Alumni in Medicine: Colleen Coleman, M.D. ‘91

• Ophthalmologist, Cataract Surgeon, and Glaucoma Specialist, Outlook Eyecare, Princeton, NJ
• M.D. Wayne State University School of Medicine
• B.A. in Biology and Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College

Describe your responsibilities and day-to-day work.
I am responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of patients in the office and the operating room. I am typically in the office every day and the OR one to two days a week. In the office I perform patient examinations and glaucoma laser treatments. In the operating room I perform both cataract and glaucoma surgeries. I also help with management of the office.

What is the most rewarding part of your work?
I develop long-term relationships with patients which I love, but the most rewarding part of my work is performing cataract surgery. Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness in the world. It is wonderful to have the ability to restore a patient’s sight.

How did your passion for medicine/health care begin and were there any specific experiences that had an impact on you?
My father was a cardiothoracic surgeon. He started taking me to the OR to observe him when I was around 12 or 13 which gave me  early exposure to the field. This would not be possible with regulations that are in place today! In Mr. Thomas’ seventh grade science class I developed an interest in genetics. By senior year I thought I wanted to pursue a career in the field of genetics and did my Senior Project in the Genetics Department at Cooper Hospital. I spent time with genetic counselors working with patients and genetic engineers in the lab. During the month I also had a chance to shadow a maternal fetal medicine doctor. This is when it clicked for me that it was the physician’s role I was most interested in.

How has your Moorestown Friends Education served you in your career and life?
I arrived at MFS in the first grade and have many fond memories throughout the years. MFS gave me a great educational foundation to succeed in college and medical school. More importantly though, my experience at MFS helped me become a well-rounded person. My classmates came from various backgrounds, and we learned to relate to and respect each other. I consider myself a very open-minded person and credit this to my years at MFS.

Do you have any additional MFS stories or memories you would like to share that were influential in your life?
I have very fond memories of Intensive learning. This program was a fantastic way for us to work as a team and rely on our peers. I loved that we were given more independence during these weeks.

There are many teachers that were very influential in shaping my different interests. I always had a pull towards math and science and there were many teachers who through their enthusiasm opened my mind to other areas. Richard Marcucci’s art history  classes, ensemble with Davie Weiner, social studies with Dr. Heath and Mark Goodman, and classes and discussions with Dwight Spann Wilson stick out in my mind. I will never forget Dr. Heath’s French Revolution class. We did a reenactment of Marie Antoinette’s trial. I played Marie Antoinette and before we started the role play Dr. Heath pulled me aside and told me I needed to escape when he gave me a nod. When he gave me the signal, I took off, running, out of the room and soon had the class chasing me around campus!

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