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The application for candidacy for Fellowship is in addition to any previously submitted application for student membership. The questions relating to professional activity and (where applicable) clinical activity are not only for assigning a candidate to the appropriate Admittance Subcommittee but also for fostering subsequent involvement in various Academy programs.
Application Checklist
Eligibility Requirements
There are three categories of Candidates for Fellowship. Before beginning your Proposed Plan for Written Work, determine which category is most suitable for you.
After the Academy receives a completed application, the applicant will receive an acknowledgment by email welcoming them as a Candidate for Fellowship and informing them of the Admittance Subcommittee to which the application has been assigned. Please note, it may take 1-2 business days to be assigned to a Subcommittee. Once assigned to a specific Admittance Subcommittee, it is the candidate’s responsibility to update the appropriate Chair with any new contact information.
All candidates must submit a Proposed Plan for Written Work during the application process. To begin, first determine the appropriate category for submission. Visit the Important Dates and Deadlines page for more information on when specific items need to be submitted. Candidates have a maximum of three years from the date of application to complete the Fellowship process. If the process cannot be completed in that allotted time, candidates should discuss with their Subcommittee Chair options that may include the following:
Inability to complete the candidacy process within the allotted time:
All requirements must be completed within three years of the initial application. Candidates that are in good standing, but have not completed the process within the time frame, may reapply for candidacy after a one year period of time.
Application for extension in extenuating circumstances:
Candidates who are in good standing and who have made significant and documented progress toward completing the requirements and have experienced extenuating circumstances may appeal to their Subcommittee Chair for a one year extension.
Waiting period for candidates unable to satisfactorily progress:
The candidacy of individuals that have repeatedly failed the oral examination, or who, in the opinion of the Subcommittee Chair, have not made significant and documented progress toward completing requirements, or unsatisfactorily addresses remediating measures will be terminated. Terminated candidates may reapply for candidacy after three years.
Written Requirement Options | Clinical Candidates | Scientific Candidates | Special Category Candidates |
---|---|---|---|
Case Reports (10 points each) | Yes* | No | No |
Publications (10 points each) | Yes | Yes** | Yes |
Posters and Papers (10 points each) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Academy Lecture (10 points each) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Residency (accredited by the ACOE) or other graduate degree (20 points maximum) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Leadership Contribution (10 points maximum) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Professionally Related Book (20 points maximum) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Original 6,000 word paper (50 points) | Yes*** | ||
Original 1,200 word paper (10 points) | Yes*** | ||
Synopsis of five consultative services provided to practitioners (10 points each) | Yes | ||
Synopsis of educational course work the candidate has given related to the profession of optometry (10 points each) | Yes |
*At least one case report is required.
**At least three first-authored scientific publications (10 points per publication) are required.
***At least one original paper (either 1,200 word paper for 10 points or 6,000 word paper for 50 points) is required.
Additional Information
Oral exams are held only during the Academy’s annual meeting. Candidates MUST register for the annual meeting when completing an in-person oral exam.
All Candidates for Fellowship who are taking oral examinations at the annual meeting are required to stay in a contracted Academy hotel if they are planning to book a hotel, although seeking accommodation with family and friends is acceptable.
The objective of the oral examination is to evaluate candidates on their professional competence in solving their patients’ problems at a level commensurate with the standards set by the Academy. In the case of candidates who are not in clinical practice, standards relevant to the candidate’s professional activity will be used. Candidates will be examined before the same committee that evaluated the written work. To prepare for the oral exam, see the following:
In qualifying for and maintaining Fellowship, individuals are evaluated against the highest standards of professional competence. The letters “FAAO” (Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry) after the name of an optometrist, scientist, or other professional signify to colleagues and patients that the rigorous qualifications for Fellowship have been met.
Fellowship is open to the following professionals who demonstrate they meet Academy standards:
Academy membership consists of Fellows (including Emeritus, Honorary, and Life Fellows), student members, and Candidates for Fellowship. Although other categories of membership may have similar benefits, only Fellows may use the “FAAO” designation.
Start the process of becoming a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) today.
To sit for the oral examination in 2023 and forward:
*If you are only submitting one case report as part of your 50 points of written work, this case report MUST be submitted for the February 1 deadline.*
Please note, in order to submit written works, you must complete the online application and submit dues payment (if applicable). Application processing may take 1-2 business days, so we encourage completing these steps ahead of the February 1 deadline.
Candidates for Fellowship are considered members of the Academy and are required to pay annual dues, which are due on January 1 of each year. Recent graduates pay a lesser amount on a sliding scale. The initial candidate dues fee is refundable if, for any reason, an applicant does not qualify for candidacy at the time of application. The dues amount required is dependent on your OD or equivalent graduation year. Applications and dues received after October 1st will be credited through the following calendar year.
One Time Candidate Application Fee: $60*
*Current student and resident members are not required to pay the application fee.
Annual Candidate Dues:
If you are from a low-income or lower-middle-income country per the World Bank index, please contact membership@aaoptom.org for assistance with the dues processing.
Dues payment includes an online subscription to the Optometry and Vision Science journal, access to and reduced publication fees for the Academy’s Clinical Insights in Eyecare journal, as well as access to the Academy’s Online Journal Library and the AAO-AVSL Information Resource Hub. Candidates for Fellowship also receive reduced rates to attend the Academy annual meeting and access to free and reduced cost distance learning education on Academy Online.
NOTE: Current and prior years’ dues payments are not refundable.
Academy dues are not used for political/lobbying purposes.