Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,
Greetings from Washington, DC, where I am attending Optometry’s Meeting, along with many faculty and students from PCO. It’s been fun reconnecting with old friends and colleagues. While we have been in DC, our campus has been humming along with summer classes and the construction project on the first floor of the south building progressing daily.
Here are some other items of interest:
MILITARY SCHOLARSHIP: After earning his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering in 2018 from Penn State, Prince Denson ’25 OD, was still unsure what career he wanted to pursue. But he jumped when presented with the opportunity to pursue an Air Force Allied Health Professions scholarship while a second-year student at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. Click here to read more.
‘CITY AND SHORE’ EXHIBIT: A new exhibit “City and Shore” is on display at the D’Arrigo Family Gallery at the Hafter Student Community Center on the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania campus. The two-person show features black and white photos taken in Philadelphia by John Benigno and color photos of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, taken by Eric Schaeffer. Click here for details.
INFLUENTIAL POST-BACC: Darryl Horn, PhD, FAAO, director of our Post-Baccalaureate program, says the program allows students to see more in-depth into what a profession offers. Designed for students who have completed an undergraduate degree or working toward a second degree from an accredited institution, read here how the program is well-suited for career transitions.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Becoming a physician assistant (PA) first appeared on the radar of John Elkhoury, MMS ‘18, when he was a sophomore at Penn State University. That’s when he decided to pursue PA school. But life took a bit of a turn. After graduating in 2014 with two undergraduate degrees — in Psychology and French, Elkhoury applied to some PA schools but didn’t get accepted into any. Click here to find out how John’s journey eventually brought him to Salus University.
FINAL THOUGHTS: As I noted above, I have spent a good part of this week attending “Optometry’s Meeting” in Washington, DC. With exceptional colleagues from the American Optometry Association (AOA) and the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (AFOS), we have been advocating for important optometric issues with congressional offices, Veterans Service Organizations and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Advocating for all our programs is one of the most important things I do to advance the professions we serve.
Over 1,000 members strong, Veterans’ Affairs (VA) optometrists provide the majority of comprehensive eyecare for veterans enrolled in the VA. To ensure the highest quality of care for our nation’s veterans, optometric scope of practice should follow the highest level established through the profession’s state licensing and educational training. Additionally, as a key member of the VA healthcare team, optometrists should also be eligible to compete for leadership positions alongside physician, dentist, and podiatrist colleagues.
Optometrists have a long and distinguished history of healthcare leadership in and beyond government, where they lead multidisciplinary healthcare teams comprised of physicians, nurses, dentists and other related disciplines. In doing so, Doctors of Optometry are fully aware of what is required to ensure safe, high-quality care while maintaining the highest standards of ethics, professional practice, jurisprudence and business objectives.
As the VA works to develop National Standards of Practice, we advocate for standards that enable optometry, and all of the professions we train at Salus, to practice at the highest level achieved through state licensure, regardless of VA location. This helps to ensure continuity of services throughout the VA, consistent access to high quality care throughout the VA system and increased provider satisfaction across the board.
All the professions that we train at Salus are statutorily regulated and trained to the highest scope of practice, with many represented in the VA health system. Every one of us needs to be an advocate. We do this by becoming active in our professional associations, understanding and becoming articulate in the issues, so we can discuss them objectively and effectively when given the opportunity.
The politics of healthcare are complex and often contentious. When debating scope of practice and assuming leadership roles organizationally, our patient’s best interest is an incisive guidepost for navigating difficult conversations. Remaining open and objective, informed and consistent in message are keys to moving the needle in the right direction.
As you prepare for the weekend, please think about how you can contribute to your profession’s advocacy initiatives so you can provide the highest quality, broadest scope of practice for your patients now and into the future.
Have a great weekend – be safe, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!
-Mike
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