Explore every episode of the podcast Little Eyes, Big Topics

In the latest Little Eyes, Big Topics, co-host John Morse, MPH and expert guest Dr. Julius Oatts break down the Pediatric Ophthalmology Mentorship (POM) Program.

Learn how 1-on-1 mentorship, career guidance, and research opportunities are helping medical students succeed in the match! 

Co-Host:
John Morse, MPH

M4, University of Michigan Medical School
Ann Arbor, MI

Expert Guest:
Julius Oatts, MD

Associate Professor
Division of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Scheie Eye Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

#AAPOS #LittleEyesBigTopics #POMProgram #PediatricOphthalmology #MedEd

There's more than one way to find your true calling in medicine!

In the latest Little Eyes, Big Topics, co-host Jacob Nydegger, M3 sits down with Dr. Sylvia Yoo to discuss Connecting Pediatrics and Pediatric Ophthalmology.

Co-Host:
Jacob Nydegger, M3
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Heersink School of Medicine

Expert Guest:
Sylvia Yoo, MD, FAAP, FAAO

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Tufts University School of Medicine
Director, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music!

#AAPOS #LittleEyesBigTopics #PediatricOphthalmology #MedEd #MedStudent

In this episode of Little Eyes, Big Topics, co-host Dr. Christie Morse is joined by expert guest Dr. Stacey Kruger to introduce ENVISION!

Tune in to get an inside look at this upcoming Leadership Development Program designed to empower pediatric ophthalmologists to lead, advocate, and innovate in our field! Applications open this September,so listen in, mark your calendar, and get ready to elevate your career.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or your favorite platform!

#AAPOS #LittleEyesBigTopics #LeadershipDevelopment #EnvisionAAPOS #PediatricOphthalmology

In this new episode of Little Eyes, Big Topics, guest John Morse, M4 shares his unique takeaways, key learnings, and highlights in A Medical Student's Perspective at AAPOS & POM Program Pearls. 

In this episode of Little Eyes, Big Topics, co-host Dr. Ryan Thompson sits down with expert guest Dr. Michael X. Repka (Medical Director for Government Affairs, AAO) for an insightful discussion on current legislative activity affecting pediatric eye care.

Tune in to learn how legislative policies shape patient care, workforce development, and advocacy efforts across the country. Listen now on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform!

#AAPOS #LittleEyesBigTopics #PediatricOphthalmology #HealthcarePolicy #Advocacy

In the latest episode of Little Eyes, Big Topics, co-host Dr. Annie Yao and expert guest Dr. Eric D. Gaier discuss Mentoring the Next Generation of Physician-Scientists in Pediatric Ophthalmology.

Tune in for actionable insights on balancing research and clinical practice, navigating academic medicine, and building impactful mentorships. 

Co-Host:
Annie Yao, MD PhD 
PGY-1 Internal Medicine Preliminary Resident--Ophthalmology
Wills Eye Hospital Residency at Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA

Expert Guest:
Eric D. Gaier, MD PhD 
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology 
Boston Children's Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA

#AAPOS #LittleEyesBigTopics #PhysicianScientist #PediatricOphthalmology #MedEd

Listen in as we talk about on of the many aspects of what AAPOS offers and supports, the Childrens Eye Foundation!  

Listen in as we talk with Dr. Suh about innovation and what it takes to be a leader. 

Listen in as we have a lovely and honest conversation about leadership and advocacy in Pediatric Ophthalmology! 

Listen in to a great conversation about leadership and what it means to be a mentor! 

Listen in as we talk to many of the trainees attending this years AAPOS conference in Boston, Ma!

A very interesting conversation about dyslexia and whether it is an issue of the eye, the brain, or possibly a combination of two. Listen in and find out!

Sometimes you change careers out of necessity sometimes you do so out of a desire to explore something new. Listen in to our wonderful conversation on how and why sometimes you need to switch careeer trajectories. 

In this episode we go over some crucial information that every trainee ahould know. 

Another fantastic conversation! 

This time it's all about community outreach. Listen in as our experts offer advice and provide their own personal experiences. 

This week we have a wonderful discussion about Vertical Strabismus & Vertical Strabismus Surgery! We also continue our trend of having a mentee and mentor as our guests. We thank you for listening! 

Another fantastic episode! Listen in as we discuss ROP in 2026!

A Conversation with Dr. Glaucomflecken: Pediatric Eye Exam Pearls

Listen in as we chat with Dr. Will Flanary AKA Dr. Glaucomflecken! We chat about the importance of messaging and humor in medicine. But also how important it is to be the best you can be when practicing medicine, but also to not take yourself too seriously. 

Hello and welcome!

