Eye care professionals in Australia are passionate about continuing education, entirely plausible for people whose primary professional concern is to provide optimum patient care.
Overlay that with the need to keep up-to-date with the latest medical research and technology and a requirement to meet the OBA’s registration requirements… and what you end up with is a jam packed conference calendar.
The great news is, that for busy ECPs and those in more out of the way locations, there are now plenty of opportunities to acquire the 80 points every two years for registration, as well as to network and check out the latest technology and eyewear on the market. In fact, did you know the choice is so great, that last year there was a staggering 3,787 CPD points recorded online on the Optometry Association of Australia’s CPD calendar across 578 separate CPD events?
However, when you think about the education conference program, spare a thought for the exhibitors – the suppliers to the eye care professions – who travel the country with their semi-trailers, spending most weekends away from home (not to mention the company profits), in an effort to build their business. Are there too many conferences? Can we be having too much of a good thing?
There is also growth in the online and print education market with an average of 880 CPD modules completed each month by optometrists at the mivision independent clinical learning centre. In this issue our education article is written Dr. Simon Chen, from the Vision Eye Institute, who writes on ultra wide-field imaging technology. Equally educational, but not attached to CPD points, are this issue’s business articles, written by the highly respected marketing and business consultants John Lees and Mark Overton. Both writers are regular contributors to mivision. Their practical expertise is highly sought after by business owners.
On other matters educational, we profile Vision Link, a new online teaching resource that enables learning tools to be constantly updated and delivered to educators and students in developed and developing nations. It’s exciting to see the benefits of our digital world flowing through to educational institutions in developing nations – particularly as the end result is what we’ve all been working towards – sustainable eye care services and healthier, more prosperous populations.
Speaking of developing nations, for this issue we spoke to Gail Hoole from Mondottica about her trip this month (June) to Indonesia where she will volunteer with the Sumba Eye project. Gail’s first trip to Sumba was just last year. When asked to join the team again in 2013, she jumped at the chance.
As we move toward the second half of the year, there’s a hint of optimism in the air. The budget is behind us, the end of the financial year is around the corner and elections are still on the way. In the meantime, we’ve got a few stand-out industry events to look forward to – Super Sunday on 23 June (Sydney), then ODMA from 5-7 July (Brisbane), ahead of WAVE from 9-11 August (Perth).Bring it on!
Contents:
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minews: All the latest news from mivsion June 2013. Read more… |
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mistory :Conference Fatigue: Too much of a good thing? Continuing professional development is a crucial and compulsory part of practising as an optometrist. Read more… |
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mistory: Giving Sight in Sumba: Most people who donate to volunteer eye programs would love the chance to witness first-hand, those programs in action. Read more… |
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mifeature: A Visio for the Outback: In the vast State of Western Australia, which spans more than 2,500,000 square kilometres, much of it barely populated. Read more… |
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mioptometry: All the latest optometry reports from June 2013. Read more… |
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miview: Sport and Study in Siri Lanka: Welcome to Sri Lanka, a land of contrasts. Where ‘Ray Bans’ can be picked up for AUD$2.50. Read more… |
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mieyecare: (CPD) : Ultra-widefield Imaging Technology: Multi-modal ultra-widefield imaging (UWFI) technology is playing an increasing role in diagnosing, treating, managing and understanding retinal diseases. Read more… |
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mifashion: Stepper Eyewear: Good on the Nose: Having a good sense of market trends, an in-depth knowledge of how to make a frame fit comfortably and a few glasses of wine. Read more… |
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mifashionnews: All the latest fashion news from June 2013. Read more… |
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mibusiness: Tactics to Hold on to Prescriptions: Patients who plan to have their eyes tested at your practice, then take their spectacle prescription away with them. Read more… |
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mibusiness: The Pyramid of Business: The ‘pyramid of business people’ figure, which sits alongside the inverted ‘pyramid of business results’. Read more… |
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miequipment: All the must have equipment for your practice. Read more… |
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miproducts: All the latest products from June 2013. Read more… |
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mievent: Vision East: New York City : Start spreading the news/ I’m leaving today/ I want to be a part of it/ New York, New York. Read more… |
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midiary: All the dates to keep track of for this year. Read more… |
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miclassifieds: your guide to : Positions vacant, practices for sale and eqipments for sale. Read more… |
