A Word from Our Chair

May 5, 2022

Welcome to our spring edition of On Board. Thank you for taking the time to read about our latest updates for ABO Diplomates.

In the very near future, ABO will be sending all Diplomates an important survey to complete. It covers a wide range of topics and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. The purpose of the survey is to ensure that ABO is meeting our goal of meaningfully engaging Diplomates in activities relevant to their practice and assisting Diplomates in keeping up with evolving clinical standards of patient care. You will also see several questions relating to our upcoming pilot for Certificates of Added Qualification (CAQs) in two subspecialty areas. We will be sharing more information on this new pilot program after our annual board meeting in June. Please take the time to thoughtfully complete this survey to help guide our direction and future offerings for all Diplomates.

I would also like to ask you, as a Diplomate, to reach out to your colleagues to discuss the benefits of board certification, not only on an individual basis but to the greater profession. Make your story personal in discussing why you chose board certification and the value it has provided to you as an optometric physician. Consider being a personal coach and mentor to a younger OD to help instill an interest in becoming an ABO Diplomate. The path to board certification may start with a personal invitation from a respected and trusted colleague. Please, share your passion and dedication. It is with grassroot efforts that growth flourishes in any professional organization.

I look forward to receiving your feedback on the survey and hope to see many of you at Optometry’s Meeting in June!