Steven T. DeKosky, MD, Vice President and Dean of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and R. Edward Howell, Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Virginia Medical Center, recently announced the appointment of Peter A. Netland, MD, as Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology.
“I am excited about the opportunity to expand and strengthen the Department of Ophthalmology in its academic missions and to enhance its facilities to meet the growing need for patient care,” Netland said.
Netland assumed his Chair in November 2009, after being recruited from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where he served as Vice Chair of Academic Affairs and as Professor of Ophthalmology in the University of Tennessee College of Medicine.
“Dr. Netland is an innovative clinician and distinguished educator, who has developed new protocols and treatments for glaucoma, has written five textbooks, and has 15 ongoing research studies,” said DeKosky. “He has trained a diverse group of international physicians and scientists and we look for him to build the Ophthalmology graduate programs at UVA.”
During his tenure at UT, Dr. Netland was heavily involved in the major expansion of the Department of Ophthalmology in both clinical and research faculties, including the development of several clinical facilities.
“Dr. Netland has a long history of community outreach for underserved areas and populations and he plans to build up our program to support the healthcare needs of our communities,” said Howell. “Our region continues to grow and the demand for ophthalmology services has never been greater. Expanding our program to meet this demand is one of Dr. Netland’s major goals for his tenure.”
Dr. Netland completed his undergraduate education at Princeton University, his medical degree at the University of California, San Francisco, and his PhD degree at Harvard University. Following a surgical internship at UCSF, he did his residency in ophthalmology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and a clinical fellowship in glaucoma at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School.
After completion of his training, he was appointed Instructor, promoted to Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, and served as Associate Director of the Glaucoma Service at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Following a year as Consultant at the King Khaled Eye Special Hospital in Riyadh, he joined the faculty of the University of Tennessee Department of Ophthalmology as Associate Professor and Director of the Glaucoma Service. He was awarded tenure in 1999, named the Siegal Endowed Professor of Ophthalmology in 2001, and promoted to Professor of Ophthalmology in 2002.
Dr. Netland has received the Senior Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He served as President-Elect of the Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology and served on the Board of Directors. He also was Chair of the Board of Directors for the Memphis Eye Society, having previously served as President for six years. He is a Special Associate Examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology and has served on AAO Committees.
Dr. Netland has given numerous international, national, and regional presentations. In peer-reviewed literature, he has written more than 100 original scientific articles as well as more than 200 book chapters, reviews and published abstracts. He has textbooks include: Stereo Atlas of Glaucoma, Glaucoma Medical Therapy (first and second editions) and The Pediatric Glaucomas. Dr. Netland was elected to the American Ophthalmological Society (AOS) in 2009.
“Dr. Brian Conway has left a strong legacy in his leadership of the department. I look forward to the challenge of building upon the foundation he created to ensure we continue our mission to train outstanding new ophthalmologists, provide excellent patient care, and advance the science and treatment of patients through excellence in research,” Netland said.
