Eyeworld

SUMMER 2026 | EYEWORLD | 51 R Relevant disclosures Goel: None Micheletti: None Contact Goel: sonny.goel@gmail.com Micheletti: morgan.micheletti@gmail.com Dr. Micheletti chose to join a large, phy- sician-owned, multispecialty group because it offered scale, collaboration, and opportunity. "I wanted to be in an environment where I could learn from experienced partners, see a broad range of pathology, build a surgical practice, and also stay involved in research, education, and innovation," he said. "I was drawn to a set- ting where those things were part of the culture rather than something I would have to build entirely from scratch on the side." One advantage of working in a larger comprehensive practice, he said, is the ability to collaborate across subspecialties and provide comprehensive care within a strong network. There is also value in having operational infrastructure, a referral base, and colleagues with different expertise who can help you grow clinically and professionally. "That said, I understand the appeal of smaller groups or solo practice. Those models can offer more autonomy, faster decision-mak- ing, and a strong sense of ownership," he said. "On the other hand, larger practices often provide considerably more flexibility to pursue research, travel, and vacation coverage because of the broader infrastructure and deeper bench." Implementation of new technology in practice "In many ways, implementing new technology can look different depending on the practice set- ting," Dr. Micheletti said. "Larger practices may have more infrastructure, broader clinical input, and additional resources to evaluate whether a platform or tool truly adds value. That scale can help support early adoption and broader implementation." "At the same time, larger organizations can move more slowly because decisions involve more stakeholders, capital planning, and work- flow integration across a broader system," he said. "So, the process can be both easier and more complex, depending on the situation." Interfacing with patients and building a network Dr. Micheletti said the large network that comes with working in a larger practice can be an advantage. "It helps with access, coordination of care, and continuity, especially for patients with multiple ophthalmic needs," he said. "It also strengthens relationships with referring doctors and the broader community because patients know they are entering a system with depth and expertise." He added that the ability to share records within the same system across various subspe- cialties helps prevent patients from feeling like they are starting over when they see retina, glaucoma, or cornea specialists. "That said, size only helps if the culture remains personal," he said. "Patients still want a physician who is ac- cessible, thoughtful, and invested in their care." Additional advice "I think one of the most important points is that young ophthalmologists should not make this decision based only on compensation or geogra- phy," Dr. Micheletti said. "Those factors matter, but so do mentorship, culture, long-term op- portunity, and alignment with your values and clinical interests. The best practice type is one that allows you to become the kind of physician you want to be, serve patients well, and build a career that remains meaningful over time." DIGITAL Kevin M. Miller, MD, EyeWorld Cataract Editorial Board Member, shared how he thinks digital advances are accelerating across the specialty: "One of the potential benefits of digital technology is reducing the likelihood of transcription errors. As an example, to plan a LASIK, PRK, or KLEx procedure currently, we enter data manually from an EHR into a surgical planning software environment. From there, we print out a report with a treatment plan. That plan then gets entered manually into femtosecond and excimer lasers. Transcription errors can be introduced any step along the way. We look forward to the day when we can seamlessly move data from one environment to another without concern for unforced human error."

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