Who Should Apply
Underrepresented in medicine (URiM) students include those who identify as Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and/or Native American (American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian).
We are seeking students who will be in their first or second year of medical school during the 2020 - 2021 academic year; OR pre-medical students planning to enter medical school in 2021 (for example, college seniors, post-baccalaureate students or students taking a gap year for research).
Travel and Funding
Students selected to participate in the Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring program are required to attend Student Engagement Weekend in Las Vegas on Nov. 14 and 15, 2020. The program covers round-trip airfare to Las Vegas for all students. Flight arrangements are made through a travel agent and require arrival anytime on Friday, Nov. 13 and flight departure no earlier than 5:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, Nov. 15.
We encourage students to seek funding for lodging and other travel-related expenses from their schools' diversity offices, offices of student affairs or ophthalmology departments.
Dates and Deadlines
- June 15, 2020: Student application due
- July 15, 2020: Mentor and/or speaker interest form due
- July 2020: Student acceptance notifications sent
- August 2020: Mentor status notifications sent
- Nov. 14 and 15, 2020: Student Engagement Weekend at AAO 2020 (Las Vegas, NV)
If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact mentoring@aao.org.