Logo for University of Iowa Health Care This logo represents the University of Iowa Health Care

William E. Scott Educational Chair in Pediatric Ophthalmology

Dr. Bill ScottDr. William Scott was born and raised in Iowa City. He was responsible for training many residents and fellows throughout his illustrious career. He was instrumental in organizing national randomized clinical trials dealing with the treatment of strabismus and was a vigorous and outspoken advocate of full-time occlusion therapy in the management of amblyopia. He was an invited lecturer throughout the world and an ardent supporter of education of clinical and surgical care in pediatric ophthalmology.

The William E. Scott Endowment for Education in Pediatric Ophthalmology was established through an anonymous gift in 2001 to honor Dr. Scott for his many accomplishments in teaching, clinical research, and patient care.

Dr. Scott is a graduate of the University of Iowa with an M.S. in Physiology (1962) and an MD from the College of Medicine (1964). He completed an Ophthalmology Residency at The University of Iowa followed by Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellowships at Smith Kettlewell Institute for the Visual Sciences in San Francisco, and at Children’s Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, DC.

He returned to the University of Iowa in 1971 to join the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology and as Adult Strabismus Service Director. He served as Vice-Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences from 1995-2001. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the College of Medicine, the University of Iowa Faculty Senate, and the UI Board in Control of Athletics. He retired in 2002 as an Emeritus professor of Ophthalmology, but has returned to work in the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Service three times since that time.

Dr. Scott has been a member of numerous state, national and international associations including The American Academy of Ophthalmology, The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO), The Association for Research in Strabismus, the Costenbader Alumni Society, and the International Strabismological Association. Notably, he was a founder of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. He has held office in a number of professional organizations including president of the American Orthoptic Council and president of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

Membership in Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society was the first in a long string of honors, awards and recognitions that Dr. Scott has accumulated. The Iowa Medical Society recognized him in 2015 with the Physician Community Service Award for his work with Iowa KidSight, a vision screening program for pre-school children, which he founded in 2000. Other honors include the JCAHPO Faculty Award for Distinguished Service, American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Distinguished Service Award, and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Senior Honor Award.

Teaching has been an important role in Dr. Scott’s career. He has trained 55 fellows and countless ophthalmology residents. For many years he taught in the Basic Science Courses for residents in training at Stanford University and in Houston. As a result of attending these courses, many trainees have chosen The University of Iowa as a place to continue their ophthalmology training.

Both nationally and internationally, Dr. Scott is known for his contributions to research and clinical practice in ophthalmology. He has published more than 250 articles, chapters, or books on amblyopia, surgical techniques, vision screening and other topics in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus.

Dr. Scott has delivered over 325 invited lectures and presentations. Named lectures he has delivered include the Frank D. Costenbader Lecture, the 24th Annual Richard G. Scobee Memorial Lecture, The A.J. Jampolsky Lecture, The Alson E. Braley Lecture, the Marshall M. Parks Lecture, The Gunter K. Von Noorden visiting professorship lecture, and the Louis A. Young-Thomas Memorial Lecture.

Held by:

  • Ronald V. Keech. MD (Held this position as the William Edwin Scott Education Chair from 2002-2007)
  • Scott A. Larson, MD was named the William E. Scott Educational Professor in Pediatric Ophthalmology on September 22, 2016 and re-appointed the William E. Scott Educational Chair in Pediatric Ophthalmology on March 1, 2019.