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Awards Criteria and Recognition Events

The AOA Paraoptometric Section has developed several professional recognition awards for its members. All awards culminate at the Section's annual conference, Optometry's Meeting®.

Paraoptometric of the Year Award

is a proud sponsor of the Paraoptometric of the Year Award.

The Paraoptometric of the Year Award is given annually to the optometric assistant or technician who has made the most outstanding and worthwhile contributions to the profession of optometry, paraoptometry, and the general public.

The Awards Committee will judge the nominees’ performance based on the following criteria: service to optometry and paraoptometric associations, public service, and personal endorsement.

Nominees do not have to be winners of the state Paraoptometric of the Year Award. State winners are not automatically entered in the national contest. Nominees must be members of the AOA Paraoptometric Section and membership must be in good standing.

Nominations can be submitted by a state, regional, or local paraoptometric organization, an AOA member OD, or an AOA Paraoptometric Section member. Nomination forms are available through state associations and on the Web site. To request information about the rules and criteria pertaining to this award, as well as a nomination form, e-mail PS@aoa.org, call (800) 365-2219, ext. 4222, or fax (314) 991-4101.

The Paraoptometric of the Year Award will be presented Thursday, June 17, 2010 at a luncheon during Optometry’s Meeting® in Orlando, Florida. The honoree will receive a plaque, roundtrip airfare to Optometry's Meeting®, three nights lodging reimbursement at a contract hotel, and $500 to assist with travel expenses. The award is sponsored by CIBA VISION. The deadline for nomination submission is February 1, 2010.

Community Service Award

Nominations are now being accepted for the American Optometric Association Paraoptometric Section's annual Community Service Award. The award honors one member of the Section with the Community Service Award who has generously donated his or her time and talents to the profession.

Each nominee is evaluated based on his or her performance as related in the following categories: community service within the optometric practice in which he/she works, self or practice-sponsored community service, as well as the individual's personal and professional goals of community service.

Completed nomination forms and recommendations must be received by the AOA Paraoptometric Section office on or prior to March 31, 2010 to be considered. The recipient will be presented a plaque of recognition, a $100.00 personal cash award, and a $100.00 award to the charity of the recipient's choice during the Paraoptometric Section Awards Luncheon being held Thursday, June 24, 2010 during the 113th Annual AOA Congress & 40th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry's Meeting™ in Orlando, Florida. The AOA Paraoptometric Section Awards Luncheon is sponsored by CIBA VISION.

Affiliate Membership Recruitment Award

For the third year, the AOA Paraoptometric Section will present an award for affiliates, honoring the work done on the state level to increase state and national paraoptometric membership. Affiliate optometric and paraoptometric associations who strive to increase membership both locally and nationally will not want to miss participating in this exciting award.

Paraoptometric Recognition Week

The AOA Paraoptometric Section, with the support of the American Optometric Association, has designated September 12-18th, 2010 as Paraoptometric Recognition Week.

Now in its eighth year, the recognition week is designed to honor paraoptometrics for their dedication to the patients they serve, and to the profession of optometry.

Some interesting facts about the paraoptometric profession and the Section:

The AOA Paraoptometric Section was developed in 1978.
The Section gains approximately 50 new members per month. The membership is made up of optometric assistants, technicians, front office staff and office managers, as well as opticians. Some staff is dually certified as optometric assistants and technicians as well as opticians, NCLE, COA, and COT. All allied health personnel are welcome members of the Section.
The top 5 most used AOA PS benefits are AOA Publications,(77%), Free Online CE articles (46%), PS newsletter (43%), Reduced registration at OM (36%), and access to Web protected pages (36%)
The top 5 most valuable PS member benefits are Online CE articles (90%) AOA publications (62%), Discounts on educational materials (60%), Reduced registration fees at OM (54%), and Article Archive for CE (46%)
95 percent of the membership is certified by the Commission on Paraoptometric Certification. Of those 36 percent is currently Certified Paraoptometric Assistants (CPOA).
In a 2008 member survey, 47 percent said they worked for solo practicing optometrists, with one in four surveyed paraoptometrics having 20 years or more of professional experience. 67 percent of members view their job as a profession.
77 percent of employers encouraged participation in local, state, and/or national paraoptometric associations, while 58 percent of employers pay all financial participation in such organizations.
43 percent of employers are strong supporters of continuing education programs for their optometric staff, paying for all expenses, including travel, registration & meals for continuing education/training.

For more information, or to view the full survey check out the Active Paraoptometric (PS) Member Survey 2008.

To order promotional kits for your office during Paraoptometric Recognition Week, e-mail ParaRecognition@aoa.org.