Melissa Ko, MD

Bio

Dr. Melissa W. Ko, MD, MBA, CPE joined Indiana University School of Medicine in 2019 and is a tenured Professor of Neurology and Ophthalmology. 

For over a decade prior, she served on faculty at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, NY.  Dr. Ko received her undergraduate degree in biology at Yale, medical school degree at the University of Rochester, and her residency and fellowship training at the University of Pennsylvania/Scheie Eye Institute/Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is a Certified Physician Executive via the American Association of Physician Leadership and received her MBA from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Dr. Ko is an adult and pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist based at the IU Neuroscience Center.  She has received recognition for her patient-focused care and was awarded by the SUNY Medical School Graduating Class of 2015 the Leonard Tow Humanism Award in medicine and inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. New York State Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter named Dr. Ko the Exceptional Woman in Medicine in 2017.  She is a graduate of the AAN Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum (PALF) to advocate for patients. On behalf of the AAN and neurological patients, Dr. Ko has met with Congressional leaders in Washington, DC nearly annually since 2010 to increase neurological education and research, to expand telehealth access for neurological patients, and to reduce medical costs for patients.

In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Ko is involved in neurology and neuro-ophthalmology leadership at the national and international level. She is an executive board member and elected the current Vice President of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS). She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Neuro-ophthalmology.  She was appointed Editor-in-Chief of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) news and serves/chairs numerous committees within NANOS and the AAN. . 

She has been invited to organize and to speak at regional, national, and international conferences on neuro-ophthalmology subjects and has authored numerous peer-reviewed neuro-ophthalmology publications, editorials, and book chapters.  Dr. Ko has also mentored dozens of trainees over the last 2 decades into the fields of neurology/neuro-ophthalmology.

Dr. Ko enjoys time at home with her husband and 3 children.  She enjoys singing, jogging, crafting, and serving her community and church.