The 24th Annual Practice Opportunities Symposium was held virtually on April 8th and 9th. It is a required event for students as part of the College's practice management curriculum. The Symposium consisted of 8 panel discussions, each consisting of several ODs and highlighting a different mode of practice, as well as an opportunity to network with industry exhibitors and sponsors.
The panels included topics pertaining to private practice, corporate and group practice, externships and optometric specialties, practice management, residencies, introduction to practice, non-traditional practices, practicing in Canada, and Canadians practicing in the U.S.
In total, there were 542 total attendees, including 422 students, 32 panelists, 7 moderators, 9 exhibitors and 5 sponsors. As an added benefit, all attendees have access to see the panel session On Demand for 90 days.
"I'm very pleased with the engagement that the students had this year, especially with the event being virtual for the first time," says Daphne Anderson, ICO's Director of Career Development.
Thomas Bobka, OD '82, who participated on the corporate practice panel, had high praise for the event. Says Dr. Bobka, “ICO is ahead of the curve on providing information on all forms of practice opportunities to students. Well done!”
ICO sends a big THANK YOU to our Symposium sponsors: Alcon, Essilor, Luxottica, National Vision, Shopko.
For more details about the event, or if you are interested in sharing your experiences during next year's symposium, please contact Daphne at danderson@ico.edu.
