A Visionary in Ophthalmology
Meet Dr. Gibran Khurshid, MD
Welcome to the remarkable journey of Dr. Gibran Khurshid, a distinguished figure in the world of ophthalmology. Dr. Khurshid’s story is one of dedication, expertise, and a relentless pursuit of advancing the boundaries of eye care. From pioneering surgical techniques to global philanthropy, delve into the life and achievements of a medical professional whose vision extends far beyond the operating room. Get to know the man behind the mission and the impact he’s making on the world of vision and beyond.
Philanthropic Journey of Dr. Gibran Khurshid
Restoring Vision, Transforming Lives Worldwide
Dr. Gibran Khurshid is a distinguished ophthalmologist renowned for his philanthropic work in providing eye care to underserved populations worldwide. His mission began in Europe, where he established ophthalmology care in remote regions of countries like Romania, South Africa, Nigeria, Tibet, and Pakistan, relying on a network of companies to donate necessary supplies and medications.
Since moving to the United States, Dr. Khurshid has focused his efforts mainly in South America, notably within the Mayan population of Guatemala. He works tirelessly, performing hundreds of cataract and pterygium surgeries while providing necessary equipment and training to local physicians.
Beyond his international work, he is an active mentor, participating in the University Minority Mentorship Program, and has launched initiatives like the “Ophthalmology Big Brother” program. This program aims to stimulate early interest in medicine among high school students by allowing them to shadow physicians in a clinic.
Dr. Khurshid is also a certified pilot and combines his passion for flying with his educational initiatives by organizing open airplane events for grade-school students. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Khurshid continues his mission to provide quality eye care to those in need, with ongoing plans to establish free eye clinics in Alachua and Marion counties and organize an ophthalmology camp in Kenya.
Global Outreach Initiatives
During my training years in Europe, I started establishing ophthalmology care in remote areas of Romania, South Africa, Nigeria, Tibet, and Pakistan. I created a network of multiple companies in Europe who donate ophthalmology supplies and medications to help people in remote areas of this world who were otherwise deprived of ophthalmologic care.
Making a Difference Beyond the Operating Room
Philanthropic/Volunteer Activities
Global Mission Trips
Each year, I embark on week-long mission trips around the world, where my focus is clear: restoring vision to those in rural, underserved areas. With dedication, I perform approximately 150 eye surgeries during each mission, bringing the gift of sight to those in need. While my philanthropic efforts have taken me across the globe, my heart lies with the Mayan population in Guatemala.
Inspiring Future Physicians
In collaboration with a local high school, I've initiated the "Ophthalmology Big Brother" program. Our aim is to introduce high school students to the world of medicine by inviting them to shadow physicians. This program nurtures early interest in the field of medicine, inspiring the healers of tomorrow.
From Skies to Science
Beyond medicine, I hold a passion for flying and am a certified pilot with the Federal Aviation Authority. I channel this passion into organizing open airplane events during the summers. These events offer grade-school students an up-close look at small airplanes and a basic understanding of the fascinating physics behind aviation.
Mentoring Tomorrow's Healers
As part of the University Minority Mentorship Program, I take pride in mentoring undergraduate and medical students, guiding them on their path to becoming future healthcare professionals.
Empowering Minds: The Journey of Lifelong Learning
Unlocking the Potential of Education at Every Age
Welcome to a captivating exploration of the transformative power of lifelong learning. In this blog post, we embark on a journey to understand how education knows no age boundaries and how the pursuit of knowledge enriches our lives in countless ways. Join us in uncovering stories of individuals who have embraced the thrill of continuous learning and the remarkable impact it has on their personal and professional lives. Get ready to be inspired, informed, and motivated to embark on your own journey of lifelong learning.
I am not a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada, but I am USA national
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF JOB DUTIES
I joined the University of Florida in 2014, shortly after my promotion to Clinical Associate Professor at University of Texas Medical Branch in 2013. Although I joined UF as a Clinical Assistant Professor, I was already promoted to Clinical Associate Professor by 2017. In the four years since my promotion to Associate Professor, I have worked tirelessly to enhance my clinical, educational, and research portfolios, all while achieving excellence in each of these pursuits. My contributions in these fields have not only positively impacted my patients and the Department of Ophthalmology at UF, but also the ophthalmology community as a whole through collaborative research efforts and worldwide philanthropy.
As a director of the retina and ocular oncology service, I manage the retina team with an emphasis on customer service and patient satisfaction while maintaining high standards of clinical excellence. When I joined UF, I was the only retina surgeon; under my supervision, the retina service has now tripled to three full-time retina faculty with a fellowship program. Beyond providing exemplary patient care, we are the top revenue-generating service in the department.
