Global Ambassador: Amod Gogate
Tell us about yourself:
I am happy to be back into Academics as Associate Director & Professor Education & Training, at PBMA’s H V Desai Eye Hospital, Pune India. I am Optometrist with clinical, academic and multinational corporate executive with more than 33 years professional experience. My personal mission is to inspire Eye Care Professionals to be at their best, in everything they do. Over this career journey, I have learned skills related to Healthcare Management, Clinical Education, Strategic Thinking, Digital Transformation and Customer Experience. I am committed to help young Eye Care Professionals understand how they can adopt Digital Transformation, learn, plan and execute their own professional strategy.
What encouraged/inspired you to join the BCLA?
British Contact Lens Association is possibly not only the oldest but one of the most credible professional organisations for the Contact Lens and Anterior Eye health category. Having attended both the BCLA sessions in Asia, I really appreciate and thank the BCLA leaders and all contributors for creating a credible and resourceful platform. I have experienced the passion with which professionals from different countries shared their research, educational & practice resources which has benefited many eye care professionals to enhance the clinical outcomes for our patients across different countries.
What do you hope to achieve by representing the BCLA as a Global Ambassador?
During my own professional journey, I learned from many leaders and worked with many professionals across different functions in many countries in AsiaPac. Now I feel it is my time to give back to profession and I am thankful to the BCLA team for giving me this opportunity to partner with other eye care professionals in spreading the knowledge, educational resources and raising the standard of eye health in our respective regions.
Biography:
Educational
• B.Sc (Hons) Ophthal Tech. from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), N.Delhi in Aug. 1987
• Master of Optometry (M.Optom.) from Bharati Vidyapeeth University Medical College, 2005
• Executive programme in Global Business Management from Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta 2010-11
Experience
• Since June 2021, Associate Director & Professor, Training and Education (Optometry) at PBMA's HV Desai Eye Hospital, Pune, India
• Since Dec 2020, Director & Consultant Optometrist, Gogate Eye Health Consultants, Pune, India
• Feb 2006 to Nov 2020, Associate Director, Professional Education for Johnson & Johnson Vision
• July 1998 to Jan 2006 Associate Prof & Head, School of Optometry Bharati Vidyapeeth University Medical College, Pune
• Aug 1988 to Jan 2006 Own professional practice as a Consulting Optometrist in Pune, India
Professional
• Best Optometrist of the Year 1996 award by Indian Optometric Association
• Executive member of Indian Optometric Association (IOA) & Chairman of the education committee of Indian Optometric Association from 1996 to 2000
• National Co-ordinator, Indian Association of Schools & Colleges of Optometry (IASCO) 2003 to 2004
• Executive member of Indian Contact Lens Society since 1996 to 2003
• Member of International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) since 1995
• Fellow of British Contact Lens Association since Feb 2015
International Conference presentations and publications
• Presented posters and paper at 19th Asia Pacific Optometric Congress (APOC), Seoul, South Korea Oct 2013
• Presented 2 papers at the 4th International Optometric Conference in Seoul, South Korea, October 2012
• Presented paper at 18th Asia Pacific Optometric Congress (APOC), Singapore (Nov 2011)
• Presented a Paper on “Optometry Education in India” at the World Conference on Optometric Education – 4th session at Georgia, Atlanta, USA in February 2002
• Co-authored an article along with Prof. Anthony Cullen from Canada – “India needs Optometrists” published in “Journal of American Association of Schools & Colleges of Optometry” in 2002