AOA suggests seeking certification in light of Paraoptometric Appreciation Month
AOA associate members have access to services, programs, educational materials, and discounts on event registration fees, according to a news release.
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The American Optometric Association has unveiled resources and suggestions for honoring September’s Paraoptometric Appreciation Month. The recognition serves as the only formal observance dedicated to honoring practice staff for optometric patient care, according to a news release.
“With Americans’ increasing demand for primary eye health and vision care services provided by doctors of optometry, paraoptometric staff play a vital role in the efficient and effective delivery of quality patient care,” the release stated. “The AOA is focused on equipping paraoptometric professionals with the education and resources necessary to build skillsets that can help practices meet this demand for care.”
The AOA suggests that practice staff should be enrolled as AOA associate members, which is a free process that allows member-doctors to grant access for staff to programs, services, educational materials, and discounts on event registration fees. AOA associate membership gains staff access to Commission on Paraoptometric Certification (CPC) and AOA approved CE and professional development. Training and certification preparation materials are also available on AOA EyeLearn for members, in addition to CPC, AOA publication, and newsletter access. EyeLearn specifically includes courses, webinars, and resources. Some of the webinar content includes part 1 of the paraoptometric surgical assisting micro-credential.1
With this membership, staff can more easily pursue paraoptometric certification with access to AOA study resources that are created based on CPC examination outlines, the release said. Getting certified allows staff to stay up to date on the latest CE and professional development, with each level of certification requiring successful completion of an examination prepared and administered by the CPC. A required reading prior to examination includes the CPC Paraoptometric Examination Candidate Handbook, which is a go-to resources for staff seeking certification, according to the AOA. Other study materials available through the AOA include the Paraoptometric Examination Study Resource Checklist and the CPC 2024 Examination Schedule.1
Those with questions regarding enrolling paraoptometric staff or associate member benefits can contact the AOA Education Center at educationcenter@aoa.org.
Reference:
American Optometric Association leads industry into Paraoptometric Appreciation Month. News release. American Optometric Association. August 28, 2024. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://www.aoa.org/events/calendar-of-events/paraoptometric-appreciation-month-x21617?sso=y
