From his comprehensive course in neuro-ophthalmology to the hands-on training at his clinic, ophthalmologist Richard H. Legge, M.D., is providing residents with invaluable instruction that they will carry throughout their careers.
“Dr. Legge has been a strong supporter of the educational mission of UNMC for many years,” said Carl Camras, M.D., chairman and professor of ophthalmology at UNMC. “He is one of our most valued volunteer faculty members. And he is the only person who covers neuro-ophthalmology for our department.”
For his dedication, Dr. Legge was awarded the UNMC College of Medicine’s Volunteer Faculty of the Month Award for May.
Expanding residents’ knowledge
Working with Dr. Legge has certainly expanded ophthalmology resident Dr. Lance Kugler’s knowledge of neuro-ophthalmology.
Dr. Kugler spent three months in Dr. Legge’s Omaha clinic last year and plans to spend three more months with him this year. “It’s a good environment,” Dr. Kugler said. “You see a lot of things that you only read about in the textbooks.”
For example, Dr. Kugler said he was able to learn more about cancer-associated retinopathy after encountering several patients in Dr. Legge’s clinic.
“We always read about it, but it is not something that we commonly encounter,” he said. “Yet he has a few patients a year that he makes that diagnosis on.”
Providing the tools
Dr. Legge said he hopes residents in his office receive the tools they need to learn how to solve neuro-ophthalmology problems. “I think they come away with a greater appreciation of the scope of the problems involved with neuro-ophthalmology,” he said.
Being in a clinical setting, Dr. Legge said, forces the residents to think beyond basic ophthalmology and into neurology and internal medicine as well.
Career path
After graduating from UNMC in 1986, Dr. Legge, who specializes in neuro-ophthalmology, pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, completed his residency in ophthalmology at Boston University Medical Center. That was followed by a fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology at Tufts University-New England Medical Center.
In 1991 he started his own local practice, and in 1995 he began teaching residents through the UNMC College of Medicine Volunteer Faculty program.
A passion for teaching
“I love to teach,” Dr. Legge said. “One of the first things I did when I started my practice was to approach the med center about being a volunteer faculty member.”
In addition to his private practice, Dr. Legge regularly attends grand rounds, participates in the annual Resident-Alumni Day and has established a comprehensive course in neuro-ophthalmology.
“Of all our volunteer faculty members, Dr. Legge probably takes the lead in terms of educating our residents,” Dr. Camras said.