The Global Health and Development Initiative hosted a conversation with three Dartmouth ophthalmologists, Sara Wester ’98, Nikhil Batra MED’09, and Erin Salcone MED’05, who are making a real difference in global eye health. These inspiring alumni shared their personal stories and experiences, diving into the challenges and rewards of working in international vision careS.
Sara Tullis Wester, MD, FACS
Dr. Sara Wester is a Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. A Harvard-trained ophthalmologist and former Goldman Sachs banker, she specializes in Thyroid Eye Disease and has led multi-center research on new treatments. She has held leadership roles with Women in Ophthalmology, ASOPRS, and the North American Society of Academic Orbital Surgeons, and is a recipient of multiple honors, including the University of Miami Trailblazer Award and Castle Connolly Top Doctor recognition.
Nikhil Batra, MD
Dr. Nikhil Batra is an ophthalmologist specializing in vitreoretinal surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. He focuses on retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, vascular disease, and macular degeneration. A Dartmouth Medical School graduate, Dr. Batra completed residency at the University of Chicago and fellowship at the Moran Eye Center, and his research centers on advancing treatments for retinal disease.
Erin Salcone, MD
Dr. Erin Salcone is an Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and a Pediatric Ophthalmologist at Dartmouth Health Children’s and Dartmouth Cancer Center. She specializes in pediatric and adult strabismus, retinopathy of prematurity, cataracts, and eye trauma. A Dartmouth Medical School graduate, she trained at Harvard’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Boston Children’s Hospital and has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor (2023–2025).
