July Spotlight: Board Rotations, Abstract Committee Updates, ABOp Certification for ITOs, NANOS Instagram, and other news

     

WELCOME TO NANOS SPOTLIGHT - SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

NANOS Spotlight is a Society newsletter that keeps NANOS members informed of what's going on in the Society, highlights member achievements, celebrates member successes and Society accomplishments, features NANOS volunteers and member resources, and much more. Enjoy our July 2021 issue and click here to check out our past issues.


BOARD ROTATIONS AND UPDATES
July 1 is when NANOS Board rotations officially took effect per NANOS Bylaws.

  • We are excited to welcome new Board members to the NANOS Board of Directors, John Chen, MD, PhD and Kevin Lai, MD.
  • We are thrilled to have Mark Moster, MD in his new role as Senior Vice President for Neuro-Ophthalmic Advocacy and Practice.
  • We are delighted to have Heather Moss, MD, PhD as a returning Board member.
  • We are grateful for Larry Frohman’s, MD willingness to fill in the interim Treasurer’s role for the remainder of the term (July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022) and continue to serve in his role of Executive Vice President.
John Chen, MD, PhD Kevin Lai, MD
Mark Moster, MD Heather Moss, MD, PhD Larry Frohman, MD
 

Click here to view the 2021-2022 Board of Directors listing.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
We are grateful for the contributions of the Board members who rotated off this term: Preston Calvert, MD, Patty McNussen, MD & Matt Kay, MD.

Preston Calvert, MD Patty McNussen, MD Matt Kay, MD

 
NEW! MEET NANOS BOARD

Preston Calvert, MD                 

We are thrilled to introduce a new section called Meet NANOS Board, where we will be featuring interviews with former and current Board members. Through these features, members will learn about the function of the Board, how to get involved, nominated, or chosen for future Board positions. This July, we feature an interview with Preston Calvert, MD. Get excited and stay tuned for upcoming features with with Patty McNussen, MD and Matt Kay, MD.

Here's Preston's interview:

Describe the NANOS Board using 3 words. Friendly, Diverse, Effective

Tell us about your journey to the NANOS Board in 3 sentences. I started the NANOSNET email list on my own in 1994, having realized the value of an international case discussion list for neuro-ophthalmologists.  This led to an appointment by Jack Selhorst to chair the new Internet Committee, whose next project was the first NANOS Web site, which I hand-coded in HTML with a little help from Todd Troost.  I then implemented committee email lists using the same Listserv software for all NANOS committees with Jack Selhorst’s backing, and that led to my first nomination to the NANOS Executive Board.

What did you enjoy most about your Board service? I have enjoyed the process of attempting to reach consensus on major issues facing the Board, which requires flexibility from Board members as they gradually acquiesce to a commonly accepted solution to a question or problem.   This requires each Board member to participate in an “egoless” fashion, to achieve a result that is the best decision this group of NANOS leaders can achieve.  That is very satisfying when it works as it usually does.

Based on your experience, what advice about Board service would you give to a new member of the Board? My advice would be to prepare for each meeting carefully by reviewing the materials provided, and plan to listen to the discussion as your first contribution.  Once you have begun to understand how the Board reaches decisions, it will be clear to you if and how to offer your opinion on a specific issue, if you have something valuable to contribute.  Speaking up just to serve your own ego needs will be a mistake, as the Board functions as a fairly egoless group, and will listen to any input from a junior member, if it is offered sincerely and in a well-thought out fashion, but not just to hear yourself talk.

What do you wish you had known when you joined the Board but did not know? I did not know how approachable the senior members of the Board were, and that I would be regarded as a valued junior peer.  Once I understood that, the experience became very enjoyable.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned about governance matters? As I mentioned earlier, the greatest value attaches to the process of achieving consensus on a matter before making a decision.  Most decisions of the Board are unanimous or nearly so.  If a significant split appears when a vote is called, it is probably better to table the matter for further discussion if possible, or continue discussion even at that time.  It’s important that each Board member supports the collective decisions of the Board, and can explain the reasoning process to non-Board NANOS members with full support.

