The University of Louisville School of Medicine recognizes the importance of Women’s History Month and takes pride in highlighting faculty members going above and beyond for the school and the Louisville community. Shorye Durrett, MD, assistant dean for Medical Student Affairs, has been a part of the University of Louisville family since enrolling in its pre-matriculation program in 1993.   

Her passion for Ophthalmology began at a young age. In the 8^th grade, her stepfather helped make an eye model using clay and a yarn spool. She entered the project in a science fair at a local university. Judges of the fair asked her to explain how the eye works internally, and thus created a ‘spark’ in her own eye. “I am humbly grateful to not only be an ophthalmologist, but actually a retina specialist,” said Durrett.

Durrett is a part of a small community of African American ophthalmologists in the U.S., where less than 5% of the country’s ophthalmologists identify as African American. In 1997, she became the second African American graduate from the University of Louisville School of Medicine to match in ophthalmology and the first African American woman resident at the University of Louisville Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.

Durrett’s legacy of gratitude continues today. She started a non-profit called Vision Ambassadors (VisAmb) to provide “educational assistance to help students obtain terminal graduate degrees with the intent of community wealth building and service.” Durrett’s aim is to continue to build upon the rich legacies of many others, for others.  Thus, she’s busy helping establish the Mary S. Joshua Endowment Fund, Portnoy-Berberich-Payne ‘Vision Heirs’ Endowment Fund, and Dr. Delores Gordon Allyne Lecture Series to honor their legendary contributions in medical progress for all.

The School of Medicine is honored to have Dr. Shorye Durrett as a part of its faculty and a greater part of the Louisville community.