ASCO Exhibits at AOA, HOSA and ASCA in June

ASCO staff was busy in the month of June promoting optometry as a top career choice (including ASCO’s Optometry Gives Me Life campaign and the Inspiring Future ODs program) at three different events: the 2019 Optometry’s Meeting in St. Louis, the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Orlando and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) in Boston. 

Dr. Muriel Martinez, who is one of the doctors of optometry featured in the "Optometry Gives Me Life" campaign, was a special guest at the ASCO booth during AOA. Staff was recruiting conference attendees to become involved in the Inspiring Future ODs program, which is an educational effort that encourages doctors of optometry, optometry faculty and administrators and optometry students to speak to prospective applicants and community members about optometry as a rewarding future career. ASCO has free materials that are available to help with any outreach promoting optometric education, including videos, brochures, posters and a ready-made set of slides. More information about the program and the materials can be found on the Inspiring Future ODs site.   

The HOSA Conference brought together more than 11,000 future health professionals (mostly high school students who have expressed an interest in the health care field) and their advisors for four days to learn about the many different health care careers through general sessions, workshops and visiting the exhibit hall, where optometry was represented. 

During the ASCA conference, ASCO had many productive conversations with many of the 3,500 elementary, middle and high school counselors in attendance. These counselors have the responsibility to guide and educate their students about different career opportunities that are available.