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Included in this page are relevant and timely series created by the Office of Continuing Professional Education including our highly popular COVID-19 series and Race in Optometry. These sessions are offered to help keep you informed, however no CPE or COPE credits are available.
This course will examine race in optometry, and how race affects optometric training and clinical practice, specifically addressing the Black experience. A panel of Black optometrists will answer guiding questions about their experience as students, residents, and doctors of optometry, and how their race has affected their education, training, and careers. Additionally, they will address the ways we can begin conversations about race in optometry and increase awareness within the optometric community.
Moderators:
Matthew Bovenzi, OD, FAAO – Primary Care Section Chief, SUNY College of Optometry
Delaram Shirazian, OD, FAAO – Assistant Clinical Professor, SUNY College of Optometry
Panelists:
Darryl Glover, OD – Cofounder Defocus Media | Cofounder Eyefrica Media | Cofounder Black Eyecare Perspective
Joy Harewood, OD, FAAO – Attending Optometrist, Bronxcare Health System | Adjunct Professor, SUNY College of Optometry
Adam Ramsey, OD – Cofounder, Black Eyecare Perspective | CEO, Socialite Vision | Founder, Health Focus South Florida
Sherrol A. Reynolds, OD, FAAO – President, National Optometric Association (NOA) | Chief of Advanced Ophthalmic Care, NSU College of Optometry of Optometry
Andre Stanberry, OD, FAAO – Clinic Director, University of Waterloo College of Optometry
Featuring an elite panel of Black optometrists and leaders in academia who will focus on seeking solutions within optometric education by discussing diversity, inclusion, and mentorship, which help lead the way to career pathways.
Program Panel:
Dr. John Flanagan – Dean and Professor, School of Optometry, University of California Berkeley
Dr. Joy Harewood – Attending Optometrist, Bronxcare Health System | Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor, SUNY College of Optometry
Dr. David Heath – President, State University of New York College of Optometry
Dr. Edwin Marshall – Professor Emeritus of Optometry and Public Health | Past Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs, Indiana University
Dr. Sherrol Reynolds – President, National Optometric Association (NOA) | Chief, Advanced Ophthalmic Care, NSU College of Optometry
Dr. Ruth Shoge – Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University | Chair-Elect, ASCO Diversity & Cultural Competency Committee
The third of our webinar series discusses how to increase diversity and provide leadership development in industry and professional organizations by bringing together leaders in those areas. The first two parts of the series discussed the experiences of Black optometrists as students and doctors and offered solutions to problems of diversity, inclusion, and mentorship within optometric education.
Program Panel:
Dr. Derrick Artis Former Chief Operating Officer, Vision Source Management Consultant, Artis Consulting, LLC
Dr. Jacqueline Bowen Trustee, American Optometric Association Board
Dr. Millicent Knight Senior Vice President, Customer Development Group, Essilor of America
Dr. Edwin C. Marshall Professor Emeritus, Optometry and Public Health Past Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs, Indiana University
Dr. Andrew Mick Director, American Academy of Optometry Residency Coordinator, San Francisco VA Medical Center Associate Clinical Professor, UC Berkeley Optometry
Dr. Howard Purcell President and CEO, New England College of Optometry
Ms. Veronica Schuver Secretary & Diversity Project Team Member, American Optometric Student Association 4th-year Optometry Student, Ohio State College of Optometry
Dr. Ruth Shoge Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University Chair-Elect, ASCO Diversity & Cultural Competency Committee
Last year, the SUNY College of Optometry’s Office of Continuing Professional Education hosted a three-part Webinar Series on Race in Optometry. These webinars took a hard look at the experiences of Black optometrists as students, residents, faculty, and practitioners. It was our intent to foster a dialogue that would lead to needed changes in optometric education and in the eye care industry. This year’s webinar, scheduled in conjunction with the Juneteenth celebration, brings back many of last year’s panelists to discuss whether substantive improvements have been made and where additional efforts are needed.
Program Panel
John G. Flanagan PhD, DSc, FCOptom, FAAO, FARVO
Dean and Professor, School of Optometry | President, Association of School and Colleges of Optometry | University of California Berkeley
Joy Harewood, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO
Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging | Associate Clinical Professor SUNY College of Optometry
Edwin C. Marshall, OD, MS, MPH
Professor Emeritus, Optometry and Public Health | Past Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs, Indiana University
Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO
President and CEO | New England College of Optometry
Adam Ramsey, OD
Cofounder, Black Eyecare Perspective | CEO, Socialite Vision | Founder, Health Focus South Florida
Sherrol A. Reynolds, OD, FAAO President, National Optometric Association (NOA)
Chief, Advanced Ophthalmic Care, NSU College of Optometry of Optometry
Ruth Y. Shoge, OD, MPH, FAAO
Associate Professor | Pediatric and Binocular Vision Services | The Eye Institute Pennsylvania College of Optometry | Salus University
Over the last two years, the SUNY College of Optometry’s Office of Continuing Professional Education has hosted a Webinar Series on Race in Optometry. This year, we will also hear directly from patients as to why increasing diversity within healthcare professionals is a vital step in resolving health inequities and providing the highest quality of care. It was our intent to foster a dialogue that would lead to needed changes in optometric education and in the eye care industry. This year’s webinar, scheduled in conjunction with the Juneteenth celebration, brings back many of the previous participants to discuss whether substantive improvements have been made and where additional efforts are needed.
