Though the majority of Dr. Adam Hickenbotham’s time revolves around his role as the Founding Dean for the College of Optometry, he finds as many ways as possible to teach at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMU).
It’s what he really loves to do.
Dr. Hickenbotham’s dedication to teaching and his devotion to students and faculty at the University are among the reasons he has been lauded as 2024 Educator of the Year by the Utah Optometric Association (UOA).
The award was presented to him by colleague Dr. Court Wilkins, who is a UOA Board of Trustee member and Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs at RMU’s College of Optometry. Dr. Hickenbotham was the first recipient of the newly established award. He was honored for his “years of dedicated service and commitment to the education and profession of optometry.”
Dr. Wilkins credits Dr. Hickenbotham for the “unique” faculty, curriculum and clinical education that has been established at the first Optometry school in Utah and the Intermountain West — and for the way he treats students and faculty.
“He’s just very open with the students,” Dr. Wilkins said. “He supports the faculty and is really open to them and getting their input, and that’s why they nominated him. He does fantastic work.”
Dr. Hickenbotham has a zeal for helping students clearly see the vision of the eye care profession, which he’s been involved with for more than two decades. He is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and of Harvard Medical School’s 1-Year Post-Graduate Medical Education Surgical Leadership Program.
Along with 20-plus years of clinical experience, Dr. Hickenbotham has owned and operated a private optometry clinic, overseen the delivery of on-site medical care at more than 20 skilled nursing facilities, and managed refractive surgery clinics. He also develops surgical procedures and devices, having been awarded laser patents in both the U.S. and internationally.
On top of all that, Dr. Hickenbotham has been involved in building multiple Optometry schools from the ground up.
He loves to tap into that wealth of experience to benefit RMU students.
As a passionate professor, he makes an effort to teach in each of his faculty member’s classes. He tries to get to know the students while sharing his optometry knowledge and keen sense of humor.
“I do have a passion for teaching,” Dr. Hickenbotham said. “When you see leaders in administration, they want to go back to the teaching part. It’s something we love and why we got into education.”
Dr. Hickenbotham was flattered to find out that his RMU Optometry faculty nominated him for the UOA recognition. He considers it to be a team award.
“Maybe it’s being given to the faculty and I’m the one who’s receiving it,” he said. “It’s a symbol of all the faculty. We’re teaching both at the state and national level. I feel RMU has the greatest optometry faculty anywhere in the country. They truly care about their students.”
Dr. Hickenbotham’s storytelling teaching style is appreciated and well-received, even if it might contain an occasional cornea joke (our bad pun, not his).
“I like to make it exciting. When I teach, I like to put in a little humor, a little fun, and make sure that people are paying attention,” he said. “Without humor, without the interplay and the people listening, it becomes very stale. I think an educator is part entertainer. Without entertainment, the education doesn’t stick and you lose the focus of students.”
RMU student Victoria Laws, who began in the University’s first Optometry cohort in May 2023, was impressed by Dr. Hickenbotham early in the application process. She enjoys the personal connection they made and the professional touches he put into RMU’s new college.
“He was my favorite. He was my guy,” Laws said. “And the school was so new, so innovative, so fresh. They always ask for your opinion. You have a voice.”
Dr. Wilkins credits Dr. Hickenbotham for not only hearing those voices but for considering and implementing changes — whether it be allowing students to wear scrubs in approved settings or adding additional time between important exams so finals aren’t stacked up on top of each other. He also willingly learned from student feedback from other institutions, which helped RMU create and take an innovative, interesting and evidence-based approach to Optometric education.
“He’s very personal with the students. He definitely has an open-door policy, and the students know him,” Dr. Wilkins said. “He’s not some figurehead. He really interacts with the students. They love it. One of the beautiful things is that he definitely listens.”
