Richard M. Schroeder, MD

Bio

Richard Schroeder, MD, grew up in a family of eye doctors and knew from a fairly young age that he wanted to go into ophthalmology.

At first, Schroeder planned to practice comprehensive ophthalmology; but as his training continued, his interest in the glaucoma service grew. Influenced in part by several close mentors who worked as glaucoma specialists, he ultimately decided to pursue the never-ending goal of lowering pressure and preventing vision loss in a field that is continuously improving and innovating.
Additional clinical interests include cataract and anterior segment surgery.

Relationships with academic mentors also led Schroeder to become a teaching physician. Schroeder said these mentors helped him realize the value of being part of a knowledgeable group of faculty members with which you can share opinions and coordinate patient care.

His favorite part of working with residents is supervising their last few surgeries at the end of their glaucoma rotations. He said working with the department’s glaucoma fellows is also immensely rewarding.

“It’s amazing how residents can build their skills so quickly and learn to operate at a high level,” he said. “I most enjoy seeing the fellow internalize the lessons and strategies they have learned then pass them on to the residents on our service.”

“It is important that the medical students, residents, and fellows who work with me know that we are part of a team,” he added. “We each share the privilege and responsibility of caring for our patients.”