SAN FRANCISCO –– Cynthia A. Bradford, M.D., began her term as the 121st president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology on Jan. 1. She was elected by the Academy's community of ophthalmologists in recognition of her longstanding commitment to quality patient care.
Dr. Bradford has served the Academy in a variety of capacities. 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 as senior secretary for advocacy from 2009-14. Other leadership roles within Academy include: secretary for state affairs from 2004-08; member of the Interspecialty Education Committee; the Basic and Clinical Science Committee; and the Federal Health Manpower Task Force.
Dr. Bradford’s clinical focus is cataract and intraocular lens implant surgery. She is a professor of ophthalmology in the department of ophthalmology, at the Dean McGee Eye Institute at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
She is a graduate of Texas A&M University and 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 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.