Optometry gets due recognition for Lingel

By: Patrick Sadjak

Posted: 1/21/10

Pacific alumna and faculty member Nada J. Lingel was awarded the Oregon Optometric Physician Association's 2009 Clarence G. Carker Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) of the Year award during the OOPA's annual Membership Awards Dinner held Oct. 23.

Dr. Lingel, a professor at Pacific University's College of Optometry, was presented the award by Pacific alumnus Randall Corey , who highlighted her service to the profession.

Dr. Corey cited a long list of classroom and clinical teaching accomplishments, the development of care resources for the underserved population of Washington County, and Lingel's efforts to advance optometric curricula both nationally and internationally.

She was selected by the Pacific optometry students as the Didactic Faculty Member of the Year in 2005, and recently completed four years of service on the OOPA Board of Directors.

When asked if she expected to get this prestigious award, Dr. Lingel said, "No it was a surprise. They knew that I would be at the dinner. I expected to get a little something for finishing my time on the OOPA Board of Directors, but not this."

Mentioning the influence of this award on the optometry program Lingel said,"I hope that this award showed that educators and clinicians can work together."

Dr. Lingel is a Fellow in the American Academy of Optometry and serves on the Admittance Committee for the Academy. She served for nine years on the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education, which accredits professional optometric degree, residency and technician programs in North America, chairing the committee from June 2002 until June 2004.

Lingel also served as a Senior Fellow with the World Council of Optometry, for which she traveled to Brazil for six weeks to help universities as they worked to develop optometry programs.

"What this award really means to me is that my hard work made a difference to someone and that it made a difference to the profession of optometry. This award is an accumulative award," said Lingel.

Additional experiences include private practice optometry; serving as the Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs at Pacific University; serving as an attending doctor at Sheppard Air Force Base and the Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Portland, Oregon; and performing research at the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit in Sydney, Australia.

Dr. Lingel is published in texts and numerous journal articles. She enjoys presenting continuing education on all aspects of primary care.