SECO to expand meeting offerings

ATLANTA – At a SECO-sponsored press conference here at 2006 SECO International, incoming President Sidney Stern, OD, shared plans for the future of the organization, while outgoing President Lowell Gilbert, OD, highlighted improvements made for this year.

The SECO meeting opened last Wednesday to optometrists, opticians, certified ophthalmic technicians and paraoptometric professionals. Meeting organizers expected nearly 7,000 attendees, a 3% to 4% increase in attendance over last year. Attendees came from nearly all 50 states as well as at least eight countries, including South Africa, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.

According to Dr. Gilbert at the press conference, nine new educational tracks were introduced this year, as well as the new SECO Scholar Program, “Ocular Disease Tune-up.” The new program “gets down to the nitty gritty of the latest diagnostic skills in ocular pathology,” Dr. Gilbert said.

According to SECO literature, this new 2-year program is designed to replace the Southern Diplomate Program. It covers examination techniques, protocols and equipment, as well as how to incorporate glaucoma, neurology and retina into a primary care practice. Participants are asked to complete an online course in 2006 and 2007 in addition to 5 hours of continuing education at SECO each year.

Executive Director Elizabeth Taylor said at the press conference that in response to attendee surveys, new networking events as well as unopposed exhibit hall time were added. “People loved the education, but also wanted more time in the exhibit hall,” she said.

Forty-one alumni and affiliated events took place at this year’s meeting, as well as two free luncheons for eye care practitioners. While the education took place until Sunday, the meeting culminated Saturday with the “Make a Splash” reception at the new $200 million Georgia Aquarium.

Dr. Stern said one of the goals of his presidency is to expand on SECO International’s meeting offerings. “SECO has always been known for the ‘Always in February. Always in Atlanta.’ tagline” he said. “SECO has been thought of as a one-meeting organization. However, SECO works all year long, hosting other meetings and providing benefits to members. We’re expanding our scope, expanding our horizons. We’re looking at having other meetings throughout the year, in other parts of the country.”

He specified, however, that SECO will never organize a competitive meeting in any of its 12 member states.

Dr. Stern also said he hopes for SECO to get involved with other optometric organizations. “We are all about education,” he said. “If we can help somewhere else, we will.” The group intends to link SECO International with www.secointernational.com by offering continuing education on the Web site in addition to its already-existing grand rounds, job site and optcomlist e-mail listserve.

Dr. Stern added that SECO would be signing a contract with the AOP, a United Kingdom-based group of optometrists, to continue a mutual meeting in the United Kingdom. SECO has historically given each of its member states a grant to sponsor a speaker. “Now, we’re also giving them a grant to host an AOP speaker,” he said.

A SECO member also sits on the World Council of Optometry education committee, he said.

A new 4-hour session on cultural diversity was one of the nine innovative special sessions added for this year. Paul C. Ajamian, OD, FAAO, general chairman of the SECO Continuing Education Committee, said the program drew 350 attendees. Lecturers urged clinicians to become culturally competent in dealing with Hispanic, African American and Asian American patients. In addition to presentations focusing on each of these patient groups, skits acted out onstage “exposed the vulnerabilities and prejudices of staff, doctors and technicians,” Dr. Ajamian said. “Medicine is starting to do this, and this is a first for optometry.”

Other continuing education highlights included Friday’s “You Be the Judge,” a mock malpractice trial involving three cases, and a new aviation vision track co-presented with the American Optometric Association, according to Dr. Ajamian. “We’re trying to get different speakers every year,” he said.

Thomas E. Griffith, OD, chair of the Allied Ophthalmic Professionals program, said approval is sought from the American Board of Opticianry, the JCAHPO and the NCLE for all AOP courses. “No other meetings do this,” he said.

Nearly as many allied professionals attend SECO as optometrists, Dr. Griffith added. One of the highlights of this educational track is a dissection workshop, which Dr. Griffith hosts.