Membership in the AACO

The American Association of Certified Orthoptists (AACO) is a close network of orthoptists and orthoptic students across North America, working together to promote both the profession and the individual member. A membership to the AACO comes with numerous benefits (See below). One does not have to be employed in the United States to be a member of the AACO. Membership is only available to orthoptists. 

AACO Member Types:

  • Active Member: for orthoptists with a valid, up to date AOC certification 
  • Associate Member: for orthoptists without a valid, up to date AOC certification and/or orthoptists certified in another country 
  • Life Membership: for retired orthoptists who were dues-paying members of the AACO for at least 20 years
  • Student Membership: for orthoptic students in AOC-accredited orthoptic programs
  • Honorary Membership: conferred upon by the membership and awarded to non-orthoptists in recognition of outstanding contribution to orthoptics.

To become an AACO member, click on the link below to access the membership application. 

 Join the AACO

 

Being a member of the AACO provides an Orthoptist with many benefits!

2023 AACO Member Benefits

  • Continuing Education at reduced prices
    • Discounted registration at the national meeting
    • New! Access to our Online Learning Center for free and discounted CE opportunities
    • New! Access to our CME tracking tool to help manage your CE for recertification
    • Self Assessment Exam
  • Professional Publications
    • Journal of Binocular Vision and Ocular Motility: distributed annually & online access
    • American Orthoptic Journal (AOJ): archived issues
    • PRISM Newsletter: distributed bi-annually
    • Straight Scoop Bulletin: e-mailed bi-monthly
    • AACO Membership Directory
  • Access to the orthoptic electronic forums
    • Join a circles group and make connections with other orthoptists
    • New! AACO Members will have access to an orthoptist only listerserv
  • Ability to participate in the organization
    • Ability to vote at national business meeting to help shape our organization’s future 
    • Opportunities to hold office or be an elected representative
    • Opportunities to serve on the AACO Executive Committee or Board of Directors.
    • Opportunities to serve on AOC
    • Volunteer opportunities to serve on committees
  • Practice Management Resources
    • Billing for Orthoptic services: information and support 
    • Free access to salary and benefit survey via Practice Management Committee
      • New! 2023 Salary Survey
  • Access to the Members Only section of the AACO website which includes:
    • Employment opportunities
    • Brochure for your office: Selecting Children’s glasses
    • Straight Scoop and PRISM archives
    • Access to the AACO Bylaws and Policy Manual
    • Pre- and Post- Academy reports
    • Fundraising contact list for offices hosting a meeting
    • Application for the AACO Honor Certificate
  • Automatic membership to the International Orthoptic Association (IOA)
    • Reduced registration to attend the IOA Congress
    • Reduced registration to attend Orthoptic meetings in IOA member countries
    • Access to the Members Only section of the IOA website:
    • Receive special offers from journal publishers
    • Access to the Orthoptic search facility containing titles and authors for international meetings (ESA, ISA, IOA) and articles in the British and Australian Orthoptic journals
    • Download transactions from the recent IOA Congress
    • Access to all IOA reports and minutes of the Annual General Meeting
    • Access to the IOA Phrasebook containing a collection of useful phrases when carrying out an orthoptic exam (translated into the languages of the IOA member countries and several other languages)
    • Access to the IOA Terminology document containing translations of over 500 orthoptic, ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology expressions (in English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish)
    • Access to Orthoptic job offers posted with the IOA
    • Access to the Orthoptic World Wide Survey (OWWS)
    • Access to the International Vision Screening Survey (IVSS)
    • Ability to participate in the IOA Exchange and Volunteer Programs
    • Ability to join important IOA committees
    • Ability to network with your international orthoptic colleagues

 
Last Updated on Friday, December 02, 2022 08:27 AM