Meet Dr. Jed Assam
Jed Assam’s aptitude for learning, research, and leadership have taken him to some impressive places, but he found his way back to the place and people who raised him.
A native of Sioux Falls, SD, Jed realized at a young age that he liked the satisfaction that came from completing hands-on activities, especially ones that required him to engage his problem-solving and strategic-thinking skills. He was also drawn to science and the way it balanced foundational knowledge against new discoveries. Given those insights, it didn’t take long for his future path to become clear: he knew he wanted to be a surgeon one day.
It would take more exploration for him to decide which specialty to pursue, but once he discovered ophthalmology, the choice was obvious. “I wanted the people I helped to experience a noticeable change after their surgery,” says Dr. Assam. “What’s more fitting than a procedure that literally allows you to see differently once it’s over?”
A fellowship-trained ophthalmologist, Dr. Assam’s sub-specialty is in retinal care and diseases. The retina is the sensory tissue at the back of the eye where images are received and transmitted. When it doesn’t function correctly, patients can experience age-related macular degeneration, retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, and other conditions affecting the vitreous body of the eye.
Dr. Assam is as focused on providing world-class retinal care to Sioux Falls patients as he is on giving them an excellent patient experience. “I want my patients to know that they’re always at the center of any decision we make for their health. It’s meaningful to me when I hear a patient tell others that I really cared about them.”
Dr. Assam earned his undergraduate degree from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, and went on to complete a master’s degree in clinical anatomy at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. From there, he received his medical degree from the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine where he founded the “Anatomic Society,” an interdisciplinary student organization.
As a postgraduate student Dr. Assam headed to Galveston, TX, for an ophthalmology residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), where he served as chief resident. He finished his time in Texas with a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Throughout these programs Dr. Assam provided eye care to underserved communities by volunteering with St. Vincent’s House in Galveston and the I Care San Antonio Retina Clinic.
When he isn’t studying retinal care or anatomy, Jed is either spending time with his amazing wife, exploring the outdoors, or both. He enjoys fishing at picturesque rivers, taking a walk through the fields, or sitting in a tree stand. He also likes to spend time in the kitchen because good food, like good medical care, brings people together.