Become a student member of the AOA.
When you’re a member of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA), you’re automatically a member of the AOA. Learn more about why you should join today, and get access to scholarship information, discounts and national board exam support.
Financial Aid
The AOA offers students and doctors of optometry tools for obtaining financial aid and also paying back loans, managing finances, finding scholarship opportunities and creating a budget so you can focus on what matters.
Residency Programs
The AOA provides members with a list of accredited optometric residency programs from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). Openings also include technician programs and optometric degree programs at schools and colleges of optometry.
Academic Checklist
Your education calendar must be firm but flexible when it comes to your optometry education requirements. Through it all—applying to a program, meeting optometry school prerequisites, going to grad school, taking the board exams and graduating—members of the AOA and its affiliate the AOSA are supported as students, recent graduates, optometric residents and, finally, as new doctors of optometry.
Leadership Society
The AOA+ Leadership Society is a program for students who want to build leadership skills, advance their careers through networking, personal and professional development and gain specialized education outside of the classroom. Enhance your resume by adding this academic achievement!
Local Meetings
Connect with doctors of optometry, optometric students and optometric staff and expand your knowledge and gain new certifications at these upcoming events.
EyeLearn
AOA’s member-exclusive centralized education portal, EyeLearn, offers an expanding online catalog of educational modules, webinars and resources to help advance clinical proficiencies, the practice of contemporary optometry, and practice management for doctors of optometry, future doctors of optometry, and paraoptometric staff.
APHA issues call for team approach to 'skyrocketing' diabetes cases
Recently published online, first-of-its-kind American Public Health Association public policy statement reflects the role that eye doctors, dentists, pharmacists and podiatrists can have in diabetes prevention and management.
Devastating tornado outbreak, severe weather prompt renewed OFDR support
Generous donations from EssilorLuxottica and CooperVision for Hurricane Ida relief were recommitted to Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief in 2022 in response to year-end severe weather.
5 things AOA membership brought me
AOA members have access to clinical resources, continuing education, practice management and career development tools to help them not only prepare for change but drive it in the direction they want to go. Are you taking advantage of your benefits as an AOA member?