Dear VA Residency Program Coordinators,
As a reminder, NAVAO would like to encourage you to continue to promote this year’s Advanced Competence in Medical Optometry exam (ACMO) to your residents. The ACMO is the first step in receiving American Board of Certification in Medical Optometry (ABCMO) which can be utilized to both help prepare the resident for a career within the VA and position them for advancement.
The ABCMO certifies O.D.s in the specialty of Medical Optometry. ABCMO certification provides the public, credentialing committees, and fellow medical practitioners a national, uniform indicator that an optometrist possesses specialized advanced knowledge, skills, and competence in the practice of medical optometry. ABCMO is the optometry board certification that meets medicine’s definition of specialty certification in that it requires residency training and a standardized credentialing exam. The credential is not only recognized, but also required by many employers.
Part of the ABCMO requirements is passage of the ACMO exam. The standard exam fee is $780; however, there is a reduced fee of $480 for current residents who sit for the test during the residency-year in which they complete their residency program. Of note, the standard exam fee will be increasing to $1015 in 2024.
The ACMO exam will be held on June 22nd, 2023. The deadline to register for the exam is June 8th, 2023. ACMO® – NBEO (optometry.org)
Please share this information on to your residents and if you have any questions about the ACMO or ABCMO feel free to reach out. Additional information can also be found on the ABCMO website https://abcmo.org.
Best regards,
Ethan Leyda, OD
NAVAO Residency Committee