The future of our profession is bright, and this was evident at the 2022 American Academy of Optometry meeting in San Diego. This year was the meeting’s centennial celebration, and you could feel the excitement throughout the meeting. Attendance was at an all-time high, and you can’t beat getting together in such a great city. Seeing so many old friends and colleagues while meeting many more.
As expected, there was cutting-edge research, top-notch education, and numerous networking opportunities for all. If you haven’t been, we highly recommend you attend next year’s Academy in New Orleans, Louisiana, October 11–14, 2023. One aspect of Academy that we love is seeing and congratulating all the new Fellows. We see and feel their sense of accomplishment when they are awarded their yellow Fellowship ribbon and walk around proudly wearing those ribbons for the rest of the conference. We always make a point to stop and congratulate them whether we know them or not. Those interactions always remind us of when we first earned our Fellowship. If you have ever thought about joining the Academy and becoming a Fellow, there is no better time than now! The three of us are happy to help mentor and support you through the process!
Speaking of mentorship, surely we all can name individuals who have had a tremendous influence on our own personal and professional lives. Without their guidance, support, and encouragement, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Professionally, working with multiple mentors is a critical way to expand one’s network, gain opportunities, and better prepare for future scholastic or professional ventures.1 At this year’s Academy meeting, the YoungOD Connect team had its “Power Up” launch event, which highlighted remarkable moments, mindsets, and mentors that have allowed optometrists to take their careers to the next level. If you haven’t heard of YoungOD Connect, it’s an organization that provides members (ie, aspiring young optometrists) with education, information, and guidance through small group discussions and interactions with leading optometrists. If you want to learn more, visit youngodconnect.com.
The three of us have several mentors who helped us throughout our careers and afforded us many of the opportunities we have today. We, of course, appreciate what has been given to us, but also feel that it’s important to give back and mentor others. If you are interested in getting more involved in the profession, whether in the form of writing articles or lecturing, all you have to do is ask or sign up for YoungOD Connect. We are happy to help you grow your passion and make some of those connections.
Before we sign off, just a quick mention about the contents of this month’s issue of MOD, which has a cover focus on retina. What an exciting space, with several new potential treatment options in the pipeline! You definitely need to check out the article by Jessica Steen, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO. And what about retinal detachments? Click here to read about the OD’s role in postoperative care by Fraser McKay, OD. We could go on, but why don’t you just keep reading?
Wishing you and yours all the best this holiday season. See you next year!
Ready to Claim Your Credits?
You have attempts to pass this post-test. Take your time and review carefully before submitting.
Good luck!
