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A phenomenal prismatic soul - Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman

2023; Medknow; Volume: 71; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.4103/ijo.ijo_1600_23

1998-3689

Rolika Bansal, Bruce E. Spivey, Santosh G Honavar,

Medical History and Innovations

Now you understand Just why my head's not bowed. I don't shout or jump about Or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing, It ought to make you proud. I say, It's in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, The palm of my hand, The need of my care. 'Cause I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that's me. -Maya Angelou Indeed these words hold true for a phenomenal woman Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman [Fig. 1] who not only encouraged women to be strong and powerful but also stood as a remarkable example of being successful by persistence and dedication. With her multiple board certifications and pursuit for knowledge she has created history. Newer challenges always added fuel to her fire of working harder and ignited her desire to conquer every hurdle that came her way.Figure 1: Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-TroutmanSuzanne Véronneau's childhood was spent around respecting religious beliefs and believing in the concept of providing for the others. Her father worked in an insurance firm and mother was a designer artisan. Her childhood morals and convent education (in Canada) certainly reflected in her actions as she grew up. She did her internship in 1956 and graduated medical school from the University of Montréal in 1957. Her senior rotations were in Neurosurgery and Plastic Surgery at Notre Dame Hospital, Montréal from 1957-1958. She set the ball rolling by being the first resident in Ophthalmology at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital under the direction of Dr. Michel Mathieu. She explored the world by getting further trained in Lyon, France at the Edouard Herriot Hospital and specialized in Ocular Motility with Professors Paufique and; René and Suzanne Hugonnier [Fig. 2]. The next step in her career was to move to London, England where she completed a postgraduate course at Moorfield's Eye Hospital and the Institute of Ophthalmology with Dr. Thomas Keith Selfe Lyle. Her first board certification was obtained in 1961 from the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London and Royal College of Surgeons of England.[1]Figure 2: Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman with Professors René Hugonnier (left) and Louis Paufique (right) in 1959 at Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, FranceHer unwavering focus and unyielding spirit took her to the home of an astonishing array of languages, religions, traditions and customs – India [Fig. 3]. She worked at Gandhi Eye Hospital, Aligarh where she experienced the rich and vibrant cultural diversity. This experience not only broadened her ophthalmic medical and surgical experience but also left a life-long remarkable impact.Figure 3: (a) Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman in the traditional Indian attire during her stay in Aligarh, India (b) A group photograph from the 3rd Uttar Pradesh State Ophthalmological Conference Aligarh, India (November 12, 1961) where she proudly represented the women ophthalmologistsDr. Suzanne Véronneau returned to Canada in 1962 and obtained her board certifications by the Québec and Canadian Boards of Ophthalmology. Her passion for ophthalmology propelled her forward with an unstoppable momentum and she passed the challenging examination for Fellowship in the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada FRCS (C) in 1963. Dr. Suzanne Véronneau joined the group practice of Dr. Mathieu and coordinated the Strabismus Clinic in the Ophthalmology Department of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. She worked as the director of Strabismus Clinic and Orthoptics from 1963-1967. In 1967, her marriage with Dr. Richard Troutman captured the world's attention. Dr. Troutman was a globally renowned anterior segment surgeon and a pioneer in ophthalmic microsurgery. Fate brought the two legends together to make an indelible mark in their respective fields [Fig. 4]. They complimented each-other's strengths and embarked on a journey of shared success as Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman shifted to New York, and worked on medical and microsurgical treatment of Ocular Motility disturbances.Figure 4: (a and b) Drs Richard and Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman together acing all phases of lifeTrue greatness has no bounds and she amplified the impact of the achievements of her former mentors René and Suzanne Hugonnier by editing and translating the 2nd French Edition, "Strabismus, Heterophoria and Oculomotor Paralysis" into English which was published in 1969 by CV Mosby (one of the first major textbooks on Strabismus published in English). Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman is a relentless powerhouse of determination and in 1970 she was certified with her fourth ophthalmic specialty certification as a Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology. She was also the recipient of the Resident's Award for Outstanding Teaching at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary when she was Assistant Director of the Department of Motor Anomalies. She played a pivotal role in expanding the Strabismus Clinics at the New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center and at the Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital where she dedicated three decades of her career as the Chief. She also left an enduring impact on ophthalmology by serving as the Chief of Strabismus Clinics at the Bronx Lebanon Hospital and the Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn and