UCSF Ophthalmologist Named Editor-in-Chief of Academic Journal

Saras Ramanathan, MD, has been appointed as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Academic Ophthalmology (JAO). JAO is the official publication of the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO). It is a peer-reviewed, online, open-access publication that serves as a national and international forum for the publication and scholarly exchange of ideas and information of interest to academic ophthalmology. Topics frequently include medical education, resident and fellow training, and research in health education, policy and regulation. Ramanathan, who formerly served as senior editor of JAO, began serving as editor-in-chief on Jan. 1, 2025.

“It is both an honor and tremendous privilege to steward the Journal of Academic Ophthalmology,” said Ramanathan. “My goal for our readership is to create multiple avenues to share ideas and research. We plan to pursue new methods and kinds of submissions since some ideas and projects lend themselves better to different formats. The hope is to increase access while elevating the standards that we already have.”

Ramanathan is an ophthalmologist and surgeon, and the Steven P. Shearing Professor of Ophthalmology at UCSF. She is medical director of the UCSF Health Department of Comprehensive Ophthalmology and a vice chair in the UCSF Department of Ophthalmology. She specializes in surgery for cataracts, particularly complex cases, and is passionate about restoring sight in her patients.

She is also dedicated to teaching physicians and is a nationally recognized medical educator. Her publications on methods of teaching cataract surgery, as well as on training with surgical simulation, have influenced the way surgical ophthalmology is taught in the U.S. today. She directs UCSF’s residency program in ophthalmology and continually strives for excellence in resident education. Ramanathan’s efforts have been rewarded with numerous teaching awards, as well as the success and achievements of her former residents.

“I got into ophthalmology because I had a passion for teaching physicians how to do eye surgery, particularly cataract surgery,” said Ramanathan. “But over time, I started to understand that teaching isn’t enough – our teaching methods must be effective and impactful for our learners. Education research is critical to understanding which teaching methodologies are the most useful, and that includes looking at the types of articles we are publishing as an academic community. That path led me to work my work with JAO.”

Ramanathan is a member of the AUPO Program Directors Council, as well as a fellow of both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Ramanathan earned her medical degree from the University of Washington. Subsequently, she completed a residency in ophthalmology at the University of Chicago, where she later joined the faculty and eventually became the residency program director. She also served on the ophthalmology faculty at the John Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute before joining UCSF.
 

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