Dr. Tamara Suslov (see photo at right; Dr. Suslov is front row, third from left) grew up in war torn Europe during World War II. After immigrating to the United States, she learned English and put herself through college at the University of California, Berkeley and through medical school at the University of California School Of Medicine, San Francisco (UCSF), where she earned her M.D. degree.
She was the first female general surgery intern and resident in the UCSF Department of Surgery under Dr. Engelbert Dunphy. Dr. Michael Hogan, who was Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at that time, convinced her to become one of his residents. Dr. Suslov then became the second female resident in the Ophthalmology Department at the University of California in San Francisco where she completed her 3 year residency and 1 year fellowship. After opening her private practice as Eye Associates of Sebastopol, she remained on the teaching staff at UCSF, and is an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at that institution.
The practice grew rapidly drawing patients from throughout northern California and eventually from around the world. Dr. Suslov and her staff have treated people from such diverse places as New Zealand, Japan, Nicaragua, Switzerland, Germany, Saudi Arabia, India, Uganda and Kenya.
Eye Associates added satellite offices in order to provide patients with care closer to their homes. The doctors saw this as a particularly important issue for senior patients with visual difficulties who were faced with driving long distances. In time, with addition of other physicians, Eye Associates opened facilities in Santa Rosa, Clearlake, Sonoma, and Cloverdale.
Emphasizing the belief that services should be conveniently and expertly provided, Eye Associates offered outpatient surgery, free transportation, extended hours and a physician who was always on call.
In 1987, Dr. Suslov built her free standing Ambulatory Surgery Center and new offices for the Eye Associates. The center became dedicated to providing state-of-the-art, affordable, accessible, and safe eye care. The most modern and advanced ophthalmic equipment was purchased for the center.
On the opening day, when the ribbon was cut, State Assemblyman Dr. William Filante delivered an award to Dr. Suslov, from the State of California. This plaque can be seen in the current reception room. Dr. Edward Annis, past President of the American Medical Association delivered the keynote speech.
The combined Sebastopol Eye Center staff grew to around 40, including eye physicians and surgeons, optometrists, nurses, technicians, opticians, and administrative staff – all dedicated to the care and welfare of the patients. The organization pledged to deliver 100% and do so courteously, admitting when efforts were less than perfect and making amends. The practice has been rewarded by phenomenal loyalty and respect from the patients and the staff.
Originally, this was the only full-service Eye Center in the North Bay/North Coast area of California and it was among the first 10% of facilities in the United States to perform phacoemulsification surgery for cataracts and to introduce the most advanced eye care available. Eye Associates instituted wide-ranging educational programs designed to raise public awareness of eye diseases and their symptoms, so that people would seek treatment in a timely fashion.
Dr. Suslov was first certified by the American Board of Eye Surgery in 1990 and recertified in 1997.
In keeping with Dr. Suslov’s vision, Eye Associates opened its facilities to everyone whose sight could benefit from the skills of its staff and the quality of its equipment and procedures regardless of their ability to pay.
Her husband, Dr. Paul Suslov, has retired from Eye Associates. Her daughter, Sonja Wamsley, M.D., MPH is currently completing her Ophthalmology Residency at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and in July of 2003 will begin her Glaucoma Fellowship at Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia. Her youngest daughter, Kathryn Suslov is in a combined M.D., MPH program in Ben Gurion University School of International Health and Medicine and Columbia University in New York. She is in her third year.
In 1993, after the death of her mother, Dr. Suslov donated her mother’s estate to form a charitable organization dedicated to the preservation of sight throughout the world. This organization was named Vision International-Eye Missions and represented the rest of Dr. Suslov’s dream of extending eye care to countries where physicians and equipment were scarce or nonexistent. The mission of Vision International is to train and assist ophthalmologists in seriously underprivileged areas by providing them with medical education, equipment and supplies.
Through Vision International, doctors from several countries were brought to the Sebastopol Eye Center for training to improve their ophthalmological skills, and were sent home with equipment and supplies to establish improved eye care in their own countries. Two native Malagasy physicians were funded through an entire 3 year ophthalmology residency program at Aravind Eye Hospital and have since been working full time in their native Madagascar.
Combining her passions for education and technology with her world vision, Dr. Suslov has created an organization that has truly made a difference, not only for Sonoma County, but for the world.
Related websites:
- Vision International - www.vision-international.org
- Eye Associates of Sebastapol - www.eye-associates.com
- NutriVision™ - www.eyenutrition.com
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