My Experience as the 2019 Jachin Misko Memorial Scholarship Recipient
by Shalin Patel, CEBT, Kentucky Lions Eye Bank
I was extremely humbled to be selected as the recipient of the 2019 Jachin Misko Memorial Scholarship for Technical Advancement in Eye Banking. Jachin proved himself as a leader in technical innovation throughout his career and in the field of eye banking. It was an honor to be a part of Jachin’s legacy and to attend the Technician Education Seminar (TES) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The TES was everything I imagined and so much more. I had the opportunity to network with so many of my fellow colleagues from across the country and Canada. It was really interesting learning how eye banks operate a little differently from one another, yet all share the same goal of giving the gift of sight. Dr. Rosenwasser did a superb job in reviewing what he actually sees in the operating room, a perspective that not many eye bankers get to experience. He also shared his vast knowledge in slit lamp microscopy and findings we may encounter when evaluating tissue. I also had some interesting conversations on how some eye banks process tissue that I cannot wait to try out at our eye bank. The TES was an excellent opportunity to not only advance my knowledge and skills in eye banking, but also to engage with people with different backgrounds and expertise in the world of eye banking.
I am grateful to Saving Sight for sponsoring the Jachin Misko Memorial Scholarship for Technical Advancement in Eye Banking and the Eye Bank Association of America for granting me the opportunity to attend the TES. It can be quite difficult to keep up with the ever-changing world of eye banking, but I hope to continue to follow in Jachin’s footsteps in technical innovation and help pave the way for future technicians and our industry as a whole.