LaunchPad: Also New American Optometric Association’s 2021 Virtual Learning Livecast Opens for Registration By Staff Tuesday, August 31, 2021 12:05 AM Product: After a successful launch last year, the American Optometric Association (AOA) is once again hosting its Virtual Learning Livecast on Oct. 1-2. Top Line: AOA’s Virtual Learning Livecast offers ODs, students and paraoptometric staff easy access to a host of expert-led contemporary, optometric continuing education courses and professional development—when it’s convenient for them.Close-Up: The lineup of 32 expert-led courses covers 43 total assorted AOA-, COPE- and CPC-approved CE credits. The event reflects the AOA’s focus on year-round professional development for doctors, students and paraoptometrics at their convenience. One- and two-hour courses are scheduled for 6-10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2 (all Central Times). Vital Stats: New courses include “Hiring the RIGHT people!”, “Commercial Real Estate Strategies for Optometrists” and “Ophthalmic Utilization of Botulinum Toxin in Clinical Practice.” Courses such as “A Guide to Effectively Communicating Patient Education” are designed for doctors and paraoptometrics to attend jointly.George Veliky, OD, AOA Education Center Committee co-chair, said the event’s organizers are looking to build on the success of the AOA’s first virtual CE event. “This year’s Virtual Learning Livecast offers AOA members an opportunity to not only obtain bulk credit toward licensing renewal but also the opportunity to continue the lifelong journey of professional development beyond the confines of a once-a-year conference,” Dr. Veliky said. “Providing our members access to the livecast in a time separate from Optometry’s Meeting allows the Education Center Committee to offer CE classes that can build off each other sequentially.”Erlinda Rodriguez, CPO, chair of the AOA’s Paraoptometric Resource Center Committee, calls the livecast an “excellent opportunity” for paraoptometrics to advance their knowledge by easily accessing courses with new and timely topics. “The Virtual Learning Livecast offers a new approach to learning in a more flexible environment, compared to taking the time to attend an in-person even,” Rodriguez said. “The livecast’s paraoptometric-specific courses are geared to increase the paraoptometrics’ knowledge in areas of patient care that paraoptometrics are exclusively engaged in day to day.” Seats for each course are limited; click here to register.