January 18, 2017
Media Contact: Melody Marcum
(405) 271-6005 or
melody-marcum@dmei.org
DEAN MCGEE PHYSICIAN ASSUMES NEW NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ROLE
Cynthia A. Bradford, M.D., Begins Term as 2017 President of the American Academy of Ophthalmology
A Dean McGee Eye Institute physician is the newest president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons.
Cynthia A. Bradford, M.D., an ophthalmologist at the Dean McGee Eye Institute in Oklahoma City began her term as the 121st president of the Academy on Jan. 1. She was elected by the Academy’s community of ophthalmologists in recognition of her longstanding commitment to quality patient care.
More than 90 percent of the nation’s ophthalmologists are members of the Academy. Its mission is to protect sight and empower lives by serving as an advocate for patients and the public, as well as to serve as a leader for ophthalmic education and for advancing the profession of ophthalmology.
Dr. Bradford has served the Academy in a variety of capacities though the years. Her work on behalf of her profession spans clinical education, advocacy, and patient care. As president, she will lead efforts to enhance the care ophthalmologists provide to patients with a focus on physician wellness initiatives.
“The practice of medicine is a rewarding, yet challenging career,” said Dr. Bradford. “The changing health care environment places tremendous administrative burdens on physicians. We need strategies to keep ophthalmologists and the broader medical community, happy, healthy and productive.”
Before serving as president-elect in 2016, Dr. Bradford was a member of the Academy Board of Trustees, serving as senior secretary for advocacy from 2009-14. Bradford served in a number of other leadership roles within Academy including as secretary for state affairs from 2004-08; and as a member of the Interspecialty Education Committee, the Basic and Clinical Science Committee and the Federal Health Manpower Task Force.
As a practicing ophthalmologist and surgeon at Dean McGee, Dr. Bradford’s clinical focus is cataract and intraocular lens implant surgery. She also is a professor of ophthalmology in the department of ophthalmology, at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Bradford earned her medical degree with high honors from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She completed her ophthalmology training at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
About the Dean McGee Eye Institute
Founded in 1972, DMEI is dedicated to serving all Oklahomans and the global community through excellence and leadership in patient care, education, and vision research. DMEI is one of the nation’s largest and most respected centers for medical and surgical eye care with more than 185,000 total patient visits annually for more than 60,000 individuals from all 77 Oklahoma counties and the surrounding region. In fiscal year 2015, DMEI provided more than $888,000 in uncompensated care. Twenty of DMEI’s 27 ophthalmologists are listed among the Best Doctors in America and/or Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors. Our vision research program is ranked among the top 20 in the country with respect to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and is 14th in the nation in cumulative funding from Research to Prevent Blindness. DMEI’s educational programs (in affiliation with the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine) are nationally recognized. It is home to the only residency program in ophthalmology in the state of Oklahoma and receives more than 400 applications annually for four available positions. This training program was ranked among the nation’s top 16 (eighth among public universities) by Doximity in 2015. In its most recent 2016-17 survey, U.S. News and World Report recognized DMEI as one of the top 20 overall ophthalmology programs in the country (seventh among those affiliated with a public university). For more information, visit www.dmei.org.
About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons. A global community of 32,000 medical doctors, we protect sight and empower lives by setting the standards for ophthalmic education and advocating for our patients and the public. We innovate to advance our profession and to ensure the delivery of the highest-quality eye care. Our EyeSmart® program provides the public with the most trusted information about eye health. For more information, visit aao.org.
