Chair, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Chair, Ophthalmology and Visual Services
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) seeks a strategic and dynamic leader to serve as the next Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. This prominent leadership role presents a unique opportunity for a collaborative physician leader to drive the continued growth and development of a thriving academic department. Through research, education, multidisciplinary clinical care, and innovative surgical services, this role is poised to drive excellence and shape the future of the field.

The MCW Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is a $30 million enterprise and a national leader as a full-service academic ophthalmology center. Home to more than 50 faculty members made up of physicians, optometrists, and vision scientists whose mission is to improve, restore and preserve sight. Since opening the doors almost 50 years ago, the Eye Institute has brought together the highest quality vision care, cutting-edge research, and educational leadership to change lives, restore independence, and ease suffering through improved treatments and earlier diagnosis of eye diseases. Here, physicians and scientists are dedicated to treating patients, training the next generation of ophthalmologists, and conducting basic science and clinical research aimed at improving outcomes for patients and their families.

The next leader of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences will strengthen a financially stable and clinically robust department within a competitive marketplace. This individual will offer strategic leadership and direction, focusing on advancing research, fostering scholarly activity, and promoting excellence in teaching. Key responsibilities include elevating medical education standards, enhancing departmental research efforts, and driving growth. High-priority goals include utilizing the department’s current strengths to drive/grow clinical footprint, recruit/retain talented faculty, and continue to position the department as a regional and national leader in the field of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.

The Chair provides leadership and oversight for the clinical, educational, research, professional and administrative activities of the Department and is responsible for strategic planning, recruitment of faculty, and allocation of resources.  Of particular importance is strong clinical leadership experience in an academic setting, along with the abilities to successfully recruit, strategize, mentor, collaborate, and understand the ever-changing healthcare environment and operational achievements required to lead the Department into the future. The Chair ensures the highest quality of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences services and supports the building of basic, translational, and clinical research programs.  The Chair is a member of the Executive Committee of the Faculty, and responsible for collaborating with institutional leaders and departments to move MCW towards its stated missions.

The successful candidate will be a MD or MD/PhD equivalent degree from an accredited institution with board certification by the American Board of Ophthalmology, eligible for an unrestricted license in the State of Wisconsin, who demonstrates a passion for the mission and vision of the Department. They will have a strong track record of clinical excellence, scholarly achievement, and academic leadership commensurate with qualifications for an MCW faculty appointment at the Associate Professor or Professor level.

The ideal candidate will be a distinguished clinical and academic leader with a proven ability to set a clear vision, inspire others, and effectively manage and mentor teams. They will have a deep commitment to delivering exceptional care and a drive to enhance systems and processes for greater efficiency. The Chair will actively engage faculty, foster accountability across core mission areas, and cultivate an environment that supports education and research growth. Candidates should have prior administrative and leadership experience within a Department of Ophthalmology in a complex academic healthcare setting.

The key attributes desired include:

• Proven leadership experience within a complex, multi-faceted university or academic medical center, with demonstrated strategic, implementation and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to collaborate within and across departments successfully, work effectively with diverse groups and quickly set the direction of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.
• Advocate for the strategic goals of MCW, in alignment with the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.
• Model authentic values and demonstrated experience in faculty mentorship.
• Experience with critical conversations and ability to hold faculty and staff accountable to high standards of professional, clinical, academic, and educational achievement.
• Highly articulate with the ability to communicate effectively and credibly in both oral and written contexts.
• Demonstrate ability to carefully listen to others at all levels of the organization; seek and listen to feedback and be approachable.
• Understands the field of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences including its drivers, values, and emerging clinical trends, its relationships to other specialties, and its significance for education, research, and clinical service.
• Distinguished academic and professional career, including significant clinical (required), administrative (required), teaching and research experience (preferred).

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Services

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has been an integral part of MCW for almost 50 years serving as a regional leader in advanced eye care, providing the highest quality vision care, cutting-edge research, and educational leadership to change lives, restore independence, and ease suffering through improved treatments and earlier diagnosis of disease.

Faculty and staff are dedicated to treating patients, training the next generation of ophthalmologists, and conducting basic science and clinical research aimed at improving outcomes for patients and their families. With a departmental history rich in innovation and leadership in ophthalmology, the physicians and scientists profoundly impact the quality of life in individuals and these collaborative efforts that have resulted in improvements to the fundamental understanding, diagnosis and management of diseases that impair vision. The faculty and staff ensure that every patient receives personalized, evidence-based care that optimizes outcomes and enhances quality of life.

The Department is sound financially with a revenue budget of over $30 million, retained earnings of almost $34 million and an endowed earning fund of $9.2 million of which $1.8 million is available annually to ensure that the Department is at the forefront in education, research and clinical care. Department is currently comprised of 54 faculty (47 clinical (34 MD/13 DO) and 7 research faculty) and 20 trainees (4 instructors/fellows and 16 residents). 

To learn more about the incredible faculty and staff, please visit: https://www.mcw.edu/departments/ophthalmology-eye-institute/people

Medical College of Wisconsin

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is the state’s only private medical school and health sciences graduate school.  MCW consists of a School of Medicine with campuses in Milwaukee, Green Bay and central Wisconsin, a School of Graduate Studies, and a School of Pharmacy. MCW is a major national research center ranking in the top third of U.S. medical schools in NIH funding and is the second largest research institution in Wisconsin. The core of everything we do at the MCW is academic medicine, which brings together scientists, clinicians, students, and community members to solve challenges in health and society. MCW is a diverse group of thought leaders collaborating to build a healthier world. Every study we conduct, and every patient we see, leads to new learning and a continuous cycle of life-changing knowledge. The beautiful, safe, and modern campus of the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC) houses Froedtert Hospital, Children’s Hospital and Health System, Curative Care, Blood Research Institute of Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, and the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division. 

Milwaukee

Milwaukee, the largest city in Wisconsin, is located on Lake Michigan’s western shore. A metropolitan area with more than 1.5 million people, Milwaukee is an affordable, comfortable place to live, work, and play, big enough to be exciting and uncongested enough to get around easily. Milwaukee’s many neighborhoods have incredible charm, accommodating a variety of lifestyles, from high-rise apartments to small farms. Nestled along a magnificent bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, Milwaukee’s downtown is home to botanical gardens, museums, a theater district, the world champion Milwaukee Bucks, the Milwaukee Brewers, and many fine restaurants. The lake and its harbors are skirted by scenic parklands and provide first-class opportunities for recreation, including hiking, cycling, boating, and more.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The MCW is committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace that includes individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences.  We believe that embracing human differences is critical to realize our vision of a healthier world, and we recognize that a healthy and thriving community starts from within.  We strive to integrate our human and social differences into MCW’s functioning, strategies, and culture to create a diverse and equitable workplace.  MCW is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We are committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic, or military status.