Professional Development

Information

 ::  Manadatory PD Requirements

The College's Code of Ethics, inter alia, requires members -

• to strive continually to enhance their knowledge and skill so as to ensure that their patients receive the benefits of advances in their profession
• to practise always in accordance with professional standards

1. Eligibility criteria for membership of the College include that the applicant has accumulated at least 80 points of continuing professional education over the previous two years.
2. Each year the College requires members to give an account of the continuing education they have undertaken except for
   
   
   1. those members who are not registered optometrists
   2. those members who are aged 65 years or more
   3. honorary life members
   4. affiliates of the College (for whom professional development is optional)

although for each of these categories of members it is expected that they will actively pursue further education.

3. Members who are registered optometrists but are not in active practice or who are not in full time practice must meet the continuing education requirement since they may in the future resume practice or take up full time practice and should maintain their skills and develop their knowledge during any period of reduced practice or absence from practice.
4. Members are required to accumulate an average of at least 40 points of continuing education a year or at least 80 points over each two year period, as a condition of continued membership of the College.
5. The prescribed minimum of 40 points per annum or 80 points over the past two years can be met by participating in the following activities (Groups 1 to 11) however it is an expectation that at least 50% of the accumulated points will be accrued from activities involving face to face interaction with peers (Groups 1 to 4).
   
   
   

Any professional development points in excess of 40 may be carried forward to the next year up to a maximum of 40 points unless they are required to make up a previous year’s deficit.

1. For lectures, workshops and courses conducted by the College, members and affiliates will be able to scan a barcode on their identification badge. The College will pass on a list of attendees to the OAA who will keep a record of attendance for each of its members.
2. Each year members will be sent a declaration form that will list all VCO courses, workshops and Seminar Series as well as major PD events organised by other providers. Members will be requested to check PD events accumulated and/or provide details of other (not listed) PD accumulated.
3. This declaration form will be included with members’ annual subscription notice for return no later than April 30, the day membership expires if a member has not paid their annual subscription.

1. Council will receive a report at its first meeting after the AGM listing all members (not affiliates) who have not made a return or who have not met the minimum requirement.
2. Subject to Council decision to the contrary, members who have not made a return or met the requirement will be advised in writing that their failure to meet the requirements has been noted by Council and requesting them to either

• provide the declaration of compliance within a given time, if the fault is that one has not been submitted, or
• provide a plan of participation that will make good any deficiency within the next 12 months, or
• request that their membership be converted to affiliate

3. Members who fail to respond to the above options will have their membership converted to the status of affiliate at the following quarterly meeting of Council.
   
4. Any member who fails to meet a requirement of 80 professional development points in a period of two years will automatically revert to affiliate status six months after the end of the two year period in question.
   
5. Members whose status has reverted to affiliate may apply at any time for re-admission as a member and will be re-instated as a member provided they meet all the conditions of membership.
   
   Download 2006 Declaration Form