Thomas F. Mauger, MD

Chair, Department of Ophthalmology
Director, Anterior Segment Division, Department of Ophthalmology
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Carl M. and Grace C. Baldwin Chair in Ophthalmology

Profile on OSU:Pro

What do you like best about practicing medicine at OSU Medical Center?

Several things. First, the spectrum of challenging cases we receive here that demand every ounce of our training and expertise. Second, the ability to work with residents, fellows and medical students during their training. Third, the collaboration we share with other Medical Center departments and colleges around the University.

What excites you most about the future of medicine?

I have the opportunity to interview medical students interested in residencies in ophthalmology and residents interested in fellowships in cornea transplants, and they all ask me if I would do this again. I tell them I would and that it is the best job you can have. We sometimes take for granted the great opportunity we have to improve lives.

How do you think P4 Medicine (medicine that is more predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory) will change your specialty over the next 10 years?

This is very germane to the practice of ophthalmology. It is used while looking for genetic markers of ocular diseases and tumors, allowing us to target high-risk patients and treat them preemptively. In my area of cornea transplantation, we are looking at taking the patient’s own cells, modifying them in a lab, and then re-implanting them into a patient so that function is restored. You can hardly have more patient participation than that.

Name one of your medical career mentors and tell us what you learned from him/her.

I’ve had several really strong mentors. Prior to attending medical school, I attended Ohio State’s College of Optometry, and my mentor there was Richard Hill, who was dean of the College. A mentor here in the Department of Ophthalmology has been William Havener, for whom the Department is named.

What advice do you have for young physicians early in their careers?

I tell our students that they shouldn’t get too discouraged by things outside of medicine. Instead, they should focus on the day-to-day care of patients and the opportunities to do new and creative things, such as research and taking care of people who have no means to take care of themselves.

Who in history would you most like to meet and why?

I have an interest in Ohio history, and in someone who battled adversity and who, as a leader, was able to bring together diverse groups and fight for a common goal — that would be Tecumseh. Those are qualities I admire.

What are your hobbies or volunteer activities?

I love OSU athletics. I’m an avid runner and I run ultra-marathons. The thing I really get charged up about is going on international missions. I go to Nicaragua once a year and perform cornea transplants. I traveled to Ghana in the fall to do cataract surgery there. In February I’ll go to India.

Rising star: Colleen Cebulla, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Ophthalmology, stands out and will be a great leader for our department. She attended medical school and earned her PhD here at Ohio State. She did her residency and fellowship training at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Florida, which is probably the top eye institute in the world. She is not only a great researcher and a wonderful teacher, but a top surgeon as well.

CV summary

Undergraduate Degree: Physics, Otterbein University and The Ohio State University

Medical Degree: The Ohio State University

Internship: Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus

Residency: Ophthalmology, The Ohio State University

Fellowships: Cornea and External Disease, The Ohio State University

Clinical Interests: Cataract and refractive surgery; laser surgery; comprehensive ophthalmology; corneal transplantation; corneal disease.

Research Interests: Ocular surface disease; responses of the cornea to medications; corneal preservation
solution analysis; corneal changes with laser surgery.