ROCKVILLE, Md.—The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) has introduced the Cultural Competency Case Study Competition for optometry students and residents. Sponsored by the ASCO Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee with support from Walmart, the new competition will award $2,500 to one national student and $2,500 to one resident recipient.

Applications should consist of a case study write-up of up to 2,000 words describing a patient-based encounter in any aspect of clinical education. Entrants do not need to be the principal clinician in the case study, just a witness to it.

Prior to submitting an entry, applicants are encouraged to review the ASCO Guidelines for Culturally Competent Eye and Vision Care, a document approved by the ASCO board consisting of best practices from schools, colleges, organizations, and associations of health care professionals. An outline of the guidelines and a PowerPoint presentation are also available.

Applicants must be current students in the final two years of their professional program or current residents. Case studies should be given to the institution’s assigned awards coordinator, each of whom is permitted to submit two student case studies and two resident case studies. Submissions will be accepted between Feb. 17 and April 14, 2014. They should be sent in Microsoft Word format and emailed with a cover letter to Carol Brubaker, ASCO’s manager, professional affairs, at cbrubaker@opted.org. A selection group comprised of members from the ASCO Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee, the Cultural Competency Curriculum Guidelines Subcommittee, and a Walmart OD will decide the winning selections.