November 2026
We would like to welcome the following individuals to the Elkins Park Campus community:
- Meghan Curley, Financial Aid Counselor
- Genesis-Janae Joyner, Patient Service Representative
The Elkins Park Campus community extends its sincere congratulations to the following members:
- Melissa Vitek, OD, EdD, FAAO, PNA, was recently appointed to the Pennsylvania State Board of Optometry. The State Board of Optometry is responsible for regulating the practice and licensure of optometry in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To be appointed to the Pennsylvania State Board of Optometry, candidates must meet specific composition requirements and go through an appointment process by the Governor and the State Senate.
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Congratulations to Dr. Robert Anderrson, MSc, MEd, PhD, FBCLA, FAAO and Dr. Melissa Vitek, OD, EdD, FAAO, PNA, for their poster presentation titled “Effectiveness of Controlled Patient Care Education Provided in the United States for European Graduate Students in Optometry: A Survey Study” at the recent American Academy of Optometry's (AAO) 2026 meeting in Anaheim, California. The purpose of this study was to monitor the educational effects of a two-week controlled patient care rotation arranged in the United States for European optometrist graduate students pursuing therapeutic-level competency. Results from the student cohort at the therapeutic level extend previous findings and suggest that intensive, controlled patient care sessions enhance student learning, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.