The Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences, College of Health Sciences (CoHS), Gulf Medical University (GMU), Ajman, continues to demonstrate its global academic presence. Dr. Jameel Rizwana Hussaindeen, Program Director and Associate Professor Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences participated at the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) Annual Meeting 2025, held on October 8, 2025, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Massachusetts, USA.
Dr. Rizwana led a 60-minute interactive workshop titled “Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Clinical Competence and Patient Outcomes through Feedforward and Feedback in Clinical Teaching” as part of the AAO’s official education program. The workshop equipped clinical educators with evidence-based strategies to integrate effective feedforward and feedback mechanisms into formative assessments, fostering improved learner performance and patient-centred clinical care.
Dr. Rizwana’s session made a significant contribution to the international dialogue on advancing optometric education, emphasizing practical approaches to enhance diagnostic accuracy, empathetic communication, and critical clinical reasoning hallmarks of effective healthcare training.
In addition to leading the workshop, Dr. Rizwana served as Chair of the AAO International Admittance Sub-Committee 5A, conducting oral interviews for fellowship candidates. She also represented India as the President of the AAO India Chapter at the Chapter Presidents’ Meeting and represented the World Council of Optometry (WCO) Optometry Program in Advocacy and Leadership (OPAL) team at the Brien Holden Founders Award Dinner, hosted by Optometry Giving Sight (OGS), in her capacity as the program’s Co-Chair.
Dr. Praveen Kumar, Dean of the College of Health Sciences, commended Dr. Rizwana’s contributions and remarked “Dr. Rizwana’s active engagement at the American Academy of Optometry exemplifies the College’s commitment to academic leadership and international collaboration. Her efforts continue to elevate GMU’s presence on the global stage of optometric education and clinical excellence.”
