Thank you for your interest in becoming a mentor for the VISION Mentoring Program! This form takes 5 - 10 minutes to complete. You are able to save your information and return to it at a later date by clicking the option at the top right corner of the page. If you have any questions, visit aao.org/mentoring or email mentoring@aao.org.

Mentors: At the heart of the program is a dynamic team of ophthalmologist mentors who guide program students with a demonstrated commitment to providing access to eye care across all populations on the path to becoming competitive ophthalmology residency applicants. Each mentor is matched one-on-one with a student whom they guide through medical school and, ideally, applying to ophthalmology residency. Therefore, mentorship is a commitment of several years. As a mentor, we ask that you:

• Communicate by phone, video chat, email, or in person with your mentee at least four times each year and more frequently when needed
• Work to establish trust and a relationship with your mentee
• Identify specific reasons why your mentee is interested in ophthalmology and encourage their exploration
• Make introductions to other ophthalmologists as needed
• Encourage and support mentee with medical school success and residency application preparation
• Communicate with program staff to provide program feedback and if additional assistance is needed to support your mentee

This program has proven to be very popular among Academy members. If you are not matched with a student this year, your interest will be noted for subsequent years. 

* Student Eligibility: Students are accepted in their first year in an LCME or COCA accredited U.S. medical school.