Optometrist of the Year Award

The American Optometric Association’s Optometrist of the Year Award honors an outstanding doctor of optometry for exceptional service to the profession and public visual health.

WHO CAN NOMINATE?

Nominations can only be submitted by affiliated optometric associations. 

ELIGIBILITY

• Nominees must be an AOA member in good standing and have at least 11 years of active practice experience.
• Nominees must be submitted by their affiliated optometric association, with one nominee per association per year.
• The nominee may or may not be in active practice currently but must be recognized as the Optometrist of the Year by their affiliated association.
  • A nominee may be resubmitted in future years if previously honored as Optometrist of the Year by their association.
• Current AOA employees, consultants, Board members, and Awards Committee members are not eligible.
• Please note: Affiliates may nominate any member doctor of their choosing for national consideration. Your nominee does not have to be the most recent recipient of your state-level award. We encourage you to put forward the individual you believe best represents the excellence and leadership these national awards recognize.

JUDGING AND SELECTION

The recipient will be selected by the AOA Awards Committee, consisting of the five most recent AOA past presidents, and honored at Optometry’s Meeting®.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

All nominations must include the following:

1. Individual Resume: Include the nominee's resume or biography describing their background.
2. Nomination Statement: A statement 2000-word or less outlining the nominee’s contributions to the profession (considering their entire career, not just the past year).
3. Photo: A current headshot must be included.
4. Supplements: Supporting documents, such as letters of recommendation or a CV, may be attached, but they cannot replace the nomination statement, which must clearly detail the nominee’s accomplishments.
5. Nominations must be submitted online, below.

CRITERIA

Nominees will be evaluated according to a point system allocated to four principal areas:

1. PUBLIC SERVICE TO: (30 point maximum)
   • The OD's country, state, or other political subdivision in any capacity
   • Education
   • The community
   • Religious or service institutions
   • Charitable causes
2. SERVICE TO THE VISUAL WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC (20 point maximum)
   • With sight-saving groups
   • Legislative activities beneficial to the visual welfare of the public
   • Participation in governmental health care programs
   • Participation in public service programs such as visual screening projects, etc
3. SERVICE TO OPTOMETRY (30 point maximum)
   • Contributions of personal effort and time on behalf of the profession’s advancement.
4. SERVICE TO AOA OR AFFILIATED ASSOCIATION (20 point maximum)
   • Service as an officer, committee chair or member, etc
   • Promotion of the association’s goals and programs
   • Activity in support of association’s projects
   • Involvement in public information activities

*Approved change by AOA Board of Trustees March 5, 2020.