Queens. In 1976, Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman became a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and she also received the award – "Key to the City of Miami" for her excellence in strabismus management. Drs Richard and Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman founded the Microsurgical Research Foundation (MRF) in 1976. She has been a compassionate physician and a visionary leader who worked tirelessly as a member or fellow of many national and international ophthalmology societies. Since the inception of the prestigious American Ophthalmological Society (AOS) in 1864, she was the eighth woman and the first French-Canadian member in the history of the society to be elected as a member in 1978 by invitation after acceptance of rigorously reviewed thesis. On multiple occasions since 1991, she held different positions on the Board of Directors of AOS and represented AOS to the Pan American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO), since 1995.[2] In 1997, she chaired the Costenbader Lecture committee of the Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus of which she is a charter member. In 1993, Dr. Véronneau-Troutman received was awarded the Medal of the 150thAnniversary for her distinguished professional service by the University of Montréal. Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman also held the position on the Board of Trustees of the Industrial Home for the Blind from 1973-1977 and on the Board of Directors of the Microsurgical Research Foundation from 1976-2005. From the beginning, she has played an influential role in the lives of women in ophthalmology and has been on the Board of Directors of the Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) group since 1989. She was invited to give the First Bernice Brown Honor Lecture of the Society in 2004. Likewise, she has been actively involved as a Board Member of the International Strabismological Association and has chaired the Terminology Committee. "Life's persistent and most urgent question is, 'What are you doing for other?'" – Martin Luther King Jr. Drs Richard and Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman had similar thoughts in this regard and together led to a summation effect. They believed in encouraging new talent and generously contributed funds for promoting youngsters. Through the MRF they permanently endowed the PAAO with a $10,000.00 award given biennially in Strabismus, Amblyopia and/or Strabismus Microsurgery and Corneal and Refractive Surgery, to promote and encourage young clinicians and researchers (under 45 years of age) and also funds the $5,000,00 annual award for the best original article of the previous year in the Journal of Refractive Surgery. In the honour and memory of her sister Denise (a former Professor in the Department of Education at University of Quebec in Montréal), Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman provides two scholarship awards to support research and education of the students. In 1997, Dr Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman took a step forward for promoting and encouraging the women by endowing the Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman Award presented annually by the WIO Board of Directors at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting which has till date applauded 25 women for their par excellence contributions in ophthalmology [Fig. 5].[1] In 2006, she endowed research scholarships at the University of Montréal in the Department of Ophthalmology. Lastly, in 2012 she generously endowed the first departmental chair at her alma mater the Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman M.D., FRCS (C), FACS chair of ophthalmology at the University of Montreal with a goal to enhance research, education and the prominence of the ophthalmology department.Figure 5: Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman with Dr Bernice Z Brown (the first recipient of the Women in Ophthalmology Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman Award in 1997)Her genuine thirst for knowledge was evident in her ability to captivate the audiences with her words, eloquence and excellent communication skills. She has delivered more than three hundred lectures and courses on her specialty of Ocular Motility nationally and internationally. She has also authored several articles and book chapters in scientific journals of good repute. Her book "Prisms in the Medical and Surgical Management of Strabismus", stands as a timeless cornerstone of knowledge and expertise in its field. It was published in English in 1994 by the C V Mosby Company and has been translated and published in French, Japanese, and Portuguese as well.[3,4] Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman's biographical profile was also featured in Marquis' Who's Who of American Women in the Landmark 2005 Silver Anniversary Edition, Who's Who in Medicine and Health Care, Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. Presently Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman holds the position of Clinical Professor Emeritus of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Weill Medical College Cornell University and Attending Surgeon (retired) at the New York Presbyterian Hospital and the Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital in New York City. Hurdles were only a stepping stone on the path to success for Dr. Suzanne Véronneau-Troutman and her indomitable will led her to revolutionize the path of women in ophthalmology in her own unique ways. Her groundbreaking contributions, compassion towards her patients and expertise in the field have made her a trusted figure in the ophthalmology community. Her generous fundings have enabled several to pursue their dreams and her legacy will continue to shine bright as she has inspired several generations to strive for excellence.