RYS CONSULTANTS:
Clinicians and educators specializing in Diversity, Equity,and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Dr. Ruth Shoge, OD, MPH, FAAO
I received my Doctor of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, which is where I also completed a residency in Pediatrics and Vision Therapy.
I received my Master of Public Health from Temple University with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Science. During that time, I developed a special interest in DEI initiatives, which includes cultural competency training, recruitment and retention strategies, and curriculum reform.
In the clinical setting, I aim to provide and model clinical competence and cultural humility to my students as they care for their patients. I have served as an investigator in several federally funded research studies and have had the opportunity to present nationally and internationally about binocular vision, vision therapy, the management of concussion-related vision disorders, and cultural competency.
PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Director: Robert E. Horne Summer Enrichment Program, a program aimed at improving the recruitment, matriculation, and graduation of underrepresented minority students
Chair: Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee for ASCO, which promotes racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion initiatives at optometric educational institutions
Founding member: DEI Committee at Salus University
Workshop Facilitator: Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) Board of Directors
Panelist: ‘Race in Optometry’ series
Master’s thesis: Social experiences of underrepresented minority optometry students