Information for New Graduates 2023

Dear Colleague:

Congratulations on your Doctor of Optometry degree. As you prepare to embark on your career as a healthcare professional, I would like to take a moment to encourage you to become a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO). As an Academy Fellow, you will have access to a wealth of resources and benefits that can help support your professional development, networking opportunities, and patient care delivery. Here are just a few reasons why I believe becoming an Academy Fellow is a wise decision:

1. Professional Development: The Academy offers a variety of opportunities for continuing education, mentorship, and career advancement.

• As the leading provider of optometric continuing education, the Academy provides cutting-edge education that reflects the profession’s emerging trends, best practices, and industry innovations. Whether it be lectures, grand rounds, hands-on workshops, hot topics, symposia, or roundtable discussions, Academy Fellows stay current on best practices.

• The Academy recognizes that the road to improved patient care is translating new research into optometric practice. The Academy’s deep commitment to vision and eye care research is unwavering, as evidenced by its scientific programs and research grants for Fellows.

2. Networking: The Academy provides a platform to meet and collaborate with other optometrists, key opinion leaders, and vision scientists. You can build relationships with colleagues who share your interests and goals and gain exposure to new ideas and perspectives. Join any (or all) of our 9 Clinical Sections or 9 Special Interest Groups, or a local Academy chapter.

3. Member Benefits: The Academy offers a wide range of member benefits, such as discounts to our Annual Meeting and other educational events, subscriptions to optometry’s leading journal (Optometry & Vision Science) and our new case-report journal (Clinical Insights in Eyecare), and access to the Clinical Podcast Series and the Clinical Investigator Certification Program.

As you are aware, the practice of optometry and evidence-based practice patterns continually evolve, and new standards of care are implemented. Our Fellows are often the first to implement such changes, given they are the first to learn about new research evaluating innovative diagnostic equipment, therapeutic drugs, and treatment regimens. The Academy takes pride in its profession-leading education and research programs, and our Fellows’ commitment to lifelong learning.

Becoming a Fellow of the Academy changed my professional life profoundly, and I extend a personal invitation for you to become an Academy Fellow. It is an opportunity to advance your career while surrounding yourself with like-minded colleagues who promote life-long learning and deliver exemplary eye and vision care. The FAAO designation embodies the Academy’s vision of “Inspiring Excellence in Eye Care.”

The Academy would be honored to have you join our Fellowship. Please visit www.aaopt.org/faao for more information or call the Academy office at 321-319-4860.

Again, congratulations, and welcome to our wonderful profession! I look forward to seeing you at a future Academy meeting.

Sincerely,

Susan A. Cotter, OD, MS, FAAO President, American Academy of Optometry

DID YOU KNOW?

83%

of Fellows in the American Academy of Optometry examine patients.

Becoming a Fellow is not a test. It is a process that allows you to hone your skills.

It takes 10 years of intense preparation to become a top performer in your field. How will you get there?

The Academy is not just for your professors! Only 22%

of Fellows are educators or vision scientists.

DID YOU KNOW?

48%

There are more than 300 hours of the highest quality education offered at every annual meeting.

of Fellows are in private practice.

Experience as a clinician alone is not enough to improve your performance – you also need continued education and training.

Start the process of becoming a Fellow immediately upon graduation!

The $60 application fee and first year of dues are waived if you apply before the end of 2023!

ADVANCEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL

Although a majority of Fellows of the Academy are practitioners, Fellowship is open to the following professionals who demonstrate that they meet Academy standards:

• Optometrists who are licensed or accredited to practice at the highest level permitted by law in their jurisdiction, and

• Scientists, educators, librarians, administrators and editors who have distinguished themselves and optometry by their contributions to optometry or vision science.

In qualifying for and maintaining Fellowship, candidates are evaluated against the highest standards of professional competence. The letters “FAAO” (Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry) after a professional’s name signify to colleagues and patients that rigorous qualifications for Fellowship have been met.

A candidate has three years to successfully complete the process. The Admittance Committee works with the candidate to develop and review the materials required to demonstrate eligibility to sit for the oral examination. The process is designed to help the candidate develop as a professional and succeed in becoming a Fellow.

EARNING ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP

Step 1: Application Form Apply

Candidates must submit an online application form and pay requisite candidate fees. Once the application has been submitted, the candidate will receive an acknowledgement email that will be assigned to their subcommittee chair and be permitted to begin submitting their written works.

Step 2: Written Material

A point system gives candidates options to meet the written requirements. A total of 50 points is required to complete the written work. The table on the following page summarizes the combination of points that can be used to achieve 50 points. All written work must be submitted through the online candidacy for Fellowship application system.

Step 3: Oral Examination

Oral exams are given only at Academy annual meetings. The candidate will be examined on the basis of the credentials and written work submitted to the committee. Candidates who successfully complete the oral examination will be welcomed as Fellows at the New Fellow Reception during the annual meeting.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

These deadlines must be met for the year you would like to sit for your oral examination.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF FELLOWSHIP

Each person admitted to Academy Fellowship is expected to:

• Live up to the Membership Pledge and Agreement

• Attend the annual meeting when possible

• Contribute to the work of the Academy by serving on a committee when requested, submitting papers, posters, and/or courses to the annual meeting and other Academy sponsored educational and scientific programs, encouraging research in optometry and being active in an Academy chapter, if one is available

• Sponsor additional candidates for Fellowship and serve as a mentor for candidates when invited

• Fulfill the Maintenance of Fellowship (MOF) requirements every 10 years

BENEFITS OF FELLOWSHIP Sections and Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

