News from the AOA's Blog

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the New York State Optometric Association’s (NYSOA) Winter Board of Trustees Meeting in Lake Placid, home of the 1980 Winter Olympics. While walking around Mirror Lake as temperatures hovered in the single digits Fahrenheit, my wife Bonnie and I compared notes, as we often do, on our impressions of the meetings that we attend together. 

She reflected to me that at this meeting, there were a number of board members whose family attended as well and enjoyed the outdoor activities that make Lake Placid a favorite winter destination in the Northeast. 

She was also impressed with the sense of closeness among board members and how they treated each other’s families as a large extended family. 

She heard them comment throughout the meeting on how each other’s children had grown since they were last together. 

I had noticed this sense of family as well in the board room, with spirited and open discussion and a genuine sense of collegiality and camaraderie.

I was also impressed with the participation of three students at the NYSOA board meeting. 

Optometry students Elaine Lin, Christine Ng, and Dan Kirchheimer are the State University of New York State College of Optometry Student Society’s representatives to the NYSOA Board of Trustees, and their active participation in the three-day meeting is an early reflection of their dedication to their chosen profession. 

If you are a student, you should know that membership in the AOSA includes automatic membership in the AOA.
 As a student, you may think your studies are keeping you too busy to explore your role within AOA. 

As part of the AOA family, you should be involved in your profession now as a student and have a say in your profession’s direction.  Here are some ways to do this:

• Become active in legislation by attending the Congressional Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., March 2-5.  Last year’s meeting was attended by more than 500 optometrists and optometry students and was an incredible demonstration of the spirit of our profession. You can view a video that is sure to inspire you at: www.youtube.com/aoaweb.
• Network at Optometry’s Meeting® with fellow students and doctors.  While you are attending the AOSA Conference be sure to see all the AOA Congress has to offer.  Since 2003, the AOSA has met in conjunction with the Annual AOA Congress, Optometry’s Meeting®
• Look for the right practice opportunity for you via Optometry’s Career Center® once you enter your third year.  Remember, your student years will go by in a flash but you will practice for a lifetime.  Get a jump start at www.optometryscareercenter.org.
• Take advantage of all the resources available to you on www.aoa.org including Clinical Practice Guidelines, practice information in the Practice Resource Center, and financial aid information in the Students/Education area.
• Join AOA on Facebook (www.Facebook.com) and via Twitter (Twitter.com/AOANews).  There are more than 2,500 fans of the AOA on Facebook now, and we are constantly adding new social media tools.
• Contact the states you want to practice in via the drop-down box on the AOA homepage and let them know you’re interested in practicing there upon graduation.  Ask to be put on the mailing list.

It’s not too early to take your professional life into your own hands.as a student, you may be thinking, “I have plenty of time to get involved in AOA; I’ll do it later, when I’m not so busy studying.” 

But taking the time to start walking your path in AOA now can pay big dividends in your career later. 

Take that first step and e-mail the AOA at StudentMember@aoa.org or feel free to e-mail me directly at rebrooks@aoa.org. 

I would like to hear from you!

Randolph Brooks, O.D.
AOA President