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College Diploma Ceremony Celebrates Success
College Diploma Ceremony Celebrates Success
05 February 2007
The College’s annual Diploma Presentation Ceremony, held on Wednesday 31 January 2007 was a great success. One Ceremony was held at London’s Central Hall Westminster, and accommodated over 1000 people. Around 260 newly qualified Members of the College celebrated their success, together with their friends and family, at one of the most prestigious events in the College year.
In his opening speech, College President, Kevin Lewis congratulated new Members on entering the profession and commented that the Ceremony marked “the arrival of UK Optometry to the forefront of optometric education internationally”. Kevin reminded attendees that the new Members receiving their diplomas were making history as the first cohort of trainees to undertake the College’s new Scheme for Registration, a Scheme that has transformed the postgraduate Pre-Registration training of optometrists in the UK.
The President went on to congratulate the eight College Members who received their Diplomas in Therapeutics, Supplementary Prescribing and Additional Supply - the first in the UK to be registered with the GOC for some degree of therapeutic treatment of eye conditions. Kevin described these individuals as “trailblazers within Optometry” and suggested that “this move into therapeutics will further enable the College to achieve its aim of making optometrists the first port of call for patients with an eye problem”.
The Ceremony provided the opportunity to celebrate Diplomates’ accomplishments, and Higher Diplomas were also awarded in Glaucoma and Ocular Conditions.
The College awarded a number of Life and Honorary Fellowships in recognition of significant contribution to the College, profession and wider world of optics:
- Angela Bishop was elected to Life Fellowship of the College of Optometrists in recognition of the outstanding contribution she has made to the College and to the optometric profession. The College particularly recognises the contribution Angela has made to the quality of care in children’s vision.
- Dr Feike Grit was elected to Life Fellowship of the College of Optometrists in recognition of the outstanding contribution he has made to the optometric profession. The College particularly recognises the contribution he has made in leadership within the international optometric community
- Richard Keeler was elected to Honorary Fellow of the College of Optometrists in recognition of the outstanding contribution he has made to the optometric profession. The College particularly recognises the contribution Richard has made to ensuring that the history and development of ophthalmic and optical equipment is recorded for posterity; and
- Professor Brien Holden was elected to Honorary Fellowship of the College of Optometrists in recognition of the outstanding contribution he has made to the optometric profession. The College particularly recognises the contribution Brien has made to international optometric research and education.
Speaking on behalf of the new fellows, Professor Holden gave an inspirational speech, urging new College Members to “take an interest, get involved” and advising the audience that “UK Optometry leads Europe and the world….you should be proud.” He went on to remind diplomates of the obligations that being in such a privileged position places on them asserting “every challenge is an opportunity”.