What do you feel was the most meaningful aspect/contribution/part of being on the NANOS Board? The most meaningful aspect has been watching the Society grow, and seeing junior members mature and begin to take over leadership roles.  We grow our Society’s leaders pretty well with committee work, then Chairpersonship, and eventually Board service, and sometimes the Presidency of the Society.  It is very gratifying to watch this process work, year after year.


NANOS COMMITTEE CORNER - NANOS ABSTRACT COMMITTEE

Beau Bruce, MD
Stacy Pineles, MD

      In the Committee Corner section of the NANOS Spotlight we are highlighting the work NANOS committees are doing and sharing the recent accomplishments or challenges that our volunteers have battled. The July issue features the NANOS Abstract Committee chaired by Beau Bruce, MD and vice-chaired by Stacy Pineles, MD.

Here's Beau and Stacy's report:

Committee Purpose? Our committee’s purpose is to oversee the Annual Meeting scientific abstract process which includes completely, expeditiously, and fairly reviewing the abstracts submitted for the Annual Meeting and determining which abstracts are optimal for platform sessions, poster sessions, and electronic posters. We organize the abstracts to create a diverse and stimulating program. We also determine who would be best to moderate scientific sessions and how best to present scientific research to our group so that members can stay on the cutting edge of research in neuro-ophthalmology. We also help select the best abstract awards each year.

Recent Achievements/Updates? The 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting’s Scientific Program!

Exemplary Committee Member? This year, Melinda Chang and Marc Dinkin helped us pre-screen all the abstracts submitted before the rest of the committee members reviewed a subset and therefore they spent a lot of extra time and energy to help make the 2021 meeting a success!

Future Goals? Clarifying abstract and award categories (new categories and descriptions will be detailed in the 2022 Abstract Guidelines); continuing to enhance the diversity of speaker panels and research topics; and helping foster stimulating discussions.

Click here to view the roster of the NANOS Abstract Committee (login required).

Please note: The call for abstracts for 2022 is forthcoming this August! The deadline for submission is October 14th, 2021.


MEMBER RECOGNITION - AAN'S EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM

 

Congratulations to Dr. Aileen Antonio for being selected to participate in the 2021-2022 Emerging Leaders Program (ELP). This program is designed to identify, engage, and mentor talented early-career members who have the disposition to lead and are interested in future roles within the AAN and the field of neurology.

Click here to check out the full story.

    Aileen Antonio, MD

SUBMIT YOUR 2022 MERIT AWARD NOMINATION
We invite you to submit your nominations for the NANOS 2022 Merit Award, which now comes with one-year complimentary dues.


Deadline: November 7, 2021

Click here to learn more about the Merit Award.


FREE CME ACTIVITY & PODCAST SERIES
MedEd Talks: Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder Podcast Series

Click here to listen & learn with this CME podcast series with Prem S. Subramanian, MD, PhD, Michael S. Lee, MD, Patricia K. Coyle, MD, FAAN, FANA, Dean M. Wingerchuk, MD, MSc, FRCP(C), & Andrew G. Lee, MD.

Upon successful completion of this educational activity, participants should be better able to:

  • Outline evidence-based criteria and best practices that can improve the differential diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).
  • Differentiate the mechanisms of action of current NMOSD treatments to better understand how they treat the disorder and may reduce recurrent attacks.
  • Evaluate the efficacy and safety of conventional and new therapies when determining the most appropriate treatment for patients with NMOSD. 


Listen, learn & earn your CME today!

DISCLAIMER: NANOS is not an official CME provider for this webcast and this symposium is not endorsed by NANOS. This activity has been developed with support from an independent educational grant from Genentech. We are sharing this information as this can be of value to the NANOS membership.


