Growing up, I was often asked by family friends and relatives, “Are you going to follow in your father’s footsteps?” As a wiry and active boy more interested in wrestling with my siblings and playing outside, the question would make me chuckle. Considering who my father was, the quality of his character, and all he had accomplished as a Polish immigrant, following in his footsteps seemed highly unlikely. 

During my adolescent and teenage years, I had the privilege of watching my father operate, sometimes accompanying him to the pre-op bays as he performed final patient checks before operations. Time and time again, patients returning for cataract surgery on their second eye would say, “Doc! This has been the longest two weeks of my life! I have been waiting for this second eye!” Imagine that: patients excited for surgery. This was amazing to me!

As the sibling wrestling matches subsided (for the most part), I matured academically and developed a love for sciences. Naturally, seeing my father’s love for his work, the joy with which he would return home each evening, and the impact ophthalmic surgery had on patients’ lives drew me towards ophthalmology. 

While all these factors certainly influenced my decision, a deepening love for God and humanity sealed the deal. After having experienced many different specialties in medical school, I viewed ophthalmology as a specialty capable of dramatically altering people’s lives and how they saw and perceived the world. I was struck by how vision enhancement frequently left patients awestruck at the beautiful world around them, and ultimately, led them to give thanks to God, Whom we often encounter in the beauty of creation. It is a privilege and honor to be an ophthalmologist and bring a new vision of the world to patients, and to be doing so with family is a dream come true.