CINCINNATI, Ohio—Luxottica Retail’s Eye Care Division in North America, which supports the practice development and growth of their affiliated doctors, has launched a new learning experience for optometry students focused on building and maintaining a successful OD practice.

The five-day course, called EyeFWD, will take place Oct.7 to 11, 2017 and will open for applications beginning July 31. After applications close, 50 students will be awarded a fully paid trip to Luxottica’s headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. The students will experience “a real-world curriculum designed to show them what it’s like to run a modern and profitable OD business while balancing patient care goals,” according to Luxottica. The curriculum will focus on business plan development, marketing, inventory planning, financial planning, people management and other skills.

“In talking with students around the country, it’s clear they are getting a great education focused on patient care. But they’re hungry for a better understanding of the business side of eyecare,” said Jason Singh, chief medical officer for Luxottica Retail in North America. “We are equipped as an organization to offer guidance and fill the preparedness gap between diagnosing and treating patients and building the business of their dreams. We hope this is a good thing for optometry overall.”

The application process, accessible here, will take place from July 31 through Aug.18. Winners will be notified by Sept. 6.