ABOP CERTIFICATION FOR INTERNATIONALLY TRAINED OPHTHALMOLOGISTS
As increasing numbers of internationally trained ophthalmologists join academic ophthalmology and/or neurology departments in the United States, NANOS would like to make you aware of the expectations of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Review Committee (RC) for Ophthalmology.

All faculty members of ACGME accredited ophthalmology residencies must be board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABOp) or the American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, or have specialty qualifications that are acceptable to the RC. The RC will consider the qualifications of internationally trained ophthalmologists to serve as a faculty member. Importantly, the RC expects internationally trained ophthalmologist faculty members to enter the ABOp Internationally Trained Ophthalmology (ITO) certification program once eligible.

Per the ABOp, eligibility requirements for ITOs include:

  1. Valid and unrestricted license to practice in the US for a minimum of 5 consecutive years. An institutional license is not considered “unrestricted”.
  2. Clinical practice in the US for at least 5 consecutive years.
  3. Certificate from ECFMG.
  4. Applicants must be practicing ophthalmology and have surgical privileges.

The information related to the ABOp’s ITO certification pathway is available on the following pages:

ITO Program Page: https://abop.org/become-certified/international-training-pathway/

ITO Policy Page: https://www.manula.com/manuals/american-board-of-ophthal/abo-rules-regulations-amp-policies/1/en/topic/internationally-trained-ophthalmologists-policy

Any questions may be directed to Kathleen Quinn-Leering, RC Executive Director at the ACGME at kquinn@acgme.org or Christine Frieberg, Certification Services Coordinator at the American Board of Ophthalmology at ito@abop.org.


NANOS IS ON INSTAGRAM
NANOS is now on Instagram! Follow @nanosneuroop to stay up-to-date on all things related to neuro-ophthalmology.


SIGN UP FOR AUTO-DUES RENEWAL
Sign up for auto-dues renewal program today and consider using a secure e-Check payment option.

How can I auto-renew?
NANOS is pleased to provide all new and renewing members with the opportunity to enroll in automatic dues renewal. Signing up is quick and easy and will ensure that your annual membership dues are paid automatically in the future, saving you the need to sign in and renew manually each year. Enroll into our Auto-Dues renewal program now:

  1. Login to your NANOS account at NANOS website.
  2. Click on 'Profile'.
  3. Go to 'Settings' and choose 'Renewal Settings'.
  4. Enter your preferred payment method and click 'Enroll'. Congratulations! You are all set for Auto-Renewals.

NOVEL UPDATES
NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

It's July, which means many new and eager learners abound! Make sure your learners know about NOVEL and the collection Fingertips created by Dr. Jonathan Trobe. Share with your trainees!

Got 4 minutes to spare? Check out this informative video on Visual Fields.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I HAVE A CLINICAL SURVEY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST NANOSNET PARTICIPATION IN. CAN I PROMOTE IT ON THE NANOSNET EMAIL LIST?
We can help you with this request. Please click here to review the NANOS Clinical Survey and Investigation Request Policy and send your request to the NANOS Executive Office.


ARE THERE ANY NANOS POLICIES I SHOULD BE AWARE OF?
Yes, NANOS has a dedicated policy webpage where we publish policies, guidelines, and opinions. NANOS continually updates this webpage when new policies emerge or when updates are made.

WHERE CAN I FIND UPFRONT CASES IN THE HARD COPY OF THE JOURNAL OF NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY?
Some JNO content is available online only, including, Clinical Correspondence, Photo and Video Essays, UPFRONT Cases, NANOS news and much more.

I DIDN'T GET THE JULY ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL OF NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY. HOW DO I GET THIS ISSUE?
There's no July issue for the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology. The JNO comes out on a quarterly basis (March, June, September, December). If you did not receive the June issue of the JNO, please email info@nanosweb.org.

