Big questions, impassioned discussions, and innovative ideas punctuated the day. The New England College of Optometry (NECO) Industry Collaborative annual meeting held this week featured thought-provoking keynote speakers, intelligent panel discussions, three college presidents, and a roomful of educators and thought leaders from across the country.
A total of 110 attendees represented 48 organizations, spanning academic institutions, associations, care-delivery organizations, media partners, and companies across the ophthalmic industry. They came with one crucial question in mind: What is the future of optometry and optometric education in today’s high-tech world? Here, we unpack the key takeaways from the day’s discussions.
We have to become agile, because you fall behind almost instantaneously if you’re not.”
Joshua Baker, OD, MS, president + CEO of midwestern university
Takeaway 1: Building a Profession Pacing with Technology.
Keeping up with fast-paced changes in technology and artificial intelligence (AI) were critical themes running throughout the day. Keynote speaker Joshua Baker, OD, MS, president and CEO of Midwestern University, told the audience, “We have to become agile, because you fall behind almost instantaneously if you’re not.”
Dr. Baker’s opening Q&A with Howard Purcell, OD, NECO president and CEO, lined up one of the day’s key themes: optometric education must embrace new technologies while higher education institutions must stay true to their core missions.
Insight Media Video Interview: Howard Purcell, OD, President of the New England College of Optometry Discusses the Future of the Profession.
Takeaway 2: AI is Here to Stay. Get on Board.
A panel discussion entitled “Tech-Forward, Patient-Centered Innovation” revealed the array of artificial intelligence-powered tools available to optometrists today—from AI-enabled diagnostics and virtual assistants to intelligent scribing agents and integrated data platforms. According to panelists, these new innovations are transforming both the clinical and administrative sides of practice.
On technology and AI, Melissa Trego, OD, PhD, FAAO, dean of academic affairs, SUNY College of Optometry said, “It’s not going away, and we don’t want to be spectators.”
AI tools are also influencing how optometric educators teach and students learn. Demonstrating how AI can enhance optometric education and clinical training, Aurora Denial, OD, FAAO, professor and chair, NECO Dept. of Clinical Education and Clinical Science, presented SimConverse, an AI communication training platform that helps optometry students practice patient interactions.
Attendees explored how, as technology continues to evolve, educators can ensure both current and future optometrists are equipped to adopt, evaluate, and lead in this environment.
We want our profession to evolve but evolve doesn’t mean just adding more to the profession.
Jeffery Walline, OD, PhD, FAAO, associate dean at Ohio State University College of Optometry
Takeaway 3: Navigating an Expanding—and Changing—Scope of Practice.
From lasers and injections to oculomics, myopia, and microsurgical procedures, the scope of practice has never been more expansive. The panel discussion entitled “Strengthening the Foundation: Science, Curriculum, and Clinical Readiness” underscored the importance of a strong foundation in the basic sciences—along with a need for focus.
“We want our profession to evolve but evolve doesn’t mean just adding more to the profession,” said panelist Jeffery Walline, OD, PhD, FAAO, associate dean at Ohio State University College of Optometry.
Panelists explored the question: Is there too much to teach in optometry school? They discussed how institutions can support students in becoming resilient, future-ready clinicians—without losing sight of the foundational principles that define the profession.
As current and future classes of optometry students and educators navigate today’s incredibly fast-changing landscape, the issue of mitigating stress and burnout was also a theme woven throughout the day.
Recent studies have revealed high levels of stress for optometrists. More than half of optometrists (53.6%) reported symptoms of burnout in one study, and 40% had moderate-to-severe physiological distress scores in another. The strongest predictor of higher psychological distress was younger age.
Dr. Baker wrapped up his keynote with the concept of the innovative, flexible campus that is ready to pivot as the practice—and students’ needs—change. “I love this idea of the agile campus,” he shared.
Perhaps this concept could be applied to more than curriculum, technology, and tools with a more holistic approach of the profession—and the students aspiring to it.