Listen in as we talk about Strabismus and Strabismus surgery, in particular how it effects and relates to the horizontal muscles. 

Listen in as we discuss the clinical impact of basic science in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus with Dr. Jolene Rudell. 

Cohosts Jennifer Galvin, MD; Alexander Valentine, MD; and medical student Angela Ngo invite Courtney Kraus, MD, to the podcast to discuss what drew her to pediatric ophthalmology and what a typical week looks like in her pediatric and adult strabismus practice. She reviews her experience with the anterior segment in these patients and her approach to pediatric cataracts and glaucoma management. The group also reviews helpful resources to help increase the field's exposure to medical students and residents.

Jennifer Galvin, MD, and medical student Nadia Abbas invite Dolly Ann Padovani-Claudio, MD, PhD, and Ore-Ofe Adesina, MD, to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion and underrepresented individuals in medicine—specifically as it relates to pediatric ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology. Drs. Padovani-Claudio and Adesina share their experiences and advice for ophthalmic trainees from underrepresented backgrounds, reviewing strategies to navigate challenges, find a niche in the field, and excel in patient care.

In this episode, Jennifer Galvin, MD, invites an expert panel including Alex Valentine, MD; Michelle Falcone, MD; and Michael Puente, MD, to share perspectives on advocacy in pediatric ophthalmology, highlighting the importance of young ophthalmologists getting involved at the state and national levels. The panel also discusses Medicaid reimbursement, the pediatric ophthalmology workforce shortage, and more.

In this episode, cohosts Jennifer Galvin, MD, and Christine Law, MD, invite a panel of pediatric ophthalmology experts to discuss approaches to managing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Gil Binenbaum, MD, MSCE; Emily McCourt, MD; and Jennifer Jung, MD, provide insights on comprehensive ROP screening and treatment approaches at their respective children's hospitals. They also share their excitement about future advancements in ROP treatment, earlier intervention, and improved examination techniques.

Sruti Rachapudi, MD, MBA, hosts this episode in which Simon Fung, MD, MA(Oxon), FRCOphth, an expert in pediatric cornea and external eye disease, discusses the risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric keratoconus. Dr. Fung shares clinical pearls about the differences in pediatric versus adult-onset keratoconus, explaining how pediatric cases require close monitoring and early intervention due to higher prevalence and rapid progression. He also describes the challenges of screening children at a young age and reviews treatment options to stabilize the disease and improve vision.

Jennifer Galvin, MD, sits down with the two co-chairs of the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG)—Stacy Pineles, MD, and Katherine Weise, OD, MBA, FAAO—to discuss the current and future clinical studies in pediatric ophthalmology and optometry. Drs. Pineles and Weise outline the collaborative network of PEDIG, dedicated to facilitating multicenter clinical research in all areas of children's eye conditions such as strabismus, amblyopia, and more. They further discuss how a trainee in medical school or residency could get involved in pediatric eye research.

Pediatric ophthalmologist Maria Stunkel, MD, hosts this episode of Little Eyes, Big Topics to celebrate World Orthoptic Day. She invites Laura May, CO, an orthoptist at the University of Minnesota, and Kim Merrill, CO, an orthoptic fellowship director at the University of Minnesota, to share their experiences in the field. They describe a typical day as an orthoptist and how they help eye care physicians treat patients. They also outline the benefits and advantages of adding an orthoptist to a pediatric ophthalmology practice.

Gregory Ostrow, MD, joins Jennifer Galvin, MD, to discuss his entrepreneurism in pediatric ophthalmology and the starting of Sydnexis, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company he founded. He describes the journey to discovering a way to neutralize and stabilize compounded atropine eye drops to effectively treat myopia in pediatric patients. He also shares information from the STAR study, a phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the company's patented formulation of low-dose atropine for myopia control.

Jennifer Galvin, MD, speaks with Megan Pfefferle, executive director of the Children's Eye Foundation (CEF) of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS). Ms. Pfefferle describes how the CEF acts as a two-way street with members of the AAPOS, not only through donations to support its programs but also serving as a voice and advocate for pediatric ophthalmologists. She then explains how AAPOS members can get involved at any level of philanthropy.

Jennifer Galvin, MD, welcomes Honey Herce, MD, and Sylvia Yoo, MD, to the podcast to discuss the importance of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) members getting involved with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Drs. Herce and Yoo—pediatric ophthalmologists and leaders within the AAP—discuss their roles and highlight the benefits for residents and incoming fellows to be involved with the organization. They further discuss the value of physician advocacy and networking opportunities and share pearls for educational events.

Dr. Jenny Galvin speaks with Dr. Lauren Ditta about the November AAO/AAPOS Live Journal Club Webinar on Thursday, November 3rd.