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MUSC program wins Fight for Sight grant by Heather Woolwine Public Relations An MUSC medical student is among Fight for Sight members that were awarded a $19,000-grant from the national Student Sight Savers Program. A part of the grant also will be used by the MUSC Student Ophthalmology Society (MSOS) to promote free community glaucoma screening clinics.   John Payne, College of  Medicine fourth-year student, was named as the grant recipient, which is funded by the Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus located in Washington, D.C.   Participants of the Fight for Sight Golf Tournament include ophthalmology residents from left Kristina Neff, Michelle Ying, Neel Desai, Dr. Patrick Kelty, and Kelty's son, Luke, 5. The Feb. 26 tournament had 72 players and raised more than $8,500 for the program. The grant includes $10,000 worth of equipment to use in free community glaucoma screenings and also allocates $9,000 during a two-year period to help the student organization promote those screenings through MSOS.   “We are excited about the Student Sight Savers Program grant and the opportunities that it will provide,” said John French, Fight for Sight clinical operations chief and third-year medical student. “It will help to buy new equipment for the Fight for Sight free clinics, sponsor lectures for students, and provide aid to students interested in attending national conferences. We hope to expand our outreach population and increase student interest and awareness of ophthalmology and preventive medicine.”   The society’s goal is twofold: to increase the exposure of medical students to the field of ophthalmology; and for students to work in unison with Fight for Sight to provide free eye care to the medically underserved of Charleston County.   Jay Biber, M.D., ophthalmology resident, works with both Fight for Sight and MSOS. “The group has been extremely successful at both aims,” he said. “We have had roughly 50 medical students from all four years participate in our clinics and attend our meetings. Since the group’s creation, 10 students (five per year) have successfully matched in ophthalmology, a dramatic increase from the previous average of one or two per year. In regards to their efforts to provide outstanding community service, Fight for Sight has provided more than 300 free eye exams to those who cannot afford the staggering cost of health care. They have set up and volunteered hundreds of hours at 10 clinics.”   For their efforts, MSOS was awarded the Community Volunteer Award for Student Organizations of the College of Medicine for the year 2005 from the MUSC Gives Back program.   “The addition of the Sight Savers Program Grant will enable MSOS to carry on and further excel in their missions. John Payne should be applauded for his tremendous contribution and time in identifying and procuring this grant. With these funds, MSOS will continue to grow and expand the exposure of medical students to the field of ophthalmology while giving back to their community,” Biber said.   M. Edward Wilson, M.D., Storm Eye Institute director and ophthalmology chairman added: “The Student Sight Savers Grant will give our ophthalmology student interest group much needed funds and equipment to further their incredibly successful public service activity known as Fight for Sight. This grant was awarded because of the track-record this group has already established. I am very proud of the students, residents and faculty members who give up their Saturdays to reach those in our community who are at greatest risk for (preventable) blindness.”   Friday, May 12, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publication at 849-1778, ext. 201.