Dr. Steve Rubin (right) at the Scheie Alumni Event.
Scheie Vision Fall 2015
Dr. Steve Rubin grew up in the Bronx and Queens, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Buffalo and attending medical school at the Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. After spending most of his life in New York, he came to the Scheie Eye Institute to pursue his residency in 1979. Dr. Rubin felt welcomed by a very supportive environment of faculty, senior residents, and support staff, whom he described as “superb models.”
“I cherished the close proximity and easy accessibility of all the attendings.” Dr. Rubin recalled. “They enriched the learning experience by [offering] immediate answers to clinical questions.” He remembers interrupting even Dr. Scheie’s busy schedule on a few occasions and asking for help evaluating patients, “which he of course did immediately.”
Now a Pediatric Ophthalmologist at the North Shore-LIJ Health System, Dr. Rubin continues to value working closely with his colleagues, particularly when examining patients with difficult or enigmatic diagnoses. In addition to providing comprehensive pediatric ophthalmic care, Dr. Rubin is also involved in clinical research and serves as a mentor for residents involved in Pediatric Ophthalmology or strabismus research projects.
Dr. Rubin remains a regular attendee of Scheie’s Annual Alumni Meeting in the spring. “I enjoy the fact that even some of my attendings are still there and actively teaching,” he said.
In his free time, Dr. Rubin is a serious amateur photographer. He attributes his successful transition from film to digital to the encouragement and guidance of Scheie photographer Bill Nyberg. The two have remained in touch and Dr. Rubin still calls Bill for help and advice from time to time.
Despite having grown up in New York City, Dr. Rubin is an avid Phillies fan. During his time at Scheie, he and his wife Ellen developed a love for Philadelphia, and they return for visits regularly. “It was a great place to start our family,” he explained. They now have three grown children and just celebrated a 40th wedding anniversary.