YO Activities at WOC 2012

During the World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC 2012) in Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest gathering of eye specialists, a session aimed specifically for young ophthalmologists took place 20 February at 8.30am.

WOC 2012 – is hosted in the region by the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology for the first time – is providing this platform for young ophthalmologists to nurture the talent of tomorrow, with education being the main topic under scrutiny.

Dr. Abdulaziz AlRajhi, President of WOC 2012, said: “It is vital that we pay heed to properly supporting young ophthalmologists. WOC 2012 is a fantastic platform for those beginning a career in our sector to find – and be given – peer support, enhance their knowledge bank and take advantage of the networking opportunities the conference presents.

“The young ophthalmologists’ session is also testament to the hard work that ophthalmology professional bodies are putting in to develop strong support networks for the future of our profession.”

The session is a collaboration between the young ophthalmology groups from the Middle East and Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO), the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the European Society of Ophthalmology (SOE).

Dr AlRajhi said the session will follow a ’chat show’ format and will discuss the challenges and possible solutions of continuing education in a rapidly changing world.

“Topics include how the European Board of Ophthalmology aims to harmonise education throughout Europe, how the Arab Board aims to structure training in the region, and the particular difficulties in surgical training faced by all regions,” said the President of WOC 2012.

“The increasing role of social media provides new opportunities but also potential pitfalls, and these will also be discussed. We hope to provide an engaging platform for discussion,” he added.

The AAO’s young ophthalmologist (YO) group has been established for many years, and its role within the overall structure of AAO has grown considerably.

Inspired by its success, an SOE YO and, more recently, a YO Group within MEACO have been established to address the local needs of young ophthalmologists. Each region has its own challenges for trainees, and those starting independent practice.