The University of Utah Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has named surgeon Jeff Pettey, MD, its first vice chair of education, enhancing the prominence of its teaching mission.
Pettey has served as director of education since 2012. His new position creates a second vice chair for the department; Norm A. Zabriskie, MD, serves as vice chair and medical director of clinical services.
"We are extremely proud of our program in all aspects of education, and this change gives our teaching mission the emphasis it deserves," said Randall J Olson, MD, department chair and CEO of the John A. Moran Eye Center. "There is no one else I know that could be more deserving of this title, and no better addition to our department’s top leadership team."
Pettey has ushered in a new era of innovative ophthalmic education. Under his direction, the program has been acknowledged as a unique model, ranked No. 6 in the nation by Ophthalmology Times and No. 11 by Doximity.
Among other changes, Pettey launched a Resident Continuity Clinic to allow future ophthalmologists to begin seeing patients, under the supervision of a board certified ophthalmologist, from day one. Moran residents are given opportunities to tailor their education to a specific clinical or research interest, and they have some of the highestsurgical volumes of any residency program. Residents also join Moran’s outreach teams on international trips to restore sight and participate in Moran’s bi-annual Operation Sight Day, which delivers sight-restoring surgeries to underserved patients in the community.
"I am so thankful to be at an institution that has such a robust educational program and prioritizes the importance of this mission," said Pettey. "It’s always rewarding to see the residents’ successes and to know that we are sending them out into the world with an extraordinary education."
Pettey is the 2017 recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Artemis Award for his dedication to the underserved in his local community and abroad through Moran’s Global Outreach Division. He was also recently elected to the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) Program Directors Council.