in their careers.

Tell us about your involvement with NANOS! 
I got involved with NANOS because I was looking for resources as a new neuro-ophthalmologist to start up a practice from scratch and to connect with other neuro-ophthalmologists. When I learned that there were not many resources available, I decided to get involved in creating those resources in the hopes that it might benefit others going through similar challenges. This led to becoming involved with many committees and helping wherever I could. It has been a joy to serve and I'm happy that I contribute.

What would you say to members who want to be more involved in NANOS?
Just do it! Don't wait until someone approaches you; if you see something that would make NANOS better or some way NANOS can support you better, talk with a committee member and get started. Chances are someone else has the same concerns or ideas and would love to collaborate with you.

What do you know at this stage in your career that you wish you knew when you first joined NANOS?
The neuro-ophthalmology is small but very warm and inviting. Don't be afraid to reach out to colleagues - everyone is very supportive and friendly!

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Attention future neuro-ophthalmologists! Applications for 2024-25 neuro-ophthalmology fellowship positions will be coordinated through the SF-Match Ophthalmology Fellowship match.