Dr. Edward S. Bennett, College of Optometry, University of Missouri-Saint Louis Professor and Assistant Dean for Student and Alumni Relations, was installed as Chair of the AOA Section on Contact Lenses and Cornea during the 2017 Optometry’s Meeting in Washington, DC. Last year, Contact Lens Spectrum counted Dr. Bennett among the 30 most influential in […]
Optometry programs traditionally involve four years of study toward an OD degree. Upon graduation, many graduates choose to pursue an additional year of post-graduate training in a specialized area as a part of a residency program. On June 16, 2017, thirty-eight NECO residents gathered at the College to participate in the annual John E. Asarkof […]
Met: July 27-29, 2017; Lincolnshire, IL Chair(s): Michele Self (UAB) and Michelle Hoff (UCB) Attendees: 33 attendees from 15 U.S. and one Canadian institution and six sponsor representatives Topics Discussed/Speakers: Joe Bruneni Honorary Lecture (Phernell Walker) ANSI for Readers (Karl Citek, PUCO) Near Vision Research (Joe Pole, MCO) Why a Simple Piece of Plastic Costs […]
ASCO’s leadership, including volunteers at all levels of the organization along with staff, has been hard at work for the last year and a half developing a comprehensive Strategic Plan for the organization, the first such plan in 14 years. The goal has been to create a plan that is flexible enough to address changes, […]
First-year, full-time enrollment in regular OD programs at optometry schools and colleges grew by 5.2% in 2016-2017 to reach 1913, up from 1818 the year before, according to the 2016-17 Annual Student Data Report published in May 2017 and updated in June by ASCO. Contributing to this growth was an increase in the number of […]
ASCO staff were on hand at the AOA exhibit hall to promote the Inspiring Future ODs Program. The Inspiring Future ODs program is an educational effort that encourages Doctors of Optometry and students to speak to prospective students and community members about optometry as a rewarding future career. Those who registered for the program onsite […]
ASCO experienced a 4.4% decrease in applicants compared to the previous application cycle. There were 2,687 applicants who submitted a total of 13,339 applications. For applications, OptomCAS experienced a 2.1% decrease in applications submitted compared to last year. On average, applicants applied to 4.96 schools and colleges. A full report on the 2016-2017 application cycle […]
by Judith Gertzog, ASCO intern Judith Gertzog joined ASCO’s team in late May. Judith is entering her sophomore year at the University of Michigan where she plans to pursue majors in public health and public policy. Hoping to gain experience in the non-profit world and passionate about public health and policy related issues, Judith is […]
The ASCO Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) will once again partner with the American Academy of Optometry for a session at the 2017 Chicago Academy meeting designed for students interested in research career paths in academia or industry. Entitled “ASCO-AAO Optometry and Graduate Student Session: Exploring Academic and Research Career Options,” the session is slated for […]
The ASCO Student Affairs Officers met in Washington on June 19 during the American Optometric Association (AOA) meeting to discuss a variety of issues, including ASCO strategic planning, OptomCAS and the effort to further develop a robust, diverse and highly qualified national applicant pool. Staff from the American Dental Association (ADA) were on hand to […]
