Education

General Registration for the AKOA Conference, MARCH 13-16, 2008 is CLOSED.

Please contact the AKOA office at (907) 770-3777 for more information.

THIS SITE WILL CHANGE FREQUENTLY AS NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. PLEASE COME AND VISIT OFTEN.

BASIC INFORMATION

The Alaska Optometric Association (AKOA) would like to invite you to attend the 2008 AKOA Continuing Education Conference, which is being held at the Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood, AK located just 40 miles outside of Anchorage. Snowcapped mountains, hanging glaciers and dancing Northern Lights make Alyeska a wonderland where education and adventure abound.

CONFERENCE DATES
Thursday March 13th through Sunday March 16th

EDUCATION
This year’s Conference will offer 30 hours of continuing education with top-notch optometry and ophthalmology faculty. The focus of the conference will be oral and injectable pharmaceuticals meeting the requirements necessary to update your Alaska TPA license endorsement.

2008 HIGHLIGHTS
Conference highlights include:

  • 30 hours of continuing education
  • Saturday & Sunday exhibits with our ophthalmic product sponsors
  • Daily continental breakfast
DRESS
Business Casual is encouraged for all events.

WEATHER & LIGHT
The weather in Alaska is unpredictable and the average temperature in March is 32 degrees. There are 14 hours of functional daylight hours in March.

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ACCOMODATIONS

Discover the elegance of the accommodations at Alyeska Resort, located just 40 miles south of Anchorage in a pristine Alaskan setting. For reservations call 800-880-3880. More accommodation options can be found at www.girdwoodchanber.com

For more information on the Alyeska Resort visit their website at http://www.alyskaresort.com Other

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DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS

Anchorage International Airport to Hotel Alyeska and Resort:

  • Exit International Airport via International Airport Road

  • Turn right (south) on to Minnesota . Follow Minnesota (south and then east, following the curve in the road) until you reach the New Seward Highway .

  • Turn right (south) on to the New Seward Highway and proceed south along the Turnagain Arm for approximately 40 miles.

  • Turn left on to the Alyeska Highway at mile 90 along the Seward Highway (A Tesoro Gas Station and Mini-Mall are on left).

  • Follow this road approximately 3 miles until you reach the large Alyeska Resort sign.

  • Turn left onto Arlberg . Arlberg winds around for one mile ending up at Hotel Alyeska and Resort.

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SPRING IN ALASKA

For more information on Anchorage in the springtime, visit www.anchorage.net for details. Endless opportunities await you in the state we call home. Due to the popularity travel, sightseeing, and recreational opportunities fill fast. Our advice is to book your travel, accommodations, excursions and automobile rental early.
Click here to have a FREE Anchorage Visitors Guide mailed to you.

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NEW OPTOMETRY THERAPEUTIC LAW (HB 113)
(This information is subject to change until the regulations have been adopted)

 Implementation Details

  • Your current TPA Endorsement (topicals) continues unchanged until it expires Dec 31, 2008, UNLESS you receive a NEW Therapeutic Endorsement from the Board to use new privileges.

  • Your current TPA Endorsement (topicals) CANNOT be renewed; you must qualify and receive a NEW TPA Endorsement by Dec 31, 2008 with your license renewal to continue prescribing TPA’s.

  • If you have passed TMOD (or a 100 hour Op School course) BEFORE January 1, 2004, you must complete a 23 hour nontopical TPA course AND a 7 hour injection course to qualify for a NEW TPA Endorsement.

  • If you have passed TMOD AFTER January 1, 2004, and can show the equivalent of 7 hours injection training since January 1, 2004, you are qualified for a NEW TPA Endorsement.

  • If you prescribe a Controlled Substance, you must have a federal DEA registration # on file with the State, and it can only be for Schedule III, IV, and/or V.

  • You may NOT perform TPA injections (except for emergency anaphylaxis) until January 1, 2009. After that date you may perform TPA injections, but you may NOT inject the globe of the eye, and cannot inject a derivative of clostridium botulinum.

