New high profile role for Dr Alicia Thompson
Dr Alicia Thompson
Dr Alicia Thompson, former ABDO director of professional examinations, has been appointed as ABDO’s new director of education, research and professional development.
Alicia’s new role will combine overall responsibility for the future development of both registerable qualifications, as well as a suite of postgraduate qualifications and awards. In addition, Alicia will be responsible for developing a new programme for academic advancement for existing and future members.
Alicia will also take charge of ABDO’s reformed Research and Clinical Committee, which will be at the cutting edge of professional advice, clinical research and developing international collaboration in advanced optical education and understanding.
ABDO general secretary, Tony Garrett, said when announcing Alicia’s new appointment: “Alicia is an outstanding optical educator with a well-deserved and growing international reputation. This appointment demonstrates ABDO’s total commitment to enhancing the profession and developing and promoting the role of dispensing opticians.
“I regard this appointment as a real step change in how the profession will be viewed in the future – and I expect Alicia’s new role to have a global impact on the whole world of optical education. This is more than exciting it is transformational,” Tony added.
Commenting on her new role, Alicia said: “It is an absolute honour for me to take on this new and exciting position with ABDO. Creating opportunity in all aspects of our roles, developing pathways and establishing a research base relevant to our profession will be beneficial to both members and the profession moving forwards.”
Alicia began her career in optics in 1987 as an apprentice optical technician at Derby Optical Company. She was very proud to gain her SMC (Tech) qualification in 1991, especially as the first female apprentice at Derby Optical. She then worked between the workshop and practice before embarking on a dispensing course by distance learning. She moved into practice full time to complete her pre-registration year and was made branch manager when she qualified in 1994.
During her years in practice, Alicia became increasingly involved in helping both dispensing and optometry students prepare for their examinations. She joined Aston University in 1996 when an opportunity arose for a clinic teaching position and was soon promoted to clinic manager. She completed the Level 7 course in Spectacle Lens Design whilst on maternity leave in 2004.
Alicia was then invited to train as a practical examiner for the ABDO and soon became more involved with the changes in syllabus to accommodate the new core competencies. She became ABDO’s director of professional examinations in January 2008.
In 2010, Alicia was one of the first cohort to gain the BSc in Optical Dispensing Studies from Canterbury Christ Church University. In 2013, she enrolled on her part-time doctorate with Aston University based on paediatric facial anthropometry and was awarded her PhD in 2021.
Alicia is now working with several frame companies to improve paediatric frames based on her research, and she runs a dispensing clinic for children with craniofacial abnormalities.