Dr. Paul Ajamian - "If it wasn't for Bascom Palmer, I'd be part of COVD"

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Dr. Paul Ajamian is one of the most generous, kind (in all the right ways) and passionate people I know. From his zeal to be a lifelong learner to way he pours out himself into the profession of Optometry, he shows why he was an obvious choice to be one of those inducted to the Optometry Hall of Fame (2015). I was there to see him get this honor. The honor was almost as big for me to see it as for Paul to get it. (No, his was way bigger.)

Paul has been a visionary of the Optometric profession, seeing the future of where Optometry could go in co-management of eye surgical treatment to the way we treat our guests medically. And with modalities not conceived at the time. Paul’s involvement has been instrumental in the way we now carry out our day-to-day care of guests, in ways most just take for granted. By the end of this interview, you will see the hand he has played in how you do your day, and you will want to thank him personally. For me, it is very personal. Paul was my preceptor for my second externship. But little did I realize that he was one of the first students, while at New England College of Optometry, to undergo such education himself. Also, I did not realize he would play such an important role in my life from that moment on with his encouragement and example to lead.

Paul has received accolades such as the SECO 1995 Optometrist of the South, one of ten Optometric Magazine named as their 2000 Optometrists of the Decade, the American Optometric Association’s 2014 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award (the AOA’s highest honor for lifetime achievement) and the aforementioned National Optometry Hall of Fame induction in 2015. He also stays busy within the profession serving currently as SECO International’s General Chair of the Education Committee, was President for the Georgia Optometric Association in 2000, served as the GOA Legislative and PAC chair for many years, and is a Founding Board Member for both the American Board of Optometry and the Optometric Glaucoma Society. But perhaps the biggest contribution he has made is shepherding thousands of future doctors as externs and residents, just like I was in 1992, to become the best optometrists they could be and to encourage serving in our profession just like Paul. Oh, and he still has time to earn a living as the Center Director for Omni Eye Services of Atlanta since 1984, after serving as the Education Director for the Vision Education Foundation (VEF-the nation’s first true co-management practice) beginning 1982. In his spare time, he’s hammered out two textbooks and is the Review of Optometry’s “Clinical Quandaries” author and supervisor.

I am blessed to have Paul serve as a boss (SECO CE Committee), mentor (Omni Eye Services of ATL, GOA, SECO) and dear friend. Thank you, Paul.

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