Hello Blogosphere!
I hope the weather is a bit warmer for you than in my area—we keep getting one bout of winter weather after the other.
I recently returned from St. Louis where I accepted an invitation to speak on behalf of the AOSA at Presidents’ Council. What an experience! Presidents’ Council is a three-day mini conference where optometry’s state association presidents and executive directors convene to discuss the challenges facing state boards, optometry, and state organizations within each U.S. state. There were representatives from the AOA Board of Trustees and AFOS (representing uniformed/military optometrists) there as well. The weekend is full of motivational speakers, one-one-one chats with AOA Trustees, and presentations made by optometry’s affiliate organizations. Talk about networking!
Of particular importance at this meeting was how to better capture the student transition rates from AOSA to the AOA after graduation. Since the AOSA president and AOSA executive council were attending their own Board of Trustees meeting that same weekend, I was asked by the AOSA Board to speak on students’ behalf. What an honor to represent such a standout group of optometric future leaders—of course I couldn’t say no! My role was to share AOSA’s commitment to help engage student membership in the AOA after graduation, especially as students find employment in different states. I was the last speaker on the last day of the conference to present—no pressure! I knew there was a lot riding on my shoulders to represent ‘the future doctors and leaders of optometry, and I hoped to convey AOSA’s message of passion for optometry, advocacy, and initiative.
My externship at Walter Reed continues to be going very well. I’m feeling more independent each day in my patient care as graduation looms a few months away. To top it all off, I found out this week that I officially passed all three parts of optometry’s national boards exams! I guess that means I can take a little break from studying for a while—well, at least until my state licensure exams in July!
Girls’ Night for Walter Reed Externs
Congrats to the Class of 2015 for passing NBEO Parts 1, 2, and 3! Stay warm!
Carpe Diem,