A Word from Our Chair

In a few short weeks, the ABO Board of Directors will meet in Minneapolis for our annual meeting. As I look back on my term as board chair, I am thankful for this dedicated group of professionals who work hard to make ABO’s board certification program a valuable means for optometrists to demonstrate competency, excellence in practice and a commitment to lifelong learning through quality education and assessment.

Together, the board and ABO staff have continued to improve operations and facilitate growth through important initiatives. Efforts over the last few years to encourage newly graduated residents to participate in the ABO certification process have resulted in a notable increase in their involvement.  This builds on and reinforces their commitment to continuous, lifelong learning and professional development throughout their careers.  In addition, ABO’s student candidate program launched in early 2025 offers an opportunity for students to engage in the board certification process early in their career. Becoming a student candidate offers many benefits, including the recognition and value of ongoing professional development through board certification.

In addition, we are working to collaborate with several optometry organizations to further engage our colleagues on the important role board certification plays in maintaining competency and the positive impact it has on the entire profession.

And finally, we restructured our application process to support optometrists who want an opportunity to earn their board certification at a faster pace, while still meeting the requirements for experience and expertise.

Recently, our staff received an email from a Diplomate that perfectly stated what I believe to be true. “I just completed the current CAP assessment and have to tell you becoming a Diplomate is the best decision I have made in my career. It is the single best way I have found to stay knowledgeable and current in my practice with the added flexibility to do it at my own pace. I can’t understand why every optometrist out there isn’t jumping to be a part of this program. Thank you.”

And that is our mission for the coming year. Engage the profession, one optometrist at a time, to spread awareness of the positive impact board certification has on our practice, our patients, and our profession. As I transition to a supporting role as past-chair, I am confident the board will continue to advance the quality of eye care by promoting excellence through education, assessment, practice, and professionalism, for the benefit of all patients.

Thank you for the opportunity to lead ABO and a warm welcome to our new chair, Dr. Matthew Gerstberger.

Diane Adamczyk, OD, FAAO
Chair, American Board of Optometry