What’s driving today’s OD shortage? Are fewer optometry students passing their national board examinations or it just an issue of perception?  The answer may fall somewhere in between. In this episode of the Power Hour Podcast, Bethany has an in-depth discussion with Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, President of the New England College of Optometry, about emerging trends in board exam passing rates and whether or not there’s a reason for concern.

In their pursuit to uncover the facts, Bethany and Howard discuss issues like the underlying numbers behind the idea that students aren’t passing their national board exams as often, potential predictive factors for higher test scores, and the potential need to rethink the support that schools provide to students to better fit their needs.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the current trends in academia and how the nation’s foremost institutions like NECO are reacting to the shifting demands of their student body.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? What drives your team? In this episode of the Power Hour Podcast, Bethany sits down with Gavin Rebello, an optometrist and renowned expert on leadership and management from the National Health System in the United Kingdom.

Together, Gavin and Bethany discuss 7 key psychological factors that drive motivation and how success as a business leader requires creating and cultivating an environment where all members of the team feel empowered to work towards common goals, have opportunities for personal growth, and understand the positive impact their work has on people’s lives. 

If you have ever had trouble fueling your motivation or want to create more purpose-driven teamwork for your practice, you’re not going to want to miss this episode!

Is there a formula for successfully building a specialty practice? In this episode of the Power Hour, Bethany sits down with Thanh Mai, O.D., who shares his inspiring story of building a “super-specialty” practice focused on myopia management, scleral lenses & vision therapy.    

Dr. Mai is the founder of Insight Vision Center Optometry and has been involved with Treehouse Eyes scaling their myopia management business. He shares insights about building a specialty practice from scratch, and provides doctors with resources to go from “dabbling-in” specialty care to jumping right in.   

His conversation with Bethany offers a unique perspective on what it takes to fight imposter syndrome, stay accountable to your own goals with realistic timelines, and find the right support to help you along the way to help you make your dreams a reality. In discussing his journey, Dr. Mai shares a formulaic approach that includes setting the vision, identifying the “how”, picking your supporting “whos”, and building systems that replicate your success.   

This advice has helped him, and many other practice owners build their cash-based specialty practices. Listen in to get inspired and take action towards the practice of your dreams.