Collinses Have Different Approach But Same Goal for GBMC

Mary Louise Collins, MD and Carville Collins are a good pair. With complementary backgrounds and approaches, each brings a unique perspective to every situation, but always in alignment with the same goal.

They work in different areas – healthcare and law – but both practice at the height of their respective fields: she as GBMC’s chair of ophthalmology and he as an energy regulatory and government affairs lawyer with the Baltimore law firm, DLA Piper. Carville is a Baltimore native, while Dr. Collins is originally from Washington D.C.

Even though both approach giving to GBMC from different lenses, the couple feels passionately about supporting their community hospital – the one in the neighborhood where they literally live and work.

Dr. Collins, now GBMC's Wilkinson-Welch-Hoover Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology, was recruited to GBMC’s ophthalmology department in 1993 by then-chair Charles P. Wilkinson, MD.

“GBMC and the Department of Ophthalmology provided an environment where someone who was interested in providing the highest quality care to patients as well as participating in clinical research and teaching could do that outside of an academic medical center,” Dr. Collins said. “GBMC was the perfect balance between clinical practice and academics and teaching. I came here with that in mind and it has never changed.”

Thinking of the care experience of her patients and their families even after they leave her office, Dr. Collins feels a gift to The Promise Project ensures a state-of-the-art experience they deserve. And as a leader for GBMC’s residency programs and Academic Affairs, Dr. Collins believes The Promise Project positions GBMC as a great place to learn and work, especially in a dense market of healthcare institutions.

“Maryland is blessed with many top-notch hospitals and healthcare systems,” Dr. Collins said. “In order to be competitive and able to recruit top-tier residents to train at GBMC, and hopefully stay on to be part of our workforce, we need to provide them with the optimal training environment in a state-of-the-art setting.”

The 28-year veteran physician hopes her fellow colleagues see the importance of giving back in gratitude for the environment GBMC has provided for them to practice at the top of their profession.

Dr. Collins feels she has benefitted from working at GBMC in ways that have elevated her practice and her professional development, which is why she has chosen to spend her entire medical career at GBMC. Dr. Collins recognizes a good thing when she sees it – professionally and personally.

She and Carville met at a summer day camp located in Annapolis when they were six years old, began dating as camp counselors at 17, and were married in 1985. Thirty-five years, three children and one grandchild later, their partnership is palpable in its mutual respect and admiration.

While Dr. Collins sees the importance of The Promise Project from an internal lens, Carville’s perspective relates to those outside the inner workings of GBMC. He maintains the importance of excellence in patient care and providing it at the highest level is critical to advancing GBMC’s mission. His motivation for giving to GBMC is to “preserve excellence in an institution that, unlike most other healthcare providers in the State, seeks to maintain its autonomy and independence. GBMC’s ability to make its own decisions, in the best interests of the community it serves, is foundational to the high quality of its service.”

“This project is not changing GBMC,” Carville said. “I see The Promise Project as enhancing what GBMC is doing and has been doing successfully for almost 60 years. It’s about perpetuating excellence in the delivery of community healthcare by an independent institution, which has consistently been the hallmark of GBMC.”

He stresses that the pandemic year of 2020 further demonstrates the value of having excellent healthcare in the local community. And his commitment to ensuring excellent healthcare remains accessible to the community is top of mind when it comes to giving back.

He said, “A gift to The Promise Project is a gift to your family, your neighbors, your friends, and your community to help perpetuate excellence in healthcare right here at home.”

Gifts from the community, for the community, represent a relationship of mutual respect and admiration GBMC has for donors and vice versa, all working together toward the common goal of taking care of you and your loved ones like family.