Questions?

For questions about the Student Fellowship program please contact Kayla Ritten at KaylaR@aaoptom.org.

The Academy offers the Student Fellowship program to encourage students to experience the entire meeting, hoping that it will stimulate improved integration of all of the opportunities offered at the meeting, encourage future involvement, and persuade students to become Fellows upon graduation.

The Student Fellowship program is a great opportunity for students to engage in cutting edge knowledge and technology through lectures, workshops, posters and much more! The program is geared to guide students to develop their skills as an optometric or vision science professional.

Student Fellowship Requirements 

Before Academy 2020 Nashville: 

  1. Be a Student Member of the Academy. Your OD graduation date must take place after the annual meeting of which you are pursuing Student Fellowship. Residents and graduate students are not eligible to participate.
  2. Before the annual meeting, notify the Academy you want to become a Student Fellow by selecting the "I want to pursue Student Fellowship" box during registration for the meeting
  3. View a mandatory orientation video. This must be completed by Wednesday, September 30 at 11:59 PM ET. The video will be available in August 2020. 
Requirements 1-3 must be met by Wednesday, September 30 at 11:59 PM ET to be on the roster for the 2020 Student Fellowship program. There will be no additions to the roster after this date. 

During Academy 2020 Nashville 
  1. Attend 4 hours of continuing education, at least two hours must be in one or more of the following topic areas:
    • Public Health, Jurisprudence, or Practice Management
    • Binocular Vision
    • Low Vision
    • Contact Lenses
  2. Attend 1 hour of paper presentation sessions (Residents Day paper sessions also count) 
  3. Attend 1 hour of poster presentation sessions (Residents Day poster sessions also count)
  4. Attend ONE of the following sessions:
    • Ezell Fellows Present
    • Plenary Session
    • Monroe J. Hirsch Symposium
    • American Academy of Optometry and American Academy of Ophthalmology Joint Symposium
  5. Attend the Student/Resident Awards Lunch*
    • Thursday, October 8, Noon to 1:00 PM
  6. Attend ONE Section or SIG Symposium*
  7. Attend 1 hour of the Residency and Graduate Program Fair*
    • Friday, October 9, Noon to 3 PM

*You may substitute one of the following for either requirement 5, 6 or 7. 
- A Merton Flom Leadership course (advance registration and fee required)
- Volunteering for a shift assisting with the FDR SIG study (advance sign up required with the FDR SIG)
- Volunteering as a room monitor for 2 hours with the Lectures and Workshops program. Contact EwaK@aaoptom.org for more information on signing up.