Program panel:
Mr. Easy Anyama President – American Optometric Student Association Student – University of Houston, College of Optometry
Dr. Teri Geist Chair- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force American Optometric Association
Dr. Joy Harewood Director – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging – SUNY College of Optometry
Dr. David Heath President – SUNY College of Optometry
Dr. Cynthia Heard Chair – Diversity Task Force – American Optometric Association
Dr. Edward “Larry” Jones President – National Optometric Association
Dr. Edwin C. Marshall Professor Emeritus – Optometry and Public Health Past Vice President – Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs, Indiana University
Dr. Chinelo Onyeador President – National Optometric Student Association Incoming Ocular Disease Resident – Huntington VA
Dr. Adam Ramsey Co-founder – Black Eyecare Perspective
Dr. Ruth Shoge Chair – ASCO’s Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee
Over the last three years, SUNY College of Optometry‘s Office of Continuing Professional Education has hosted a series of webinars to stimulate a national conversation on race and equity within the profession of optometry. This has served as a measure of accountability and reflection in our journey to becoming a more equitable profession. This year’s webinar comes at a time when there has been significant anti-DEI legislation at the state level and challenges to racially conscious admissions at the level of the US Supreme Court. Our sixth “Race in Optometry” discussion will address the challenges, discuss the impact they have on our DEI initiatives and outline tools we can use to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in the face of these headwinds.
Program Panelist
Abstract:
This course will equip optometrists to provide culturally competent eye care to transgender patients encountered in a clinical setting. The course will cover a variety of topics concerning this unique patient population including terminology, population statistics, barriers to care, and health disparities. Clinical case examples will be presented that highlight the clinical complexities and legal responsibilities that optometrists must address to ensure inclusive care of transgender patients.
Course Objectives:
• Have increased comfort, use the correct terminology when providing care to a transgender person
• Identify barriers to health care and common health disparities (including lack of access to culturally competent health care providers)
• Identify the legal responsibilities to provide non‐discriminatory care
Presenters:
Lillian Kalaczinkski, OD, FAAO – lilliankalaczinski@ferris.edu
Diplomate, American Board of Optometry
Associate Professor, Primary Care Service Chief & Associate Director of Continuing Education
Michigan College of Optometry
Paula McDowell, OD, FAAO – paulamcdowell@ferris.edu
Chief of Pediatrics, Pediatric Residency Supervisor
Michigan College of Optometry
Abstract: This course will establish the foundation for expanding our conceptions of mental illness, neurodivergence, and Disability–centering on the narratives of those who identify with or have lived experience of these identities. Various ocular and medical presentations of mentally ill, neurodivergent, and Disabled patients will be reviewed. We will also challenge optometrists and optometry students to question internalized ableism and sanism, and the potential for our field (and selves) to cause or further exacerbate trauma, harm, and violence for the Disabled and neurodivergent patients. As health providers, it’s critical to understand how medicine has often been used as a tool of oppression for multiply marginalized folks (including practices of eugenics, forced hospitalization, triage policies, etc.). We will discuss the Disability Justice movement, ableism, intersectionality, and social and political models of Disability.
Documents
Presenters:
Shelby Leach, OD – SUNY Faculty
Jennifer Liu – SUNY Student
Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkhulu – Project LETS Rep
Abstract: This course will apply the expanded frameworks of understanding from Part 2 to heightened situations of crisis response within patient care and other interpersonal contexts. We will challenge ourselves to question our willingness and desire to “outsource” patients in moments of distress, trauma, or crisis. The understanding that police do not make us safe is widening, and both students and providers are asking, what does make us safe? What skills do we need to cultivate to better engage in peer-led de-escalation? How can we center practices of Transformative Justice in our work to interrupt harm and violence? We will address how optometrists can better support Disabled, mentally ill, and neurodivergent patients who are in distress or crisis, and what skills are needed to center patient autonomy and self-determination in your future medical practice.
Presenters:
Shelby Leach, OD
Jennifer Liu – SUNY Student
Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkhulu – Project LETS Rep
Abstract:
This course is built to help you identify barriers in access to care that your patients may face and provide practical tools to help you overcome them. Starting with a review of definitions related to the social determinants of health, this lecture will outline optometry’s role in caring for underserved populations and leave attendees with resources to provide excellent care under difficult circumstances.
Course objectives:
· Have a working knowledge of the social determinants of health and commonly associated definitions
· Identify common barriers in access to healthcare and eye care
· Identify the role of the primary eye care provider in caring for underserved populations
· Provide practitioners with a toolkit to help manage and overcome common barriers in access to eye care
Presenters:
Joy Harewood, OD
Asha Tadepalli, OD