On Thursday, May 27 more than 50 people came together virtually for our first Orbis Speaker Series event. The session, Orbis: Changing the Way the World Sees, introduced our Future Vision Leaders to Orbis through an interactive discussion with Drs. Simon Holland and Hunter Cherwek, moderated by Dominique Geoffrion, President of the Orbis Future Vision Leaders.
First Orbis Speaker Series Brings Together Canadian Medical Students
The Orbis Future Vision Leaders Program provides learning opportunities for the next generation of global ophthalmologists.
Dr. Holland is Orbis Canada’s Board Chair and a Volunteer Faculty member who has been part of more than 100 Orbis programs around the globe. He shared stories from his work with the organization and gave attendees a sense of what it’s like to practice ophthalmology in developing countries. Dr. Cherwek, Vice President Clinical Services and Technology at Orbis International, outlined the mission and vision of the organization and discussed his own experience as part of the medical team.
Slideshow: Dr. Holland on some of the very first Orbis Flying Eye Hospital programs in the 1980s
The presentations were followed by a lively discussion where Orbis Future Vision Leaders could ask questions about the experience of being a Volunteer Faculty member. This was also an opportunity to discuss ways to enhance their career development, learn more about in-demand skills in the field, and to discuss ways they could benefit from training programs via Orbis’s Cybersight telemedicine platform.
Afterwards, attendees expressed their thanks to our speakers for the opportunity to learn from their experiences, and shared their interest in getting involved in global health projects.
Orbis Speaker Series Attendee
Your talk was not only very inspiring, it got me excited about all the activities that you and the Orbis team are involved in
Orbis Future Vision Leaders
A collective of university and medical students, ophthalmology postgraduate trainees and alumni across Canada who are passionate about eye health. The goal is to create an engaged and inspired community who want to network, learn, share and exchange ideas – all while building awareness and raising funds to support Orbis’s sight-saving work.
This Speaker Series was designed specifically to meet the needs of our Orbis Future Vision Leaders program. It features a series of interactive and engaging discussions tailored specifically for medical students interested in global ophthalmology. The next session, planned for this summer, will features information and a discussion centred around the Flying Eye Hospital.
To participate in an Orbis Speaker Series event, you must be a registered member of the Orbis Future Vision Leaders. If you are not yet a member, register now.
