The ASCO Student Affairs Officers met at the Washington Hilton on June 27 during the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) Annual Conference to discuss a variety of issues, including ASCO strategic planning, OptomCAS, the GRE as a standardized test option, and concerns about the size of the applicant pool. Dr. Stuart Slavin, Associate Dean for Curriculum and Professor of Pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine presented on Improving Well-Being through Changes to the Learning Environment and Student Mindsets. The afternoon consisted of a session on How Teaching Methods Affect Student Performance and Engagement by Dr. Gui Albieri, Vice-President for Student Affairs at State University of New York College of Optometry and Ms. Barbara McGinley, Associate Dean of Students at New England College of Optometry. Group discussions were also held on a variety of topics including career management for students, best practices for teaching leadership and professionalism, screening for the “grit” factor during the applicant recruitment and interview process, and options for professional development for people working in student affairs.
ASCO also participated in the NAAHP meeting by exhibiting throughout the conference. Dr. Mark Colip, President of Illinois College of Optometry, and Dr. Michael Bacigalupi, Dean at University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Optometry, both presented at NAAHP on optometry as a career option.
For more information about the Student Affairs Officers or the NAAHP, please contact Paige Pence, ASCO Director of Student and Residency Affairs, at ppence@opted.org.