Three schools in three days

I was fortunate to be able to visit SUNY State College of Optometry, Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University and New England College of Optometry Feb. 11-13.  The AOA sponsored faculty lunches, each attended by 25-30 faculty members and student events (each attended by between 125 and150 students from various classes).  The deans/presidents and administrators at all three schools and colleges welcomed the AOA, discussed their curricula and gave tours of their academic and clinical facilities. 
 The topic of greatest interest at all three schools was board certification.  I emphasized to faculty the “mentor” role they play and encouraged them to encourage their students to be active in organized optometry. 
With students, I emphasized the importance of getting involved, even if they weren’t sure what sort of practice they’d be involved in and that involvement in the profession was the surest way to keep it secure.

From left, Ray Pirozzolo, AOSA secretary; Denise Whittam, O.D., NYSOA president-elect; AOA President Pete Kehoe, O.D.; SUNY State College of Optometry fourth-year student Mansoor Syed; Diane Adamczyk, O.D., director of Residency Education; Leon Nehmad, O.D., associate clinical professor and SUNY’s AOA Faculty Relations Committee representative, and fourth-year student Ashley Fazzary.

At the NECO Student Bowl: Outgoing NECO AOSA Trustee Phillip Purcell; incoming NECO AOSA Trustee Jessica Crooker; incoming NECO AOSA Trustee-elect Joanna Galasso, Dr. Kehoe; Eric Hebert, O.D., of Rockland, Maine, NECO alumnus and AOA Student and New Graduate Committee member.

At left, students listen to my address at PCO. I raffled off several of his favorite “financial savvy” books to the students before joining them for an AOA-sponsored dinner in the PCO cafeteria.