UNC Ophthalmology is pleased to recognize the achievements and impactful 40+-year career of retiring Professor of Ophthalmology Beth R. Friedland, MD. Renowned in part for her excellence in teaching next-generation eye specialists and her critical contributions to integrated patient care enterprise, Dr. Friedland has been a vital member of UNC Ophthalmology’s clinical faculty team since joining the department as a Comprehensive Eye Specialist in 1984. Over four decades, she has been recognized for her excellence in entrepreneurial patient care, teaching/mentorship, research and innovation, , and investigation/innovation in clinical disciplinary prevention, therapeutics, and treatment.
Prior to medical school, the National Eye Institute awarded Dr. Friedland a National Research Service Award to complete a research fellowship at the University of Florida in Glaucoma and Ocular Pharmacology. Her research fellowship studying the pharmacology of treating glaucoma and corneal disease shaped a career path distinguished in treating a diversity of ocular surgery patient cases in institutional and private practice and in advancing innovation-driven research. Post-fellowship, Dr. Friedland pursued medical school, graduating with Honors from University of Florida College of Medicine. She completed her internship at Duke University and her Ophthalmology residency at the esteemed Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (Miami, FL).
Directly post-residency, Dr. Friedland founded Park Ophthalmology (Raleigh, NC) in 1984, serving as its Medical Director and running a fast-growing regional ophthalmology and ocular surgery practice. The same year Park Ophthalmology opened its doors, Dr. Friedland brought the value of high-volume private practice to academia through joining UNC Ophthalmology as adjunct teaching faculty (Assistant/Associate Professor). Her decades of faculty ties to the Department culminated in her March 2020 appointment as Professor of Ophthalmology.
In early 2020, Dr. Friedland’s regional private practice was integrated into UNC Medical Center’s ophthalmology service lines. The newly renamed UNC Park Ophthalmology enabled Dr. Friedland to bring decades of expertise in comprehensive, procedural and tertiary eye care to a wide range of community practice and academic medical center patients across the Triangle-RTP area, NC.
Dr. Friedland’s career is marked by excellence as a physician scientist and a consummate scholar. In February 2022, she was nominated by the WomenInWhiteCoats.com blog as one of 15 leading female physicians nationwide for the 2022 Women in White Coats Heroes award. In 2023, she was inducted into UNC School of Medicine’s Academy of Educators. From 2010-2023, Dr. Friedland was named by the Consumer Research Council of America as one of “America’s Top Ophthalmologists.”
UNC Ophthalmology Chair Don Budenz MD, MPH, reflected: “Dr. Friedland has been a pillar of the eyecare community in the Triangle for over 35 years. Initially serving on the adjunct teaching faculty at UNC Ophthalmology, she has been part of the full-time faculty as Clinical Professor for the past five years. Although she will be missed by her patients and colleagues, we are excited for her retirement and look forward to additional contributions to the teaching and research missions of the department as Professor Emeritus.”