Dr. Ryan Sameen Meshkin graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Honors College summa cum laude in the Guaranteed Medical Admission Program with his BS in Biology and minors in Music and Chemistry. As an undergraduate, he was awarded a research fellowship grant for his project, “Preserving a Sense of Honor, Conscience, and Dignity during Medical School for the Physician-Patient Relationship.” He was selected by VCU’s President to serve on the University’s Board of Visitors. He also spent time working as a medical scribe and clinical assistant at the Mkhiwa Clinic in Manzini, Eswatini. His community engagement work was recognized with the VCU Shaaban Humanitarian Award, the highest departmental honor.

Dr. Meshkin went on to earn his MD from Harvard Medical School (HMS). He received a grant with Harvard Ophthalmology faculty Ankoor Shah, MD, PhD, and Grayson Armstrong, MD, MPH, to create a narrated surgical video library curriculum to facilitate deeper learning and active learner engagement during medical student ophthalmology clinical rotations. The project has grown to involve medical student education leaders across the country, and has received the support of the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO)/American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) medical education taskforce to publish the curriculum on the AAO medical student website. In collaboration with Alice Lorch, MD, MPH, and Dr. Armstrong, he helped secure an Alcon Foundation grant to launch a pilot program to provide comprehensive ophthalmology care and disease screenings to underserved Boston communities lacking adequate access to eye care. This pilot program was selected to receive the Mass General Brigham (MGB) United Against Racism Grant, which seeks to address and eliminate racism within MGB by supporting partnerships with community organizations to advance social justice and equity goals. 

Devoted to community service, Dr. Meshkin pursued a 5^th year during medical school to serve as part of a grassroots community-building program in Chelsea, MA, inspiring young people to reach their full potential through service to their neighborhood in the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program. As part of Mass Eye and Ear’s Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity initiatives, he spearheads opportunities for Chelsea High School students to explore health-related careers. At graduation, he was awarded Harvard Medical School’s John D. and Gretchen H. Bullock Ophthalmology Award as well as the Harvard Community Service Award.

Dr. Meshkin’s work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, such as Journal of Academic Ophthalmology, Cornea, Journal of Glaucoma, British Journal of Ophthalmology, and Translational Vision Science and Technology. He has presented his work at conferences such as AAO, American Society of Retina Specialists, AUPO, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

He completed a Transitional Year Internship at Newton Wellesley Hospital as part of Harvard Ophthalmology’s four-year integrated residency program, where he received the Excellence in Medical Student Education award for outstanding teaching of medical students on their clerkships.