Allen C. Ho, MD

College of Arts & Sciences

Twitter: @allenho Instagram: @ach62

Tell us about what you're doing with your life
I am a retina surgeon and clinician scientist, dad of six amazing children and a sports enthusiast aging triathlete.  At work, I direct clinical retina research at Wills Eye Hospital and we have moonshot goals for common conditions like reversing vision loss from macular degeneration and eliminating preventable blindness due to diabetic retinopathy.  None of this happens without motivated bright retina colleagues and retina trainees, amazing family support, and great friends including many Cornellians.  My work colleagues, former trainees and collaborations are global and this has introduced me and transported me to some pretty amazing locales and experiences that I certainly do not take for granted.  Timing has been important, almost as important as being surrounded by talented colleagues, family and friends who inspire.  I definitely consider myself very lucky and a lot of that luck started in Ithaca with Cornell 84 classmates.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found most useful?
As an Arts & Sciences matriculate focused on Genetics, getting out of my comfort zone and academic sweet spot was memorable.  I remember History of Western Civilization with L. Pearce Williams and class discussion groups felt like my first real college course. He kicked my ass with a D grade on my first paper - there’s no question that course motivated me to be a better writer and communicator.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
Undoubtedly, time with the talented, diverse group of people that is Cornell and time spent at FIJI with that amazing group of guys. I also reminisce with some other "fossil" Cornell Sprint Football teammates, those were great days.  After hours in the FIJI bar was always the best time to bond.

Which Cornell classmates do you keep in touch with?
Annual ski trips with Stuart Gordon 83, Don Augenstein 84, John Doulong 84, Jerry Howard 84, Jeff Jacobsen 84, Charlie Pappas 84 and also have recently skied with Amy Brown 84, John Fraser 83 and Brian Schwinn 85.  Recently was with Wade Sarkis 84 in the Finger Lakes.  We lost Rich Wein 85 this year, he was my FIJI roommate and a Philadelphian, huge loss. Stuart Gordon 83  is also a Columbia Med roommate. Savoring these Cornell connections is important to me, like everything in life it’s 99% about the people.

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
I would not change a thing, well maybe a roof that didn't leak over my head at the FIJI house