A journey to fulfil a medical dream through Cybersight

In 2008, Dr Kotob graduated as a paediatric medical specialist, and after ten years in paediatric internal medicine, she decided to sub-specialise in paediatric ophthalmology. She is a Fellow of the International Council of Ophthalmology, and a member of the Royal College of Surgery in Edinburgh, where she plans to apply for a paediatric ophthalmology surgical fellowship, once pandemic restrictions have eased.

Dr Kotob was introduced to our telemedicine platform, Cybersight, by a colleague. Initially she felt like an “imposter,” thinking that it was too late for her to pursue a sub-specialisation. Her fears soon subsided, with Cybersight not only helping her to build her knowledge base, but also boost her confidence.

According to Dr Kotob, major cities in Egypt, like Cairo and Alexandria, have large public health facilities which are well-equipped with medical personnel, specialised surgeons, technology, and all the required equipment. Outside of these cities, the situation is different, and trauma cases and certain surgeries cannot be managed locally and are typically referred to Cairo. For patients from Nasser, this means a two-hour drive. With less-resourced general public health facilities in smaller towns, there is more reliance on private healthcare centres.

The level of care available in private sector eye healthcare in smaller and remote towns vary, and it often does not include specialized ophthalmology.

“Away from Cairo, it’s more about general ophthalmology, not specialty areas,” she said.

Dr Kotob was previously working in a general hospital in Nasser. As a registered paediatrician, she could not practice as an ophthalmologist, given that she has not completed a formal surgical sub-specialisation in ophthalmology. Undeterred by these obstacles, Dr Kotob has been productive and used Cybersight’s services to their fullest, intending to improve her knowledge base in preparation for applying for her surgical fellowship.