As an optometry student, you have access to an endless supply of the latest and greatest clinical information in the field. With lectures, grand rounds, and a network of educators to teach and mentor you, it is hard not to stay up to date. Once you adorn your role as a practicing optometrist, however, it can be difficult to keep up with current events in the eye care field while juggling the daily demands of patient care and working in an office.
To help you keep pace with the ever-changing field of medical knowledge, here's a list of five ways to stay current with the latest in the eye care field once you transition from an optometry student to a licensed optometrist:
1. Sign up for Industry Publications
You can choose to receive monthly print or digital editions of popular industry magazines, often for free. If your goal is inbox (or mailbox) zero, you can bookmark and revisit each website to read articles, interviews, and the latest news briefings about the eye care industry.
Eyecare Business magazine
Here's a quick list of industry magazines to sign up for:
- Review of Optometric Business
- INVISION
2. Subscribe to Email Newsletters
E-Newsletters provide you with the most up-to-date, relevant information in the eye care industry, delivered directly to your inbox.
Here's a glimpse at a few of the many e-Newsletters available to subscribe to:
- Optometric Retina Society Newsletter
- Optometric Physician Newsletter
3. Listen to Podcasts
If you have a commute to and from work, fill the time void with active listening and learning. Podcasts are an entertaining way to hear about the latest in the eye care field through interviews with well-respected ECPs and prominent leaders in optometry.
Defocus Media Podcast
Here's a playlist of optometry-related podcasts to subscribe and listen to on your mobile device:
4. Join Facebook Groups
Online forums, such as Facebook group pages, provide a real-time source of information from colleagues and fellow eye care professionals. Whether discussing a difficult case, exploring different treatment regimens, or seeking an answer to a question, there's no shortage of information at your fingertips.
Here's a highlight of the many popular Facebook groups about optometry:
- Eye Docs
5. Attend Continuing Education (CE)
You can earn continuing education (CE) credit through your local optometric society district meetings and industry conferences (regional, national, and even international). A few of the larger national conferences offer free or discounted registration fees for optometry students and new graduates (within less than five years of licensure) through the Young Professionals Club (YPC). Continuing education conferences with these registration benefits include Optometry's Meeting, Vision Expo East, and Vision Expo West.
Vision Expo
Although it can seem daunting, it is important for clinicians to stay informed and keep pace with changes in their healthcare field in order to better serve their patients. You can use these five methods to simplify how you stay up to date with the latest technologies, current news, and information in optometry.