Join Us - Membership Information

To Become a Fellow Member:

Send all information to: orsgroup03@comcast.net

Optometric Retina Society
PO Box 301
Sparks, MD 21152

For more information email:

Dr. Rex Ballinger - orsgroup03@comcast.net

Dr. Joseph Sowka - jsowka@nova.edu

Founded 2003

The optometric retina society (ORS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote excellence in patient care, and advancement of vitreo-retinal knowledge for clinicians, ophthalmic educators and students through professional education and scientific investigation.

Please consider becoming a member of the society along with your colleagues and peers as we move forward in the advancement of retinal knowledge. Membership categories are listed as follows:

Classes of membership: Fellow member, Honorary member, Resident/Student member

1. Fellow membership: Fellows of the ORS shall be members in good standing, and recognized as leaders in the subject area of vitreoretinal disease. They shall be considered by their peers to be experts in teaching as well as participants in research, patient care and community service in the area of vitreoretinal care.
   1. Applicants for fellow membership are expected to have attained an extremely high level of professional accomplishment documented by excellence in the areas mentioned.
   2. Optometric candidates shall be graduates of an accredited optometry school and have a license in good standing with therapeutic certification. It is strongly recommended that fellow membership candidates have satisfactorily have completed an accredited residency program. Affiliation with an optometry school, medical school, and / or residency training program and achievement of an academic rank of Assistant Professor or higher is desirable but not mandatory.
   3. Minimum credentials include:
      1. Fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry or equivalent national organization.
      2. Completion of at least four years of active clinical practice with a significant aspect involved with vitreoretinal care.
      3. One scholarly contribution. This may include first author publication in a peer - reviewed journal involving research (in which the candidate has actively participated) or other relevant scholarly work relating to retina or vitreous or publication of a chapter(s) in a textbook on vitreous or retinal disease or in other textbooks on the subject of vitreous or retinal disease.
      4. Candidates meeting most but not all of the above requirements may be considered for Fellowship in exceptional cases. Such candidates must be practicing optometrists or ophthalmologists who have had and maintained exceptional and extensive clinical practice experience in the area of vitreoretinal disease or who represent a major resource in retinal patient care.
      5. Candidates must be recommended and seconded by Fellows of the ORS who are in good standing.
      6. Ophthalmologists shall be board certified, have a license in good standing and be graduates of an accredited medical school. They shall have completed an accredited fellowship in retinal disease.


2. Honorary member: An individual of outstanding caliber, not eligible for another category of membership, may be elected to Honorary Membership by the Board of Directors as provided in these Bylaws. Honorary Membership is reserved for accomplished researchers or otherwise exemplary individuals and is granted only in exceptional cases. This category of membership is not intended as a means to circumvent the requirements for Fellowship, but is rather bestowed as an honor to select individuals. An Honorary Member shall not pay dues, not pay the initiation fee, not pay meeting registration, not have the right to vote, and shall be ineligible to hold office
   1. Honorary membership shall be open to optometrists, ophthalmologists and scientists who have made exceptional contributions to the understanding or management of vitreous and retinal issues. The therapeutic licensure stipulation shall be waived for all Research and Honorary Fellow Members. Honorary Fellows may not hold office and may not vote.


3. Resident/ Student membership: Membership in the Optometric Retinal Society shall be open to residents in accredited optometry or ophthalmology programs and students in accredited optometry schools. Resident/Student members may not hold office or vote. Following matriculation, Resident/ Student members are encouraged to complete the remainder of the requirements to become active Fellows in order to maintain benefits associated with the Optometric Retina Society.

How to apply:

1. Membership shall be obtained by completing the membership application and forwarding to the ORS. The Membership / Credentials Committee shall review and confirm the completeness of the candidates application and present recommendations to the voting fellows and President for acceptance.
   
   
2. Fellowship status in the Optometric Retina Society (ORS) may be bestowed on individuals who have demonstrated excellence, by virtue of their accomplishments, in the described areas, as reviewed and recommended by the ORS membership committee, voted on by the Body of Fellows and so conferred by the sitting ORS President.

Application for membership may be made by submitting the following materials along with a supporting letter of intent.

1. Fellow Membership:
   
   • Fill in application and send via e-mail to address above
   • A curriculum vitae
   • Reprints of papers on vitreo-retinal disease (upon request)
   • A copy of the certificate of completion of an ACOE certified (or equivalent) training program. (upon request)
   • Applications for Fellow Membership should also contain two letters of reference from ORS Fellow members in good standing with personal knowledge of your clinical activities for the year prior to your membership application.

The following information is provided as a guide to your documentation of contributions in research, teaching, service and patient care (all the following may be listed on CV):

1. Research: Evidence of research activities should include relative publications, letters of evaluation, grant support, presentations at scholarly meetings and conferences, appointment to editorial boards of professional journals, participation in invited seminars, service on national scientific advisory boards, election to office of national scientific organizations, and awards for research achievements.
   
   
2. Publications: Publications can be listed on the curriculum vitae. Publications not yet in print, but that have been accepted should be appropriately certified.
   
   
3. Presentations at scholarly meetings and conferences.  
   
   
4. Appointment to editorial boards of professional journals. Service on editorial boards of professional journals or as a peer reviewer of manuscripts provides evidence of the candidate's stature within his/her discipline.
   
   
5. Invited seminars.
   
   
6. Service on national scientific advisory boards.
   
   
7. Election to office of national scientific organizations.
   
   
8. Awards for achievements.
   
   
9. Teaching: Documentation of teaching experience should include: Peer appraisal of instruction and awards for teaching excellence, and a list of the candidate's specific teaching responsibilities.
   
   
10. Continuing optometric education: If the candidate has participated in the design or delivery of continuing education programs, a list of such programs and the candidate's role should be submitted.   
    
    
11. Patient care and related activities: In assessing the candidate's involvement in and the level of responsibility for patient care, details regarding patient care responsibilities should be presented.
    
    
12. Service: Significant contributions in the form of service are important in the candidate's application. Evidence of such service includes the following:
    
    • Administration of a clinic, clinical site, hospital unit, etc.
    • Direction of special departmental or interdepartmental training or research programs.
    • Service as a class or student advisor or mentor for candidates to American Academy of Optometry.
    • Membership in a department or university governing body.
    • Membership in a division, department, or university committee.
    • Service as a representative of a department or university to outside agencies.
    • Chairperson of course committees.

It is important your application be complete, containing each of as many of the indicated pieces of information requested. Ballot results for election to membership are announced at the ORS business meeting with applicants notified by mail. Thank you for your interest in the ORS. We look forward to your participation in the advancement of the education and science of vitreo-retinal disease.