William E. Flanary, an American ophthalmologist, was born in 1985. He lives in Portland, Oregon, and practices in Oregon City. Flanary spent his early years in Houston, Texas. He became famous in the year 2016 when he started making medical satire videos on social media by the name Dr. Glaucomflecken. This was a way for Flanary to cope with his health problems.
Dr. Glaucomflecken’s Academic Profile
- Flanary graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in cell and molecular biology.
- He took an interest in Ophthalmology while he was studying at Dartmouth College.
- After completing his education at Dartmouth, he completed his residency at the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences in 2017.
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Personal Life of Dr. Glaucomflecken
- Flanary met his wife, Kristin while he was studying at Texas Tech University.
- Kristin and Flanary both attended Dartmouth where Kristin graduated in Psychological and Brain Science.
- They got married in December 2009 and had their first baby in 2012.
- The couple has two daughters.
Curveballs that Life threw on Dr. Glaucomflecken
- Flanary was first diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 25.
- At that time, he was studying at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College.
- The cancer was at a highly curable stage.
- He had surgery to remove the testicle that had a tumor on it.
- During his third year of residency at the University of Iowa, he was again diagnosed with testicular cancer.
- He again had surgery to remove his remaining testicle which was followed by hormone replacement therapy.
- The therapy consisted of weekly injections of Testosterone which were self-administered.
- He suddenly went into cardiac arrest while he was sleeping in May 2020.
- His wife, Kristin performed CPR on him for 10 minutes till the paramedics arrived.
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How did Dr. Glaucomflecken’s Comedy Journey Start
- Flanary dabbed into the world of stand-up comedy during his school days.
- He debuted his alter-ego in the year 2016 when he created Dr. Glaucomflecken Twitter account.
- He claims he did it out of boredom when attending a research conference.
- For him, it was supposed to be a hobby rather than a vocation, however, it turned out profitable owing to its popularity.
- He named the account after the medical term Glaucomflecken.
- Glaucomflecken is a change in the lens of an eye after an acute angle closure.
- He turned to TikTok in the spring of 2020 during the covid outbreak.
- Flanary has about 2.5 million subscribers across social media.
- His social presence is on Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.
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Dr. Glaucomflecken’s General Hospital’s Characters List
According to Flanary, “Glaucomflecken General Hospital” is a world filled with dysfunctional people. However, this world is funny as hell.
- The Ophthalmologist
Known as “Ophtho” by his peers, he is a positive person who is more devoted to his life part in his work/life balance. He is the worst when it comes to emergency cases and has almost forgotten what he learned in medical school.
- Jonathan
He is the loyal secretary of the “Ophtho”. He is the go-to guy when you need someone to rely on. However, he seems like a sociopath.
- The Neurologist
“Neuro” is the best in his field and knows how to flaunt it. He has armed himself with insults and the entire staff of Glaucomflecken Hospital fears him.
- The Emergency Physician
He is an adrenaline-fueled physician who is always ready to hop onto his bike. He works till he is exhausted and is the most trustworthy in Glaucomflecken Hospital.
- The Pediatrician
He is the most cheerful of all and is like a ray of sunshine. He believes that a smile is a cure for all problems.
- The Psychiatrist
The “Psych” is the one who conducts therapy sessions at the hospital. He tries to get to the root of the problem with his wealth of knowledge. He wears a black turtleneck and a houndstooth coat.
Charity work of Dr. Glaucomflecken
- Flanary works alongside “First Descents”, a non-profit organization since 2017.
- This organization works for young adult cancer patients.
- The aim of “First Descents” is to provide outdoor experiences to cancer patients.
- Dr. Glaucomflecken has raised over US$ 100,000 as of January 2022.
- He describes his experience with the organization as a “lifeline” after being diagnosed with cancer.
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Why is Dr. Glaucomflecken so popular?
Flanary has created a world that is at times relatable and wholesome to the medical community. He shares experiences that the medical students, residents, and the medical community can relate to. Flanary believes that his satire allows doctors to come across as real people.
The best part of Dr. Glaucomflecken is that it combines on-site knowledge of medicine with comedy. His 30-second comedy allows powerless people (medical professionals, patients, and their families) to feel some sort of power in their situation.
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What is in Store for Dr. Glaucomflecken?
Flanary has started to have bigger ideas for Dr. Glaucomflecken. He is delving into the world of merchandise and plotting longer episodes of Dr. Glaucomflecken’s General Hospital. This may mean either Television or animation or live-action format.
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