Feature Archives
Boosting Morale in an Optometry School
During a Pandemic
Investing time and energy into the mental health of our students, faculty and staff is more important than ever. It is especially difficult to do so when we cannot chat between lectures, stand too close in the same room, or see someone smile behind his or mask. A study from the Boston University School of […]
The Idea of Teaching as a Way to “Give Back”
As an interviewer of prospective students and prospective faculty members, I hear many mentions of “giving back” with regard to an optometric teaching career. Prospective students often cite giving back as the reason they want to eventually teach after a clinical practice career. Prospective faculty, particularly individuals transitioning from private practice or industry, often speak […]Optometric Education Beyond Borders
The state of Sinaloa in Northwestern Mexico, not very far from the Arizona border, is home to one of the oldest and largest universities in Mexico, the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS). UAS has existed for 146 years in an area of great beauty created by rivers, beaches, mountains and forests that is also challenged […]Personal Financial Planning in the Optometric Curriculum
Ample evidence affirms that student indebtedness is a major challenge facing graduates of health professions schools.1 The cost of education has increased for nearly all health professions programs while reimbursement for providing care has decreased. Data from the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO)2 show optometry school graduates with loans owed $174,165 on […]
When Early Intervention Fails to Improve Outcomes
in Neovascular AMD
In the Summer 2017 (Volume 42, Number 3) issue of Optometric Education, we presented a teaching case report titled “Normotensive Glaucoma Follow-Up with Incidental Finding of Choroidal Neovascular Membrane.” The case highlighted the need for student clinicians to be flexible and modify their exam plan when novel clinical findings emerge. The patient had presented for […]
Humanitarian Missions as an Adjunct to Education
It has been argued that participation in humanitarian missions is beneficial for students. Such missions may provide distinct clinical encounters as well as other educational opportunities such as experiencing global health systems, diverse cultures and medical logistical planning. For example, international humanitarian missions have been demonstrated to be useful in otolaryngology residency training, providing surgical […]Adventures in Minority Recruiting:A Closer Look at Recruiting Minoritiesat Southern College of Optometry
The number of under-represented minorities (URMs) in the profession of optometry is not congruent with the percentage of minority patients optometrists examine in practice.1 Awareness of this mismatch is an important starting point in reducing the gap in health disparities. Minorities report higher rates of patient satisfaction when they receive patient-centered care from racially akin […]
The SUNY Hackathon Series:
Redesigning 21st Century Eye Care
In May and November 2016 and June 2017, approximately 50 people met to participate in three hackathons hosted by the New Technologies unit of the State University of New York College of Optometry (SUNY). The participants included SUNY Optometry faculty, other optometrists, residents, students, alumni, researchers, industry experts and other professionals. The goal of Hackathon […]
Using Technology to Enhance Student Learning
and Clinical Teaching Outcomes
The use of simulation and innovative technology to enhance teaching and clinical training is a common trend in higher education. Training using simulation has been reported in medical and allied health disciplines, but few publications exist in optometry. In this report, we present a teaching model implementing the 3D Eyesi Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscope simulator […]
Nurse Practitioner Students, Optometry Students and Faculty Members Engage in Community-Based Interprofessional Practice
The Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry and the La Salle University School of Nursing and Health Sciences have partnered in health professional education and collaborative patient care by developing and implementing an interprofessional healthcare model in which graduate nurse practitioner students participate in eye and vision patient care at The Eye Institute, a community-based […]Teaching Optometry Students How to Study Actively
Students enter optometry college with varying undergraduate backgrounds and a wide variety of study skills. They are eager to learn but are not always prepared to learn for mastery: the deeper understanding of material that can be recalled and applied later to clinical situations. In optometry college, cramming for exams and/or trying to memorize everything […]Using Writing Assignments to Improve Student Engagement and Learning
Active engagement of students can be helpful in enhancing learning and improving critical-thinking skills.1 Writing is one method of active engagement that has been used in optometric education2-4 and other applied science disciplines, such as engineering.5 Kidder and Todd6 observed that “Writing remains the best route we know toward clarity of thought … .” I […]Interprofessional Education on a Mission
Interprofessional education is becoming an increasingly vital part of the optometric curriculum. The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), citing the World Health Organization (2010), defines interprofessional education as that which “occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health […]
