AOA PAC for Students

Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to DC! Your dedication to this profession is greatly appreciated. We hope you learned a lot and enjoyed yourselves. Safe travels and we hope to see you back in 2017!

Student Lobbying 101 starts at 8am tomorrow morning. Breakfast will be on your own.
If you haven't registered, registration will be open at 7am.

Welcome to DC! Registration is on level -3 and opens at 5pm. Tonight's reception begins at 6:30. There will be light appetizers but you may want to consider a light dinner beforehand. Also, business casual for tonight's reception.
Finally, be sure to post your pictures with !

Learn more about the DOC Access Act, working to prevent anti-doctor and anti-patient policies in health and vision care plans. Together, we can put patients at the center of their health care decisions!

http://www.aoa.org/news/advocacy/day-of-action-grow-support-for-doc-access-act?sso=y

Day of action: Grow support for ‘DOC Access Act’ AOA and American Dental Association members join together to drum up support for H.R. 3323, the Dental and Optometric Care Access Act, on 3/23.

Check out this great article written by Katalina Yandell, the AOA-PAC Liaison for Western University of Health Sciences.

http://www.optometricinsights.com/optometry-conferences-101-getting-the-most-out-of-each-experience-a-series/

For some, the idea of advocacy and the importance of participating in legislative efforts may seem foreign. It takes time and exposure to the issues facing our profession to understand the necessity of legislative action. It may be a moment in class, a conversation with a practicing doctor or having the opportunity to attend Congressional Advocacy Conference that helps spark the legislative fire in all of us.

For Matt a student at SUNY, “My ideals changed immediately. I had always cared about my future patients, and knew that they would be first in my career. Yet I never fully understood the disservice I would be doing my patients if I didn’t ensure that I could provide the best possible care within my own profession”

With Congressional Advocacy Conference coming up in April, here is a great article that provides an inside perspective of what it is like as a student.

“I want to help fight for you and me, and I hope you will stand with me in the halls of Congress in the future.”

Learn more at:
http://www.optometrystudents.com/advocacy-op-ed/

Thank you, Matt Roe for a great article.

www.optometrystudents.com

It has been exciting to see how involved everyone has been this year in AOA-PAC. There are many reasons to contribute to PAC and advocate for our profession. We want to know what motivates you? So please, share your motivation by commenting here.

Thank you to ALL the students who made CAC2015 such a success!!

AOA secures important wins in historic SGR reform legislation The American Optometric Association is the acknowledged leader and recognized authority for eye and vision care in the world.

Students: remember, Student Lobbying 101 AND the remainder of today's schedule is MANDATORY! See you in 25 minutes! Thanks!

When your flights are delayed and you play poker with torn cardboard for chips. During CAC, be sure to hashtag your photos as ... From your Prez, looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Two years ago, Senator Rand Paul spoke at the AOA-PAC Congressional Advocacy Conference. Today, he announces his presidential run for 2016! You never know who you might see at CAC! We'll see YOU next week!

How AOA-PAC protects students, doctors, and patients in the new Congress' spending bill- http://www.aoa.org/news/advocacy/congress-spending-bill-addresses-optometrys-priorities?sso=y

Congress’ spending bill addresses optometry’s priorities The final spending bill of the 113th Congress contains a number of optometry-backed measures—reflecting the impact of AOA advocacy work on Capitol Hill.