CAR: Your Inside Connection to the Board of Trustees 07/16/2008 One of the most interesting and intriguing aspects of the Academy is its governance. For example, did you know that the Academy has a Council made up of representatives from 52 state societies, as well as 29 subspecialty and specialized interest societies? The Council has 102 Eye M.D. members, and their role is to advise the Academy’s Board of Trustees on a wide variety of issues. Issues are brought to the Board via the Council Advisory Recommendation (CAR) process.   An Inside Look at the Mid-Year Forum 04/23/2008 For this issue of YO Info, Stephen Khachikian, MD, shares his experiences at the 2008 Mid-Year Forum. Dr. Khachikian is a third-year resident in Albany, N.Y., and will be entering a cornea fellowship in Albany in July. He was sponsored by the Cornea Society through the Academy’s Advocacy Ambassador Program.   Ambassador Program Takes Members-in-Training to Washington 01/25/2008 For the fifth year in a row, the Academy and several partners are giving members-in-training a chance to get firsthand exposure to critical issues facing ophthalmology and the face-to-face meetings Academy advocates hold with their national legislators during Congressional Advocacy Day and the Mid-Year Forum in Washington, D.C.   Help Raise the Profile of Eye M.D.s – Get EyeSmart! 10/12/2007 As you are probably aware, the American Academy of Ophthalmology launched the EyeSmartTM Campaign this past July. This new initiative is intended to raise public awareness about eye diseases and their risk factors, as well as the role ophthalmologists play in treating illness and injury.   Drastic Medicare Physician Pay Cuts Looming 06/13/2007 According to the Congressional Budget Office, Medicare physician payment rates will drop significantly in the foreseeable future, starting with an alarming 10 percent cut in 2008 if Congress does not intervene. The cuts are expected to total 40 percent by the year 2015 due to a flawed statutory formula, states the 2006 Medicare Trustees report.   What Does Your State Society Do? 06/13/2007 For a young ophthalmologist or member-in-training, all of the opportunities and responsibilities you face can be quite overwhelming. Add to that navigating the options the Academy has to offer and you very likely don't know where to begin. One great place to start is your state ophthalmology society.