Madeline Baker awarded inaugural OV/SA LOOK Local Scholarship

The inaugural OV/SA Looking Outward on Optometric Knowledge (LOOK) Local Scholarship has been awarded to Victorian member, Madeline Baker. Madeline, who is currently an Associate Lecturer and Research Fellow at Deakin University, will use her scholarship to investigate the factors behind the prevalence of mental ill-health in the optometric workforce, then develop a comprehensive mental health and wellbeing framework.

The anticipated outcomes include increased retention rates of optometrists within the profession, higher productivity, and better patient outcomes.

Launched in 2024, the OV/SA LOOK Local Scholarship provides $1,500 to improve eye health in local communities throughout Victoria and South Australia. Successful projects must incorporate innovative advancements in optometry that can be readily implemented in the applicant’s local area where such advancements are not currently available.

Optometry Australia’s Director of Optometry Advancement, Sarah Davies, thanked all applicants and noted that Madeline’s project stood out due to its rigorous investigation into the causes of poor mental health among optometrists and its practical strategies to help the profession better serve patients and the community.

Dialogue with stakeholders across Australia

Drawing from her own lived experience with mental wellbeing challenges, Madeline’s project demonstrates a deep commitment to investigating burnout in optometry across Australia. She aims to identify key contributing factors and protective factors through dialogue with key stakeholders at each of the seven Australian universities offering optometry programs. This engagement will help integrate new perspectives and develop a strategic framework for the mental wellbeing of optometrists.

Madeline explains her rationale for consulting universities and recent graduates, noting, ‘Many early career graduates are leaving the industry to pursue alternative career paths, often due to workplace stress, burnout, and pressure. A study by Bentley et al. (2021) notes that optometrists under 30 years of age are 3.5 times more likely to experience severe psychological distress compared to clinicians over 30 years of age.’

The preventative framework aims to retain early career optometrists, ensuring a sufficient supply of healthcare professionals to meet increasing demand and evolving scope in the foreseeable future. This will be facilitated by drawing on the expertise and skillsets of clinicians, regulators (such as the Optometry Board of Australia), and optometry educators.

Clear Minds, Bright Futures symposium

Ms Davies notes that Madeline’s LOOK Local Scholarship findings will build on the outcomes of the upcoming Clear Minds, Bright Futures symposium, which Optometry Australia will conduct with key stakeholders across the optometry profession on R U OK Day, September 12, 2024. The symposium will facilitate meaningful conversations, foster collaboration, and inspire actionable solutions to address the burnout and mental wellbeing challenges faced by optometrists.

OV/SA is proud to support Madeline’s innovative project and will share her LOOK Local Scholarship findings with the wider membership in the coming year.