There are many optometry-related online resources that I have used throughout optometry school. A few of the ones that I have found most helpful and have used the most are below.
AOA Compass is a resource available to AOA/AOSA members. It provides a step-by-step guide for optometry students and new practitioners to help them complete necessary steps before practicing optometry. It also provides information on different resources available to help optometry students and new practitioners transition from school to practice, including career resources and student loan repayment options.
The current listed steps are:
- Join the AOA/AOSA
- Explore Advocacy
- Register for NBEO Part I
- Prepare for NBEO Part I
- Register for NBEO Part II
- Prepare for NBEO Part II
- Explore Career Opportunities
- Consider a Residency
- Determine Practice Modality
- Find a Practice Opportunity
- Determine/Change Your Legal Name
- Register for NBEO Part III
- Pass NBEO Part III
- Planning Student Loan Repayment
- Apply for State Licensure
- Transition AOA Membership
- Become an InfantSEE and VISION USA Provider
- Obtain an NPI Number
- Prepare for Practice
- Obtain Professional Liability Insurance
- Register with the DEA
- Explore Continuing Education & Stay Up-To-Date with AOA Publications
- Consider Board Certification
- Join Allied Organizations
Each step has detailed information and useful links to help with completion of the step. Members are able to update the status of each step to reflect the progress of completion using four different statuses: To Do, In Progress, Finished!, or NA. There is also a Total Progress status bar that shows the percentage of completion of all steps and an option to add typed notes to each step. Members can access the site by using their AOA login information.
About: “OptometryStudents.com is your #1 resource for optometry student life! The website hosts top notch articles, news, videos and clinical pearls which are all created by optometry student journalists from each optometry school. OptometryStudents.com allows students to become more involved in optometry and to help move the profession forward.”
Mission: “Using relevant content, OptometryStudents.com will keep current optometry students at the top of their game and attract the most motivated and determined pre-optometry students to enter the profession. It will create more competitive applicants and, ultimately, better students. Better students = better O.D’s = a better optometric profession.”
I have visited the website to read articles on clinical pearls and tips for studying for board exams, among other things. Some articles on the website related to UIWRSO include:
- AOSA Trustee Spotlight: Raelyn Ottenbreit of Rosenberg School of Optometry
- HELLO from The University of the Incarnate Word, Rosenberg School of Optometry
- Interview with Dr. Andrew Buzzelli: Dean of Rosenburg [sic] College [sic] of Optometry
- Roya Attarhousseini, March 2012 Student of the Month
- Student Volunteers in Optometric Services to Humanity
About: “EyeDock.com is the leading online clinical reference for eye care professionals, featuring a searchable contact lens and ocular pharmaceuticals database, an ICD-9 lookup, and clinical calculators to streamline contact lens prescribing. Founded in 2003 by two optometrists in clinical practice, EyeDock.com has about 3,000 subscribers.
A subscription to EyeDock.com is less expensive than the leading printed contact lens reference, yet is updated more frequently, and offers more features like advanced search functions and a companion application for the iPhone.”
EyeDock is my most used iPhone app in clinic to look up medications and contact lenses and for vertex conversion. EyeDock generously provides coupon codes for complimentary subscriptions to optometry students and faculty members.