  • You must have a physician-patient relationship to prescribe, defined as a physical examination and evaluation of a patient.

STATE OF ALASKA -CONTINUING EDUCATIONS REQUIREMENTS

12 AAC 48.200. LICENSE RENEWALS AND CONTINUING EDUCATION. (a) In order to be approved by the board, an applicant for renewal of a license must pay the appropriate renewal fee and submit evidence of completing continuing education courses, related to the practice of optometry, as specified in (b) or (c) of this section within the two-year renewal period as specified in 12 AAC 48.210.
(b) The following continuing education courses, if related to the practice of optometry, are accepted by the board for renewal of a license to practice optometry:

(1) education courses offered at the American Optometric Association (AOA) Convention or offered at any American Optometric Association affiliate state association convention;
(2) seminars held by committees of the AOA or organized regional Optometric Extension Program Foundation seminars for educational purposes;
(3) postgraduate courses offered by recognized schools or colleges of optometry;
(4) postgraduate correspondence courses, except that no more than nine hours of continuing education credits may be claimed in a single licensing renewal period;
(5) courses approved by the Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE).


(c) Other continuing education courses not listed in (b) of this section may be approved by the board upon written request of the licensee at least 30 days before commencement of the program. The request must include the following information:

(1) name and address of organization sponsoring courses;
(2) course title and outline of subject matter to be covered;
(3) instructors name and credentials; and
(4) location and dates of the course.

12 AAC 48.210. HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIRED. (a) An applicant for renewal of an optometry license must document at least 24 contact hours of continuing education credit that meets the requirements of 12 AAC 48.200, and that was completed during the concluding licensing period.

(b) Continuing education credit received for a license period under (a) of this section must include at least 12 contact hours of ocular pathology or pharmacology.
(c) No more than three contact hours of credit in practice management is acceptable as continuing education credit under (a) of this section for each license period.
(d) An applicant for renewal of a pharmaceutical agent prescription and use endorsement must document, in addition to the requirements of (a) of this section, at least 12 contact hours of ocular pathology or pharmacology that was completed during the concluding licensing period.
(e) An applicant for renewal of an optometry license for the first time must document completion of at least one-half of the continuing education requirements in this section for each complete calendar year that the applicant was licensed during the concluding license period.

Click here to read the full December 2006 Alaska Optometry Statutes and Regulations.

Please note: the file is in PDF format and you'll need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, it can be obtained free of charge at the following link: Adobe Acrobat Reader

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SCHEDULE

Alaska Optometric Association
2008 OD Conference Schedule

The Alaska Optometric Association in conjunction with Pacific University College of Optometry is pleased to present this 30-hour Advanced Ocular Therapeutic Course.

THURSDAY, MARCH 13

7:30—11:30 am	Ocular Therapeutic Injection Lab (Group A & B)
11:30—12:30 pm	Lunch
 
Group A
12:30—3:30 pm	Ocular Therapeutic Injection Lab (Capacity =40)
4:00—6:00 pm	DEA Course
Group B
1:00—3:00 pm	DEA Course
3:30—6:30 pm	Ocular Therapeutic Injection Lab (Capacity =40)
 
7:00—9:00 pm	Family Ice Skating Party

FRIDAY, MARCH 14
8:00—12:00 pm	Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Didactic Course
12:00—3:00 pm	AKOA Meeting & Lunch
3:00—6:00 pm		Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Didactic Course
6:30—8:00 pm		Reception

SATURDAY, MARCH 15
8:00—12:00 pm	Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Didactic Course
12:00—2:00 pm	Exhibits & Lunch
2:00—6:00 pm		Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Didactic Course

SUNDAY, MARCH 16 
8:00—12:00 pm	Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Didactic Course
12:00—2:00 pm	Exhibits & Lunch
2:00—6:00 pm		Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Didactic Course

If necessary, an additional second half of the Injection Lab will be held:
6:00—9:00 pm		Injection Lab (based on necessity)

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