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When University of Melbourne optometry student Jasmine Gregory first stepped into the Optometry Australia (OA) office for her Advocacy Placement, a moment of clarity struck her.
“I realised how much goes into shaping the future of our profession beyond the clinic. It’s not just about treating patients; it’s about ensuring everyone, no matter where they live, has access to quality eye care.”
This insight, shared alongside fellow student Maggie Wang, captures the essence of OA’s Student Advocacy Placement program – a transformative initiative that provides students with the opportunity to gain insight into Optometry Australia’s policy development and the advocacy initiatives underway to support optometry, optometrists and community eye health.
As part of OA’s broader mission to foster advocacy capacity and attract talent to high-impact policy areas, the placement program is nurturing a new generation of optometrists who are both clinically skilled and strategically minded.
Through their work, Jasmine and Maggie have contributed to a growing conversation about equitable eye care access, with their research now poised for national exposure through a submission to the NRHA’s 10th Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium.
The challenge of rural workforce maldistribution
The maldistribution of the optometry workforce is a critical national issue, with rural and remote communities often facing significant barriers to accessing eye care.
Factors such as professional isolation and limited support services deter optometrists from practicing in these regions, while patients grapple with geographic and financial barriers to timely care.
Jasmine and Maggie’s research project, conducted during their two-week placement in May, delved into these challenges, identifying opportunities to improve rural access to eye care.
Their work built on the findings of OA’s Workforce Projections Study, exploring the complex interplay of practitioner and patient barriers to care.
They found that, while programs like rural admission schemes and regional CPD should continue, the real barriers are often social and personal, not professional. Many optometrists are open to rural practice, but isolation and lack of community connection can push them away
Their comprehensive report provided the Optometry Australia team with insights that are now informing OA’s broader workforce strategy.
The power of the Advocacy Placement program
The OA Student Advocacy Placement program is a unique opportunity for students to step beyond clinical training and engage with the policy and advocacy work that drives the profession forward.
Unlike traditional placements focused on patient care, this program immerses students in health promotion, policy analysis and the broader healthcare systems in which optometrists operate. By investing in student engagement, OA is fostering advocacy capacity and cultivating future leaders who can address complex challenges like workforce maldistribution.
Dr Nicola Anstice, OA’s Director of Education and Research, emphasises the transformative impact of the program.
“Advocacy placements enable students to investigate health promotion, policy analysis, and the broader context of health systems. They foster a sense of empowerment and professional identity, encouraging students to see themselves as agents of change within healthcare delivery systems and communities.”
Through activities like research, stakeholder engagement and policy development, students develop transferable skills such as persuasive communication and understanding policy levers; skills that will serve them throughout their careers.
Associate Professor Anthea Cochrane, Doctor of Optometry Course Coordinator at the University of Melbourne, highlights the mutual benefits of the program.
“Many of our students go on to be leaders in the optometry profession and beyond. The placement allows them to see the critical leadership and advocacy work that OA does, while developing a unique set of skills that complement their clinical training.”
Student contributions: a foundation for change
Jasmine and Maggie’s work impressed the OA team, including Director of Advocacy, Sarah Davies and Strategic Program and Policy Manager Demi Gertig, who mentored the students during their placement.
“The students’ early investigation work, drawing on publicly available data sources, set the stage for a broader research stream,” said Demi.
Demi has built on the students’ analysis by diving deeper into the data and drawing on scientific research, census statistics, Medicare billing trends and AHPRA’s Health Workforce Dataset to begin to unpack some big questions:
- Why aren’t optometrists keen to move to or stay in rural areas?
- What impact does that have on communities facing more eye health issues but less access to care?
- Who’s missing out on eye care, and why?
- And what’s getting in the way — is it awareness, access, funding or care pathways?
This ongoing work is sparking bigger ideas for actionable strategies, such as developing targeted awareness campaigns, localised screening programs or closer collaboration with Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and local health services.
“It’s been an energising process that’s grounding our workforce projections in real-world action,” said Demi.
“Maggie and Jasmine were so excited to participate in this project. Their report is a testament to their dedication and the value of this collaboration between the University of Melbourne and OA,” said A/Prof Cochrane.
Voices from the students
For Jasmine, the placement was a chance to deepen her passion for advocacy and community health.
“I have always had a strong interest in optometric policy and advocacy. This experience strengthened my commitment to supporting both the profession and the health of our community.”
She was surprised by the complexity of workforce planning, noting “the wide range of considerations that go into addressing rural workforce challenges and how difficult it can be to translate those ideas into real action was eye-opening.”
Maggie, meanwhile, gained a new appreciation for the data driving policy decisions.
“I was surprised by the granularity of data available, like Medicare billing trends and workforce statistics. It makes sense, but I hadn’t thought much about it before.”
She hopes their work will strengthen the profession by supporting optometrists and improving patient access.
“We hope our research into rural optometry provides insights on how to address maldistribution, leading to tangible changes in how optometrists are recruited and incentivised to stay in rural areas.”
Both students see their future in optometry as an opportunity to make a difference, whether through clinical practice, research or advocacy.
“I want to continue learning and evolving to provide the best care and promote optometry’s role in early disease detection and overall well-being,” said Jasmine, and Maggie noted “as long as I’m contributing positively to the community, I’ll have achieved my goals.”
Looking ahead: a national stage and ongoing impact
The quality of Jasmine and Maggie’s contributions led Optometry Australia (OA) to support their submission of an abstract to the National Rural Health Alliance’s (NRHA) 10th Rural and Remote Health Scientific Symposium, offering Jasmine and Maggie the chance to amplify their work on a national stage.
OA is committed to supporting their attendance if the abstract is accepted, ensuring their insights reach policymakers, researchers and healthcare professionals.
This supports OA’s broader workforce strategy, which focuses on sustainable solutions to address unmet eye care needs in the community; needs that won’t translate into actual demand unless better ways are found to connect people with care, as highlighted in the Workforce Projections Study.
The placement program is just one part of OA’s efforts to foster advocacy and leadership.
By engaging students in high-impact policy areas, OA is building a pipeline of talent equipped to tackle the profession’s challenges.
As Nicola Anstice noted, “health advocacy challenges students to reflect on their values and priorities, shaping their role as leaders in optometry.”
Join the conversation
Jasmine and Maggie’s work is a powerful reminder of the impact that fresh perspectives can have on the profession. Their research, paired with OA’s ongoing efforts, is paving the way for a more equitable and sustainable future for optometry.