The mailing list for the September issue will be pulled shortly. Please consider reviewing and updating your NANOS Member Profile (login required) or email Katie at info@nanosweb.org to ensure your copy gets delivered on time.

Please note: Active and Fellow members of NANOS receive both a hard copy and online copy of the Journal. Residents and Fellows-in-training only receive an online copy of the Journal.


POPULAR ON SOCIAL MEDIA
NEW KNOWLEDGE AND RESEARCH IN NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY
Several NANOS members and pediatric ophthalmologists joined forces to provide a wonderful summary of the treatments for convergence insufficiency in children and young adults, which was published in Ophthalmology as a report by the AAO. — Article • Twitter • Facebook

This article by NANOS member Dr. Ed Margolin & his research team reminds us that distal transverse sinus stenosis in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension is common but that the degree of venous change may not correlate with disease severity. — Article • Twitter Facebook

A thorough review summarizing the evidence for management of symptoms (eye related and beyond) in PSP. — Article • Twitter Facebook

FOLLOW NANOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR MORE CONTENT


DEI TASKFORCE REMINDER

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to the NANOS culture and we are committed to creating an equitable and inclusive Society for all. NANOS is now collecting demographic data in the NANOS member profile as part of our strategic plan’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals. These questions are optional and your answers will remain confidential and de-identified. Your participation will give us a better picture of who makes up our Society and help us ensure that we are a diverse, equitable, and inclusive group.

RECENTLY ADDED RESOURCE:

 

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN HELP:


Together we can overcome the challenges of today and build a better tomorrow for everyone.


WIN BOOK CLUB

Be sure to join the WIN Leadership Book Club, 2nd Sundays of the EVEN months at 2pm PST/5pm EST. Selected book will focus on how to improve leadership presence in the workplace, strengthen diplomatic skills, improve negotiations, foster mentorship, and improve relationships.

FUTURE READS

AUGUST 8th
Getting to Yes With Yourself: How to Get What You Truly Want
William Ury

Click here for a YouTube synopsis of the book.

INTERESTED?
Contact Barbara Yates at docbarb@gmail.com to get involved. Happy reading!


UPFRONT CASES REMINDER

(Unknown Patients for Residents in Ophthalmology or Neurology Training) is a NANOS/JNO joint project aimed at piquing the interest of medical students, as well as ophthalmology and neurology residents before they have made final career plans, in order to expose them to what we do. Selected cases will be in a citable format and presented as a narrated PowerPoint. Please note that these cases should written at a resident level or above.

INTERESTED? Click here to submit a case. If your case is selected, you will be contacted by NANOS and sent further instructions for developing the case presentation. Please note, a NANOS member who is a neuro-ophthalmologist must agree to be an author/mentor for any trainee/non-member submissions. Please contact info@nanosweb.org with any questions.


STAY CONNECTED
SOCIAL MEDIA

Like NANOS on Facebook (@NeuroOphthalmology) and follow us on Twitter (@NANOSTweets) and Instagram (@NANOSneuroop).

NOVEL is now available on social media. Follow @novelnanos on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Click here to download NANOS themed Zoom backgrounds.

DONATE
Consider making a donation to NANOS today.


NANOS is a 501-C3 not-for-profit organization and contributions are deductible to the extent allowed by law.


SAVE THE DATE FOR NANOS 2022


HAVE A QUESTION? CONTACT THE NANOS EXECUTIVE OFFICE TEAM

We are here to support you.

Katie Connelly
NANOS Membership & Communications Specialist
info@nanosweb.org
952-646-2037

Tara Thebeau, CMP
NANOS Meetings Manager
meetings@nanosweb.org
952-641-2293

Toma Ossian, CMP
NANOS Executive Director
toma@nanosweb.org
952-646-2047

Janel Fick
NANOS Consulting Director & GMP Partner
jfick@gmpartners.org

     
 

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952.646.2037 | info@nanosweb.org

 
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NANOS IN THE NEWS

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