Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Baumrind.
Hi Ben, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From a young age, my father was grooming me to be a dentist. Work was where he was happiest. He connected with his patients so deeply that years after his passing, his patients still cry when they speak of him. So I went through the motions, taking pre-dental classes freshman and sophomore years at the University of Georgia. While in my sophomore year at UGA, I decided I needed to open my options to medicine in general. In some ways, this was more of an act of defiance, wanting to choose my own path and push myself beyond what was expected. I started preparing for the MCATS. Given my late decision, I was prepared to take time off after college and volunteer. Fast forward to spring break and I am on a Norweigan Crusie in the Caribbean. At this point, I had applied to McGill University in Montreal, Medical College of Georgia and Medical College of Charleston. Limited choices based on where my family was and my one magical trip to the beautiful city of Montreal.
Unfortunately, I had not heard back from any of the schools by the time I was on spring break. Later I discovered that although I was a very good student at MCG and did well on my MCATS, McGill was an elite Canadian medical school, typically only allowing one or 2 American students each year, and the College of Charleston was very challenging to get into being from out of state. Back on the cruise, I heard my name blasted over the loudspeakers. My father and his phenomenal office manager had tracked me down in the middle of the Caribbean to inform me that I had an interview at the Medical College of Georgia. I disembarked on the nearest island, flew to Augusta for the interview and subsequently got accepted into MCG. Initially, I took interest in Infectious Disease. The seemingly objective nature was alluring especially in a world of ever-expanding medical knowledge and apparent subjective diagnosis. A family member suggested I look into ophthalmology as it offered a similar objective diagnostic/treatment paradigm and after an elective at MCG, I decided this was my new path.
During the summer break after my second year at MCG, my friend and I went on a medical mission trip to the North Indian Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh. There were about 40 of us medical students, physicians, and a few dental students sprinkled in. Our mission was to provide primary care to remote villages facing anything from heart disease and diabetes to ear infections and parasitic worms. Given the brevity of the trip, 3 weeks, I am not sure of the true impact of our trip, however while on this trip, I met the person who would become my wife and soulmate. She was a dental student from Columbia and given her Indian background, she often acted as an interpreter for the fledgling medical students. When the trip was over, we returned to our respective schools and continued a long-distance relationship until my internship and residency started in New York. After residency, we moved our family, now grown by 1 adorable little boy back to Atlanta for my retina fellowship and my wife joined my father and sister in their dental practice. My wife notes that her 8 years working with my father was the best training she could have ever asked for, and his love for the craft was infectious. As for me, I worked in Atlanta initially for about three years and then shifted to the southside.
In 2020 during the height of the pandemic, my father fell into a deep depression. The pandemic threatened his ability to connect with his patients through what were essentially hazmat suits, loud purifiers, and many other restrictions. This tragically led to his suicide on July 18, 2020, a loss to his family and his patients of over 40 years that at times seems insurmountable and all-consuming. However, we soldier on, as so many have during this pandemic, and one year after his passing, my wife opened up her new office in west midtown. She dedicated the practice to her mentor and “dad.” Roughly one year after her opening day, on June 6th, 2022, we completed the construction of my new state-of-the-art ophthalmology office. Now, aside from having to endure my wife’s obscure 1990s pop songs, I have settled in nicely, and the practice is building steadily.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The first month, despite what seemed like more than adequate training, we spent struggling with our new software. Now we have mastered all facets of the patient visit.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My specialty is Retina. Specifically, we diagnose and treat retinal tears, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and more. Additionally, I have been practicing general ophthalmology for the past six years as well. This includes the common eye complaints, eye pain/strain and the need for updated glasses/contacts, corneal diseases, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmic diseases. We perform laser treatments along with intraocular and periocular injections for many ocular diseases in the office. What sets us apart is our personalization of care. We spend the extra time to inform patients about their disease. This includes the pathogenesis and treatment options for each individual’s disease ranging from simple astigmatism to more complex retinal disease with the aid of high-tech imaging displayed on large TVs in each room as well as resources from the internet directly uploaded to our intuitive patient portal or printed. We highly value our patient’s time and run an extremely efficient, patient-orientated office.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Fixing problems, putting out fires, improving vision/ocular health. These are the things that make me happy at home and at the office. I enjoy spending time explaining why we are pursuing a specific treatment and what it is we are looking for as progress. Having the patient on the same page, having an informed patient makes the process that much better as they get to fully understand the improvements in their ocular health and not just the improvement in vision. Outside the office, I love making music with my children, coaching their soccer teams, playing video games with my son, and watching musicals with my daughter.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://baumrindeye.com/
Image Credits
Fratelli Studio
