RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—VSP Vision has announced its partnership with Eyerie Academics to collaborate on a workshop designed to help optometry students better prepare for school and board examinations. Founded by Camille F. Cohen, OD, FAAO, and Janis James, OD, FAAO, Eyerie Academics uses a holistic approach to test preparation, which includes exclusive access to Eyerie Academics workbooks, wellness sessions facilitated by licensed mental health professionals, and seminars led by expert instructors, the announcement stated, noting that Eyerie Academics was created with a goal to instill a positive outlook toward learning.

“For nearly 70 years, VSP Vision has offered a variety of programs and resources designed to help optometry students reach their career goals,” said chief diversity officer Marvin Davenport. “What attracted us to this partnership with Eyerie Academics is their ability to demonstrate the importance of bridging mental and physical wellness with successful academic outcomes. You simply cannot have one without the other.”

Optometry students are advised to submit their application before the Aug. 31 deadline for entry into the fall workshop. Six modules will take place on the following dates: Sept. 8, Sept. 15, Oct. 9, Oct. 13, Oct. 20 and Nov. 13. Each module is 50 minutes long and will focus on how to manage test anxiety, how to stay organized and study strategies/review.

“We look forward to launching our fall tutoring program, in partnership with VSP Vision,” said Dr. Cohen. “We aim to recreate the success of our 2020 informal tutoring project, which had an 80 percent success rate. This program will focus on those students most in need of support during the semester and in preparation of their board exams.”

“I commend Dr. Cohen and Dr. James for their tremendous efforts in taking what were very personal experiences for them, and creating a program that addresses gaps in the test preparation space, particularly around wellness and the whole student, not just strategies and sessions to learn and memorize the necessary content,” said VSP Vision doctor relations director Quy H. Nguyen, OD. “Optometry examinations are intense and rigorous and through this partnership, VSP Vision and Eyerie Academics are working diligently to support and maintain a pipeline of future talent in the profession.”