Membership Application

Membership in the Optometric Glaucoma Society is open to optometrists, scientists and ophthalmologists from around the world who are engaged in clinical management, teaching, or research related to glaucoma as a major component of their professional activities. Society members are recognized as leaders in the area of glaucoma, and considered experts in teaching, research, patient care, or community service in glaucoma, or scientists who have made exceptional contributions to the field of glaucoma.

Applicants for membership are expected to have attained an extremely high level of professional accomplishment that emphasizes work related to the field of glaucoma.

Please read through the following information before completing the online application, below.

Nominations for election to membership are made through this electronic application should be supported by two (2) Optometric Glaucoma Society members. Election to membership is made by the affirmative vote by ballot of a majority of the members after the Membership and Executive Committees have reviewed the nomination and have determined eligibility. If membership is confirmed, yearly dues are $100.

We may request additional documentation to support your application.

Requested documentation

Please include the following information with your application:

• Current curriculum vitae
• Personal statement on the nature and extent of your activities in glaucoma
• Short statement, less than 100 words in length, explaining why you would like to become a member

The following information is helpful to document your contributions in research, teaching, service and patient care:

• Research – evidence of research achievements include list of publications, grant support, presentations at scholarly meetings and conferences, appointment to editorial boards of professional journals, participation in invited seminars, service on national scientific advisory boards, election to office of national scientific organizations, and awards for research achievements. Each of these is discussed in turn below
• Publications – while a minimum of two publications is felt necessary to meet the requirements for membership, the quality of publications is far more important than the quantity. Considerations in judging quality include the opinion of experts in the relevant field, reputation of journal in which the papers appeared, and whether or not the journals are refereed. Publications not yet in print, but that have been accepted should be appropriately documented
• Support for research – the receipt of external funds for the purpose of conducting research provides evidence of research capabilities
• Presentations at scholarly meetings and conferences
• Appointment to editorial boards of professional journals. Service on editorial boards of professional journals or as a peer reviewer of manuscripts provides evidence of the candidate’s stature within his/her discipline.
• Invited seminars. A list of research seminars given by the candidate at other institutions provides additional evidence of research stature
• Service on national scientific advisory boards
• Election to office of national professional organizations
• Awards for research achievements

Teaching

Documentation of teaching achievement includes:

• Teaching responsibilities – a list of the candidates’ specific teaching responsibilities provides valuable information about the candidate’s commitment to teaching.
• Awards for teaching excellence – awards received by the candidate for excellence in teaching are a measure of candidate’s teaching ability.
• Continuing education – if the candidate has participated in the design or delivery of continuing optometric education programs, a list of such programs and the candidate’s role should be submitted.

Patient Care and Related Activities

In assessing the candidate’s involvement in and level of responsibility for patient care, letters from Department Chairs as well as from peers in the local community or elsewhere, faculty members, previous residents and others provide evidence of the candidate’s qualifications. Again, these letters should be sent electronically to Mark Dunbar. Indicators of excellence in clinical affairs include:

• Publication of case reports and similar articles
• Development of new devices, procedures, treatments, etc.
• Membership on advisory committees of and consultantships to hospitals, educational, clinical and other similar institutions
• Programs of national, state, or local optometric societies or professional organizations which the candidate organized or in which he/she has participated
• Organization of and participation in community health education projects
• Appointment or election to editorial boards of clinical journals or to offices in local, regional, or national medical societies

Service

Significant contributions in the form of service are important in the candidate’s application. Evidence of such service includes the following:

• Administration of a clinic, clinical site, hospital unit, etc.
• Direction of special departmental or interdepartmental training or research programs
• Service as a class or student advisor
• Member of a department or university governing body
• Member of a division, department, or university committee
• Representative of a department or university to outside agencies
• Chairperson of course committees

It is important that your application is complete and contains each of the indicated pieces of information.

Thank you for your interest in the Optometric Glaucoma Society. We hope these explanations will ease the application process. If you have any further questions or difficulties in completing this application or if additional information is needed, please contact Kellie Robertson Rogers at optometricglaucoma@gmail.com.