Candidates for Fellowship in the Academy may join one or more of the Sections and SIGs devoted to optometric specialties. Academy Sections and SIGs sponsor symposia and special events at the Academy annual meeting. The Sections are:

• Anterior Segment

• Binocular Vision, Perception and Pediatric Optometry

• Comprehensive Eye Care

• Cornea, Contact Lenses, and Refractive Technologies

• Glaucoma

• Low Vision

• Optometric Education

• Public Health and Environmental Vision

• Vision Science

Academy SIGs include:

• Academic Medical Center Optometrists

• Academic Optometry

• Fellows Doing Research

• Neuro-ophthalmic Disorders in Optometry

• Nutrition, Disease Prevention and Wellness

• Ophthalmic Lasers

• Retina

• ¡Salud! Latinx/Hispanic/ Chicanx

• Vision in Aging

Meetings

Each year the Academy meets in a major North American city to conduct the foremost scientific and educational meeting in optometry. The meeting consists of continuing education courses, papers, posters, section symposia, exhibits, awards, lectures, admittance of new Fellows and Diplomates and related activities. This meeting has become one of the largest national and international professional gatherings of optometrists in the United States.

Optometry and Vision Science

For more than 75 years the Academy has published a monthly online journal containing papers on the clinical and basic science aspects of optometry and vision science. Optometry and Vision Science is recognized today as one of the most prestigious optometric journals worldwide and stands as a chronicle of the scientific and professional advancement in the field.

Online Resources

The American Academy of Optometry website, www.aaopt.org, is a significant resource for candidates. On the website you will find:

• A thorough explanation of the point system

• A guide to writing case reports and sample case reports

• Access to the AVSL-AAO Information Resource Hub

• An online library of optometric journals

• An online directory of Fellows and Diplomates

• Meeting information and more

Research

Fostering vision research is a major Academy activity. The Academy’s affiliate, the American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF), is actively involved in funding research fellowships and scholarships. The AAOF also hosts an online podcast series and other professional development opportunities and funding for Academy members.

CANDIDACY FOR FELLOWSHIP IN THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPTOMETRY

Point System Summary Table

A point system has been established to give candidates several options to meet the written requirements. A total of 50 points is required to complete the written work. The following table summarizes the combination of points each type of candidate can use to achieve 50 points:

Written Requirement Options

Clinical Candidates are optometrists who are licensed or accredited to practice at the highest level permitted by law in their jurisdiction and are engaged in active clinical practice. Of the 50 points required from clinical candidates, *at least one case report (10 points) is required.

Scientific Candidates are primarily involved in research relating to the vision sciences. They have published articles in peer reviewed journals, and generally have an advanced degree in a vision science area of discipline. Of the 50 points required from scientific candidates, **at least three scientific publications

points per publication) are required.

For additional information about candidacy:

Special

Candidates may include administrators, executive directors, clinical consultants, librarians, editors, educators or others who have distinguished themselves and optometry by their contribution to optometry or vision science. This category is reserved for those candidates who are NOT in active clinical practice or participating in publishable scientific research. Of the 50 points required from special category candidates, ***at least one original paper (either 1,200 word paper for 10 points or a 6,000 word paper for 50 points) is required.

Candidates who do not clearly fall into one category or another will have their candidacy reviewed by the Admittance Subcommittee Chairs involved to determine which category best fits the candidate.

Candidate Dues and Application Fee

Candidates for Fellowship are considered members of the Academy and are required to pay annual dues. Recent graduates pay a lesser amount on a sliding scale based on your OD graduation date. Applications and dues received after October 1st will be credited through the following calendar year.

One Time Candidate Application Fee: $60*

*Current student and resident members are not required to pay the application fee.

Annual Candidate Dues:

Graduated from OD school during current calendar year: $0

Graduated from OD school during the previous calendar year: $185

Graduated from OD school two calendar years ago: $285

Graduated from OD school three or more calendar years ago: $385

QUOTES FROM FELLOWS

What were the specific reasons that you decided to become a Fellow in the Academy?

“The Academy is the center of professional excellence where the profession of optometry can be seen at its highest standard of eyecare.”

“To hold myself to a higher standard and distinguish myself from other optometrists.”

“To actively contribute to the profession on a scholarly level; to collaborate with others who have similar interests and professional values; to challenge myself to remain on the cutting edge.”

“I was impressed with the quality of lectures, seminars, poster presentations, etc, that were offered at the Academy meetings and wanted to become more involved in a professional organization that was active in advancing the science of optometry.”

“To become a leader in the optometric profession and to be recognized as continuing the highest quality care and dedication to the profession that each individual patient deserves and expects. To be associated with a more research oriented part of the profession.”

In what ways has the attainment of your FAAO distinguished you in your own career and/or practice?

“It tells my colleagues and patients that I am committed to achieving the most current, advanced education and training.”

“With regard to clinical procedures, I am more confident in handling eye diseases and referring more appropriately cases involving systemic disease. I have improved a lot in my knowledge and skills with regard to the use of diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents. I see more patients and receive referrals from other eyecare professionals in the region where I live and work.”

“I earned more respect from my peers and students. The process increased communications with other educators outside my subject area. The Fellow process is a volunteer endeavor that is challenging and requires self scrutiny. Electing to tackle this process and succeeding was a boost in my professional confidence.”

“It has allowed me to expand my knowledge, open new doors, and meet others who are interested in the same subject matter, thus allowing me to be able to collaborate with them in scholarship and research.”