Beyond leading the retina service, I consistently display the most diverse surgical skills in the department. Because of my surgical and clinical prowess, I am referred exceptionally challenging patients from around the country (as further delineated in section 8 of my clinical portfolio). Since my promotion, I have founded the internationally recognized “Center of Artificial Vision” at UF which is focused on restoring the vision in blind patients. I am one of thirteen surgeons in the nation who implants the Argus® II device, commonly known as a “bionic eye.” Surgeons from around the world have traveled to UF to have me train them on this challenging surgical procedure. Similarly, patients are referred from around the U.S. to receive this innovative surgical device, raising UF’s national prominence. My accomplishments in the field of artificial vision were covered in Delta airlines inflight magazine, amongst other media coverage (see section 34). Furthermore, I recently started a clinical trial for the implantation of the Artisan lens, a new type of lens placed inside the eye to treat rare lens disorders. This lens is the only choice for patients in which the eye loses its natural support for the lens, and I am the sole surgeon performing this surgery in the region.
Currently, I am working with the Applied Genetic Therapies Corporation to bring unique genetic therapy to treat blind patients with rare inherited retinal conditions to patients at UF. These genetic therapies are designed to restore visual function and meet the needs of patients with rare, blinding conditions. Like the Argus® II device, these treatment modalities involve a complex surgical procedure to transfer the vector carrying normal genes under the surface of the retina. Once this endeavor comes to fruition, we will further be able to restore vision to patients previously deemed irreversibly blind. For my achievements in artificial vision and genetic therapies, I was awarded “Best Doctors in America Award” in 2019 and 2020 by American Health Council.
Additionally, I established ocular oncology service in UF and I am the only ocular oncologist at UF Gainesville and Jacksonville, and I consistently ensure that my patients have access to the latest modalities in vision- and life-saving therapies. In 2020, I worked extensively to obtain approval to administer a chemotherapeutic agent, methotrexate, intravitreally to treat patients with intraocular lymphoma. Additionally, I successfully took on the onerous task of arranging radiation plaque therapy for patients with intraocular tumors, which required extensive interdisciplinary coordination. I am offer unique, state-of-the-art, targeted proton radiation therapy for eye cancers. In addition, I have incorporated gene expression profiling of the eye melanoma to offer customized treatments to our patients and also provide more predictive survival analysis. Conventionally, ocular melanoma is treated with either removing the eye or external beam radiation. I liaise with providers in general oncology, radiation oncology, and the UF Proton Therapy Institute to offer targeted proton beam radiation to treat ocular melanomas. I also treat patients with local applications of iodine radiation and brachytherapy and am one of three surgeons in the Southeast to offer this therapy. I have developed new surgical procedures where I can excise melanoma from the eye and sew back the eye together. These innovations give us a chance to treat the cancer and retain useful vision in the eye, whereas previously the only option was to remove the eye. Recently, I have incorporated gene expression profiling of the melanoma which gives me an opportunity to tailor a customized treatment depending on cytogenetics of the tumor and also provide prognostic information to patients.
Despite my bustling practice, my interests extend beyond the clinical realm. In 2020, I instituted a surgical retina fellowship at UF, and we are currently training our first fellow under this program, and we are already adding more positions for the upcoming fellowship cycle. Beyond this, I am dedicated to excellence and innovation in teaching and have implemented several educational activities for learners, including a cell phone app that teaches trainees and fellow attending physicians on when to refer ocular masses concerning for cancer. I mentor multiple residents and medical students on research projects, most of which have been presented at reputable conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. My educational and research accomplishments have been recognized through numerous peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and invited lectures. I have also received several awards at UF, Europe, Australia, and Asia for my academic activities. These include the Exemplary Teaching Award by UF COM in 2020, and Teacher of the Year Award by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists in 2018; my numerous other awards are delineated in my educational portfolio.
Finally, I also serve in leadership roles at a multitude of levels. Beyond leading the retina service at UF, I participate in departmental faculty search committees as requested by the department chair. I also mentor undergraduate and medical students as part of the University Minority Mentorship Programs. I have been actively involved in the Continuing Medical Education (CME) accreditation committees of departmental grand rounds and UF College of Medicine (COM). Globally, I chair the Foreign Medical Graduates Equivalency and Accreditation Committee of Royal College of Ophthalmologists in Australia and New Zealand, which evaluates applicants’ international educational and ophthalmology training to grant them ophthalmology practice privileges in Australia and New Zealand and am actively involved in the residency program curriculum at the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in United Kingdom and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
I have published more than 100 peer review papers and have been invited nationally and internationally to deliver lectures numerous times. I have been awarded millions of dollars of grants to support my ground braking research.