WCO curriculum support document available

Article

Optometric faculty and institutions are now able to use as a resource the World Council of Optometry’s guide to develop or upgrade optometry programs or design curricula.

London-The World Council of Optometry’s (WCO) published its first curriculum support document: “Curricular support elements for an optometry programme,” available for download on WCO’s Web site  It was produced by the WCO education committee to help schools, colleges, and universities starting or upgrading an optometry program and can be used as a basis for designing their curriculum.

Some 15 elements of practice are covered in the guide, including:

• Patient examination

• Patient management

• Genera health assessment

• Specialized care

• Professional responsibilities

The guide features a detailed outline of topics for the highest level of optometry education for institutions developing or upgrading optometric programs and for individual faculty members developing courses

Says WCO Education Committee Chair Gerald Lowther, OD: “This exciting initiative was started a few years ago by former education committee chair Maurice Yap with the help Hong Kong Polytechnic University staff. It is now available for the profession to use."

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