News from the AOA's Blog

by Ashley Scantling, O.D., chair of the Student Program Committee

In today’s economy what can you possibly invest in that will give you a return on your investment? How about your future? Optometry’s Meeting® provides what students need in order to capitalize on their careers after graduation. We all know that education is important, but often who you know can be just as important as what you know. Optometry’s Meeting® provides the perfect balance of education and networking opportunities to advance your career.

A key reason the student program at Optometry’s Meeting® is so successful is that it is designed for students by students. When developing the student education program, we keep in mind that students spend most of the year in the classroom being “lectured at.” The goal of the 2011 Optometry’s Meeting® Student Program Committee was to put students in a learning environment different from what they get all year in optometry school. This year there will be no more straight lectures! The courses will all be interactive and taught by popular, well-known speakers such as my predecessor as committee chair, Ryan Parker, O.D.

The student education program primarily focuses on practice management – an element that is not often offered in the classroom setting, but is very important as students enter their careers.

Thanks to the generous support of The Vision Care Institute™, LLC there is no charge for students to take courses offered on the student program—so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. As always, students are invited to take most OD and paraptometric courses at a reduced rate of $5 per credit hour.

Student lecture door prizes are once again generously sponsored by HOYA.

Optometry’s Meeting® is the meeting you can’t afford to miss! The AOA, Allergan, Essilor, HOYA, and The Vision Care Institute™, LLC, understand this and have collectively sponsored more than $100,000 in travel grants and scholarships to ensure that students who want to attend can attend! Talk to your school trustee to see how you can be one of the winning recipients.

Come prepared to capture your 2011 Optometry’s Meeting® experience on video…it could earn you $1,000 toward the 2012 Optometry’s Meeting®! The AOA is offering two $1,000 travel grants to students for the best videos on Optometry’s Meeting®. One winner will be determined by the AOA and the other by your peers. Natalie Nguyen, third-year student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, College of Optometry, will receive $1,000 at the AOSA General Session for her winning video of the 2010 Optometry’s Meeting®. To view the video, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY6jttYpUxo.

This year Optometry’s Meeting® attendees will enter the Exhibit Hall through AOA Central. AOA Central will be the hub of activity – it will house registration and all the elements of the AOA booth of past years. The AOSA will have a kiosk for the first time this year, so be sure to stop by.

The feedback on Sight Quest last year was so amazing that we are bringing it back. Sight Quest offers an interactive approach for students to learn about some of our industry partners. Students will be given a game card with questions. The object is to visit the designated booths in the Exhibit Hall and ask the corresponding question.

Everyone who completes the challenge will be entered to win American Express gift cards valued from $250 to $1,000! Sight Quest cards will be distributed in the AOSA General Session, so be sure to attend.

One of the biggest concerns students have is finding a job after graduation. The AOA Practice Management and Career Center, sponsored by CIBA Vision and Luxottica, is designed to help. On Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., you won’t want to miss the Career Fair. Where potential employers will be on hand to meet with students and even set up one-on-one interviews in one of the private interview rooms before students return home. As another resource, direct connectivity to the AOA’s Optometry’s Career Center® will be available in the OCC kiosk. A series of practice management courses will be offered in the AOA Practice Management and Career Center Theater, several of which will be of particular interest to students and new graduates.

Optometry’s Meeting® is a great value for students. The nominal registration fee includes the main Optometry’s Meeting® events such as the Wednesday Night Welcome Reception with live entertainment, sponsored by Bausch + Lomb; the Opening General Session featuring Erin Brockovich, sponsored by Essilor; Exhibit Hall events; and the Presidential Celebration, featuring comedians Kathleen Madigan and Wayne Brady, sponsored by HOYA. Events such as these, while fun in nature, are a great opportunity for students to network with their peers, ODs, and future business contacts. One of these events could be where you meet your future employer or business partner!

Other great events designed specifically with students in mind are:

• The AOSA General Session kicks off the student program on Thursday afternoon. Thanks to HOYA, students will get a hilarious and unique perspective of their generation in the keynote by Jason Ryan Dorsey, aka “The Gen Y Guy.”
• 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the Varilux® Optometry Student Bowl™, and Essilor is going all out!  The enthusiasm of the attendees is amazing at this must-attend event. Be a part of the excitement by cheering on your classmates or alma mater. The Student Bowl™ Reception featuring Optometry Cares—the AOA Foundation and Optometry’s Got Talent will immediately follow.
• iConnect with TLC will take place at The Depot, one of Salt Lake City’s most unique venues. Students who attend the TLC lecture on Friday afternoon, and their registered guests, are invited to dance the night away at this popular event.
• The Optometric Residency Forum is a great resource for students who are considering a residency after graduation. On Friday, residency representatives from many optometry schools will be available to answer questions about their programs. This is a great opportunity to learn about what makes each residency program unique.
• Student Focus Hours in the Exhibit Hall have been dedicated specifically for students on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. This is a great opportunity to start building vendor relationships. By attending Optometry’s Meeting®, students will see firsthand who supports the AOSA and AOA. Doing business with people who support optometry will continue to strengthen our profession and our associations. Several prize drawings will be held throughout these dedicated hours just for students.

Visit www.optometrysmeeting.org for more information, to register, and to book hotel reservations for the meeting. See you in Salt Lake City!