Paul Kaufman, MD, Speaks of His Motivations and Mission in Advance of Award and Lecture

In a building packed with esteemed researchers and aspiring scientists, one would be hard-pressed to find a person who has seen and done more in ophthalmology than Paul Kaufman. Kaufman, MD, is the Chair-Emeritus of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, in addition to being the former President and Executive Vice President of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). At ARVO 2017, he will tonight deliver a keynote lecture on glaucoma and presbyopia, and will also be awarded Friedenwald Award for his work.

Despite decades in the business, countless accolades and titles, and over 350 published studies, one would also be hard-pressed to find someone as thoughtful, focused, and humble about their work. In advance of his lecture and award presentation, Kaufman sat down with MD Magazine for an expansive interview about his motivations, career, and how he sees ophthalmology evolving over time.

In this first installment of many, Kaufman speaks of his drive to understand complex problems and how that has fueled his research. He also speaks about the namesake of the Friedenwald Award and the significance of the lineage of researchers that stem from Jonas Friedenwald.