AOP education in 2023

What can members expect from AOP’s education programme in 2023?

We will be building on the comprehensive programme we held in 2022. In particular, we will be continuing with our programme of AOP-led peer reviews for general optometrists, with a doubling of capacity relative to 2022 levels, as well as a suite of online peer reviews designed for specialty optometrists.

The AOP will continue to deliver content with our key strategic partners, including Moorfields Private Eye Hospital and CooperVision, and will collaborate with Johnson & Johnson Vision to deliver content aimed at independent practitioners, practice teams, and the wellbeing of members.

The year ahead will also see the exciting return of MAYopia Day, based on the success of the event in 2022, with a day of webinar education delivered online on 21 May.

The AOP will also host two brand new events for locums in partnership with Johnson & Johnson Vision as the headline sponsor. This will include a day of online education on 25 June, which will see a series of webinars with content tailored to recognise the unique requirements of a locum audience, who will be able to consume the CPD content from the comfort of their own homes.

In addition, the AOP will host a locum clinical skills conference in Birmingham on 27 November. This face-to-face event will present a mixture of clinical circuits and peer reviews, enabling locum members to consolidate and learn new skills across key areas of practice.

Do you have any takeaways from 2022?

In delivering the AOP’s programme of education in 2022 we noticed a clear appetite for education on myopia and myopia management. I believe this is related to the priorities members have identified when forming and reviewing their personal development plans (PDP). Interest in the topic of myopia in 2022 provides useful insight which will help to shape our education delivery in 2023.

Any reminders for members over the year ahead?

The early months of 2023 are a good time to look at your PDP and ensure that it reflects your requirements, scope of practice, and current role.