The Importance of YES

How was your ASCRS Annual Meeting experience this year? I thoroughly enjoyed the busy DC days, but there was one part of the congress that particularly stood out for me – being the Chair of YES.

ASCRS’ Young Eye Surgeons (YES) is a dedicated membership created specifically for residents, fellows, and physicians in their first five years of practice. ASCRS offers several educational resources and opportunities for YES members throughout the year to allow them to expand their networks, connect with top ophthalmologists, and establish their careers in the field.

As a previous YES member and now Clinical Committee Chair, I have experienced firsthand the benefits of attending ASCRS educational events – and I recognize that the quality of education offered is one of a kind. The ASCRS annual meeting features several YES-specific educational offerings, including dedicated skills transfer labs, networking breakfast and luncheon, mentor meetups, and a variety of symposium programs. This year, the two featured YES symposia were the “Good to Great Surgeon Video Symposium: Working Through Complications” and “Tools for Survival.” In addition to the annual meeting, ASCRS offers year-round education to YES members both in person and virtually. This includes grand rounds, summer meeting skills labs, monthly newsletters, and monthly YES Connect webinars focusing on important practice-related and non-clinical topics in the field. Some of the most recent YES Connect webinars addressed topics such as working with industry, the basics of billing, working through complications, and “things I wish I had known before taking my first job.” ASCRS YES members also receive discounted or complimentary access to ASCRS programming throughout the year.

I have been honored to take on a leadership role as YES Clinical Committee Chair and work on various initiatives to ensure that our members receive high-quality education and career resources. The YES committee has been actively working on these initiatives over the last few years and we are excited to continue to advance the YES experience. ASCRS YES opportunities have played a critical role in my education and career advancement, and I trust that it will do the same for many others. Although everyone benefits from access to the broader ASCRS community and resources, niche offerings that are directly relevant to young eye surgeons are unique and valuable – and long may their growth continue.