(L to R) AOSA president James Deom (Salus-PCO) with Senator Rand Paul at the Congressional Advocacy Conference.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) and OptometryStudents.com recently released a video and statement depicting their participation in the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) Congressional Advocacy Conference held here in September. The video marks the first formal collaboration between the two organizations, AOSA said, and signals the importance of the Congressional Advocacy Conference to students.

In the video, produced by Nice Life Films, AOSA members and optometrists share their perspectives on advocacy and on the issues currently facing the optometric profession.

“I’d like the ability to practice to the fullest extent of what I’ve learned in school, and I’d like that for all optometrists,” said AOSA president James Deom, a fourth-year student at Salus University, who joined other students in describing their strong support of advocacy at the national level.

According to the AOSA, more than 250 of its members attended the conference, lobbying for issues such as the National Health Service Corps Improvement Act (HR 920/S1445) and the Optometric Equity in Medicaid Act (HR 855). The Association, which represents more than 6,200 students attending the 23 schools and colleges of optometry throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, also said it has made it a priority to encourage students to contribute to the AOA-Political Action Committee (AOA-PAC), for which it currently represents the fourth-largest AOA affiliate in terms of PAC contributions.

Click here for a video on the students’ perspectives firsthand. For more on the Congressional Advocacy Conference, visit the AOSA’s Foresight or view another video, released by the AOA, available here.