Dr Leigh Speilberg wins EuroTimes writing prize for young ophthalmologists

The winner of the 2010 John Henahan Prize is Dr Leigh Spielberg. The writing prize for young ophthalmologists is sponsored by EuroTimes on a specially chosen theme. This year’s theme was “The Outstanding Memory of My Residency.”

Dr Emanuel Rosen, the chairman of the judging panel, presented Dr Spielberg with his prize during the Young Ophthalmologists’ Forum. He said that the standard of entries had been very high, but in the end there could be only one winner.

“A physician colleague once commenting upon the importance of taking a detailed history observed that this aspect of medical management was an equally important principle in ophthalmology as in medicine in general,” said Dr Rosen. “He then went on to comment on an ophthalmologist colleague who achieved this end by asking of a patient ‘which eye?’

“Dr Spielberg’s account of his outstanding memory of his residency confirms that not only does he write very well and maintain the readers’ interest throughout his essay, but that as a budding ophthalmologist he shares empathy with his patient. He was meticulous in his documentation of the particular disorder and managed personal follow-up of his patient, an action not always possible in a busy ophthalmic department where care is shared amongst colleagues.

“Dr Spielberg is correct in recognising that ophthalmology is not only the medicine of the organ of sight but is dependent more than most medical specialties on diagnosis being mainly dependent on visual observations notwithstanding his recognition of the value of historical detail,” he said.

Dr Rosen also thanked the other members of the judging panel: Jose Güell, president of the ESCRS; Oliver Findl, chairman of ESCRS Young Ophthalmologists’ Forum; Sean Henahan, editor of EuroTimes; Paul McGinn, editor of EuroTimes and Robert Henahan, contributing editor of EuroTimes.

Dr Spielberg is an ophthalmology resident at the Rotterdam Eye Hospital in the Netherlands. Originally from Long Island, New York, Dr Spielberg studied medieval and ancient history at Yale University before completing his medical studies in Belgium. After medical school, he conducted two years of vitreo-retinal imaging and therapy research in the departments of ophthalmology in the Leuven University Hospital and New York Eye & Ear Infirmary. His interests include travel, photography, alpine skiing and medical writing.

“Participating in the EuroTimes John Henahan essay competition gave me the opportunity to write about the medical profession and the doctor-patient relationship in a freestyle manner for a select readership of ophthalmologists. I am very honoured to have been selected for this year’s prize,” he said after receiving his award. Dr Spielberg’s prizewinning essay will be printed in the October edition of EuroTimes.