What is FAAO?

[hoosier1]

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What is FAAO? What does it stand for? And how come some OD's have it as their title?

 

[jefguth]

Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry

I think they get the designation upon completion of a residency

 

[JennyW]

Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry

I think they get the designation upon completion of a residency

BBBzzzzzzzzzzztttttttttt!

It's obtained after accumulating a certain number of points (50) and sitting for an exam. You can earn 20 points for completing a residency. You can earn 10 points for submitting case reports, publishing articles, or presenting posters at the annual meeting.

Once you obtain the 50 points, you can sit for the exam. The vast majority of people pass.

Jenny

 

[rpames]

You don't get them after just finishing a residancy. You have to apply to the academy and have had at least 3 optometry related publication, and also pass an oral exam. I'm sure there is more to it than that, but you really have to do a lot of work to become a fellow.

 

[cpw]

Yes, it's quite a bit of work. (especially for someone not in an academic setting)

 

[Tom_Stickel]

Yes, it's quite a bit of work. (especially for someone not in an academic setting)

Hey all,

Just got my fellowship last December. There are about 3,000 Fellows at the present time, which I think means about 10% or so of active optometrists. You do need to accumulate a certain number of points, but you don't need any publications to do so, so don't be scared off by thinking you have to be a big shot researcher.

The easiest way to get points is by writing 5 case reports. And they don't have to be exotic cases. I heard of a person getting credit for a case in which a patient couldn't get used to a no-line bifocal, so they had to be switched to a flat-top. So you don't need to be at an academic center to get these cases.

It does take some time to write good case reports, since they need to be about 10 pages and have at least 5 references. Once your reports are accepted, you show up at the annual Academy meeting and take an oral exam, which about 99% of people pass. They don't make you travel all the way to the meeting to fail you. The only other thing you have to do is write a very brief personal statement, which should be easy after writing optometry school statements.

The designation just shows a continuing commitment to improving your clinical skills after you graduate. It also designates, after the fact, that you probably were a gunner in optometry school.

Tom Stickel
Indiana U. 2001