optometry e ducation and qualification in the united kingdom julie-anne little
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Optometry E ducation and Qualification in the United Kingdom Julie-Anne Little. UK Regulation and professional standards. General Optical Council College of Optometrists Association of Optometrists. General Optical Council (GOC). Two stages of competency for optometrists - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Optometry Education and Qualification in the United
Kingdom
Julie-Anne Little
UK Regulation and professional standards
• General Optical Council
• College of Optometrists
• Association of Optometrists
General Optical Council (GOC)
• Two stages of competency for optometrists
– Stage 1: satisfied by BSc Optometry (or equivalent)
– Stage 2: satisfied by Examinations at end of ‘Pre-registration year’.
UK Optometry Education system
• QAA Subject benchmarking statement (levels 4-6)
• Entry criteria – ‘A-levels’ or equivalent
• Students at least 18 years of age
UK Optometry Universities
University of Ulster
University of Plymouth
Bradford University
Anglia Ruskin University
City University
Manchester University
Glasgow Caledonian University
Aston UniversityCardiff University
• 3-4 year BSc degree
• Majority exit with BSc in Optometry
• MSc in Optometry
UK Optometry Education system
University accreditation
• GOC quinquennial visits to Optometry university courses
• Quality assurance system
• Competency-based scrutiny
University accreditation
• Syllabi not identical
• Students must keep portfolio of evidence and satisfy core competencies
• Reports on GOC website
University experience
• In-depth anatomy and science foundations
• Requirements to perform minimum number of eye examinations and Dispensing activities
• Visits to Ophthalmology clinics• In-depth Ocular disease
University experience
• Specialist practice, e.g. Low vision, binocular vision, paediatrics
• Wide range of assessment experiences • Research project• Inter-disciplinary learning • Evidence-based practice• Ocular Therapeutics
After University
• Compulsory to undertake a Pre-registration year of supervised work
• Must have graduated with at least a 2:2
• Professional examinations at end of this year
• Ran by College of Optometrists
Pre-registration scheme – College of Optometrists
• Need supervisor to work with
• Can be in community or hospital setting
• Student AOP
Pre-registration scheme – College of Optometrists
1. Work-based Assessments – Assessing each of the 75 elements of
competence. Approximately 4 visits2. Work-based Assessment
– Assessor examines a routine eye test and Contact lens fitting under timed conditions.
Pre-registration scheme – College of Optometrists
3. Final Assessment– Not in own practice. In an examination
centre. – Objective Structure Clinical Examinations
(OSCEs)– 16 OSCE’s, five minutes each
After Registration
• GOC Registered optometrist
• Compulsory continuing education. Recent changes to this: e.g. Peer review
Career Ladder
• Independent therapeutic prescribing rights
• Further academic and professional options –Post-graduate short courses (level 7)–MSc (level 7)–PhD (level 8)–Professional Doctorates (level 8)