Professional Development

News & Information

 ::  2008 Melbourne Cup Conference - Friday 7 to Monday 10 November

This year the sixth annual Melbourne Cup Conference will be held on the weekend after the Melbourne Cup on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November.  Our largest event of the year will again be held at the ICT building at University Square.  There will also be three associated workshops held on Friday 7 and Monday 10 November. 

MCC 2008 will again consist of the popular format of four distinct session themes.  Saturday 8 November will cover Paediatric Eye Care and Neurological Eye Disease.  Sunday 9 November will cover Vitreoretinal Disease followed by Therapeutic Management (with a focus on corneal disease) in the afternoon.

The Melbourne Cup weekend provides an excellent opportunity to complete a whole year’s requirement of CE points (28 for the main conference (lectures) and 33 extra by attending the Friday and Monday workshops). Single day registrations on the weekend (earning 14 CPD points) are also available.

After the success of last year’s events, reunion functions for First, Fifth and Tenth year graduates will be held again this year.  Drinks and nibbles will be supplied at the ICT building on the Saturday evening after the conclusion of lectures as a meeting point for these year groups.  Each year group representative will organise dinner to attend after drinks.  If you would like to help organise these functions for your year level, please contact Susan Kelly at the Professional Development office on 9349 7522 or skelly@ vco.org.au.


Clinical Workshops

The VCO is also offering three hands-on Clinical Workshops, one on Friday November 7 and two on Monday November 10, each worth 11 CPD points. If you take the opportunity to undertake one workshop, in conjuction with your full 2-day conference registration, you will receive 39 CPD points. Undertake two workshops in addition to the conference and gain 50 CPD points.

The Clinical Workshops are designed to help optometrists adopt new clinical skills and diagnostic techniques through practical demonstration. Each workshop consists of a half day session lasting 3.5 hours. The workshops are held in a clinical setting at the Victorian College of Optometry and numbers are strictly limited so that techniques can be practised under personal instruction.

Download the program and registration form here

Keynote Speakers

Dr Susan Carden Paediatric Eye Care

MBBS, FRANZCO, FRACS, PhD

Dr Susan Carden is an Ophthalmologist specializing in paediatric ophthalmology, strabismus and adult cataract surgery. Susan completed her basic ophthalmology training at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and underwent fellowship training at the Royal Children’s Hospital and also at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.  Further, she studied at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute and the University of California at San Francisco.  The University of Melbourne passed her PhD thesis in January this year.  The thesis examines retinopathy of prematurity in Vietnam and compares and contrasts it to the problems the disease causes in western countries.  Susan currently works at the Royal Children’s Hospital and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.  She performs urgent laser treatment on premature infants at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Royal Children’s Hospital and the Mercy Hospital.  She also consults privately.

Dr Mark Paine Neurological Eye Disease

MBBS, FRACP

Neurologist and Neuro-ophthalmologist at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and St Vincent’s Hospital

Dr Mark Paine completed his training in neurology at St Vincent’s Hospital and Royal Melbourne Hospital and then undertook further post-fellowship training at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and Moorfields Eye Hospital in London and in Switzerland.  Since 1996, he has held the position of Consultant Neurologist at St Vincent’s Hospital and the Royal Eye and Ear Hosptial in Melbourne.  He is also the current honorary secretary and treasurer of the Neuro-ophthalmology Society of Australia.

Assoc Professor Mark Gillies Vitreo-retinal Disease

MBBS, FRANZO PhD

Mark Gillies directs the Retinal Therapeutics Research Group at the Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, comprising clinical and laboratory research units. The group is developing better treatments for retinal diseases and has pioneered the use of intravitreal triamcionolone acetonide for diabetic macular oedema, which has dramatically reduced the risk of blindness for people with diabetes. Mark is the Executive Scientific Manager of the MacTel Project, an international project to identify a cure for Idiopathic Perifoveal Telangiectasia. Current research interests include glial-vascular relationships in the blood-retinal barrier, and proteomic analysis of macular disease.

Dr Andrea Vincent Therapeutics

MBBS, FRANZCO, FRACS

Dr Andrea Vincent is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland and Consultant Ophthalmologist at Greenlane Eye Clinic, Auckland District Health Board, New Zealand. Following Undergraduate Medical training at Auckland Medical School, and vocational Ophthalmology training in Auckland and Hamilton, she undertook three years of fellowship training. One year was spent at the RVEEH in Melbourne, Australia, and two years as the inaugural Ocular Genetic Fellow at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada with Drs Elise Heon and Alex Levin. Andrea has established an Ocular Genetic laboratory facility in the University of Auckland with research underway into the genetics of corneal dystrophies, keratoconus, glaucoma and lid abnormalities. Andrea is also involved in teaching Optometry Undergraduates for the Ocular Therapeutics course.

Travel and Accommodation

Special room rates are available at Rydges on Swanston (Formerly Rydges Carlton), Vibe Carlton, Quest Carlton on Finlay and Best Western Travel Inn Carlton (all 4 star) for conference delegates. Be sure to mention you’re a registrant of the Victorian College of Optometry Melbourne Cup Conference 2008 when you make the booking.

Best Western Travel Inn Hotel
Cnr Drummond and Grattan St,
Carlton
Phone 03 9347 7922
www.thetravelinn.com.au

Quest Carlton on Finlay
2-9 FInlay Place, Carlton
Phone 03 8341 4777
www.questcarltononfinlay.com.au
Studio Apartment $130, One Bedroom
Self Contained Apartment $140,
Two Bedroom Self Contained
Apartment $190

Rydges on Swanston
(Formerly Rydges Carlton)
701 Swanston St Carlton
Phone 03 9347 7811
www.rydges.com
Executive Queen Suite $169,
additional $19 per person
per night for full buffet breakfast.

Vibe Hotel Carlton
414 Royal Parade, Parkville.
Phone 03 9380 9222
www.vibehotels.com.au
Room $156, additional $14 per person
per night for full buffet breakfast.

Melbourne Cup Carnival

Melbourne in Spring is a wonderful time of year, and the first Tuesday of November is synonymous with the Melbourne Cup. We have planned our conference to allow registrants to combine education with recreation. Why not get a group together and attend “The Race That Stops A Nation” before the conference? General admission tickets are available on the day but you might also consider booking a place in the Champions Dining Marquee. Details of the marquee can be found at www.melbournecup.com/champions.


Download the program and registration form here