Of Music and Medicine: Susan H. Day, MD Orbital Gala Special Honoree

Any serious flutist knows Mozart’s flute concertos, as they are a rite of passage for those who seek to master the instrument. And if you were in Davies Hall in San Francisco in 1982, you would have heard Susan H. Day, MD, perform Mozart’s Concerto No. 2 in D Major for Flute (K. 314) with the San Francisco Symphony. The concert was a special feature of the Academy’s combined annual meeting with the International Council of Ophthalmology that year.

For Dr. Day, who is the guest of honor at the 2022 Orbital Gala, that night was one of many highlights in a remarkable—and multifaceted—career.

From Music to Medicine

Dr. Day was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Both of her parents played the piano and taught music, and Dr. Day followed their lead, learning both flute and piano.

Initially, she continued her musical studies in college. But as she grew increasingly interested in science, she realized that she wanted to focus on medicine, and she earned her degree at Louisiana State University’s School of Medicine in 1975.

She then moved to San Francisco, where she completed an internship at the Letterman Army Medical Center and her ophthalmology residency at California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC). This was followed by two fellowships—one at The Hospital for Sick Children in London, the other at the University of Iowa—and a return to San Francisco, where she practiced pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus for 34 years. Despite her growing responsibilities, she didn’t let go of music altogether: in addition to that performance at Davies Hall, she regularly joined her musical ophthalmology colleagues at the noontime concerts that were a regular feature of the Academy’s annual meeting for many years.

LEADER. Dr. Day’s many accomplishments include her tenure as president of several ophthalmic organizations, including the Academy.

Stepping Into Leadership Roles

During her time in private practice, Dr. Day became increasingly interested in how residents are trained and how their educational standards are set.^1,2 She joined the faculty at CPMC as service chief for pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, then became director of the residency program in 1997 and chair of the department in 2000.

Dr. Day also became president of the Academy in 2005—in fact, she was the first woman to hold the position. She also served as president of the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology, the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), and the American Ophthalmological Society (AOS). In addition, she was chair of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s (ACGME) Board of Directors and Board Director of the American Board of Ophthalmology, among other leadership positions.

She received multiple awards and honors throughout her career, including the Howe Medal, which is named for Lucien Howe, MD, and is the highest honor awarded annually by the AOS and denotes distinguished service to ophthalmology. She also was awarded the AAPOS Parks Bronze and Silver Medals, both of which pay honor to the legendary pediatric ophthalmologist Marshall M. Parks, MD. As AAPOS notes, the Parks Silver Medal is “pediatric ophthalmology’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize, recognizing monumental contributions. Such contributions may involve basic research, clinical research, clinical care, educational activities, organizational activities, public health, or resource contributions.” In addition, she received the Academy’s EnergEYES Award and lifetime achievement awards from both the Academy and the AAPOS.

And when she considers her career, she notes the guidance she received from such leading pediatric ophthalmologists as Drs. Creig Hoyt, Arthur Jampolsky, Marilyn Miller, Alan Scott, and David Taylor—as well as that from mentors Bill Spencer, Bruce Spivey, and Bob Stamper.

MULTITALENTED. Music continues to be a significant part of Dr. Day’s life.

Not Your Average Retirement

In 2014, Dr. Day retired from active practice and relocated to Chicago to become senior vice president of medical affairs for ACGME International. As the organization grew, she became the organization’s first president and CEO. Her goal: to help improve health care throughout the world by advancing the quality of residency education in all specialties. In this position, she worked to help other countries create their own accreditation programs.

In 2021, Dr. Day stepped down from her position at ACGME. And once again, she took on a significant learning challenge.

This time, she is revisiting her musical roots as well as weaving in her love of science: she’s focusing on the flute and studying the science of music at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music in Montreal, Canada. She hopes to combine her lifelong fascination with music and medicine, perhaps culminating in a research project incorporating both disciplines.

This content is excerpted from the Sunday/Monday edition of AAO 2022 News, the newspaper distributed at the convention center.

___________________________

1 Gedde SJ et al. Ophthalmology. 2013;120(12):2364-2365.

2 Day SH. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(9 Suppl):S50-S54.

Read more news about AAO 2022.