About the Program

Curriculum

The minimum length of the professional optometric curriculum will be four academic years. Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry is currently in the process of designing and refining its proposed curriculum. A copy of the proposed curriculum is available at the following link:

Proposed Curriculum

The over-arching themes of the curriculum include:

1. Early entry into patient care
2. Integration of basic and clinical sciences
3. Interprofessional education in collaboration with other health disciplines
4. Preparation for entry-level optometry care along with a special emphasis on neuro-science and neuro-optometry

Instructional Methods

A number of different instructional methods will be used to support optimal teaching and learning. Years one through three of the curriculum will include didactic lectures, biomedical laboratories, pre-clinical laboratories, small group learning, clinical education, and service learning. A variety of pedagogical techniques will be used including case-based learning, development of critical thinking techniques, and fostering of clinical thought processes. The fourth and final year of the curriculum will consist of full-time patient care experiences.

Because WesternU graduates are expected to practice in all states and regions, they must be prepared for the fullest scope of practice. State optometric practice acts have been considered in the curriculum design. Mastery of advanced diagnostic techniques and cutting-edge clinical skills (as demonstrated through lab proficiencies) will enable WesternU graduates to practice optometry to the fullest scope.

A key goal of the proposed curriculum is to support and encourage collaboration between the various health professions. Interprofessional integration will be incorporated into the curriculum in several areas. It is anticipated that in the first year of the curriculum, optometry students will be enrolled in several didactic courses with the medical, dental, and podiatric students, including:

• Introduction to the Study of Medicine
• Head & Neck Anatomy
• The Molecular and Cellular Basis of Medicine
• Medical Ethics
• Introduction to Disease
• Immunity & Therapeutics
• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Health

Students in the first and second years of the curriculum will also engage in integrated case-based learning within small groups, which include representatives from each of the health disciplines on the WesternU campus. In the first and third years of the program, students from the College of Optometry will be enrolled, along with students from all of the health professions, in courses that include a service learning component. The service learning curriculum will incorporate the design, implementation, and evaluation of community-based projects such as outreach to elementary schools and senior citizen groups. The service learning courses will include practical applications of health education, public health, epidemiology and biostatistics.

Interprofessional integration will also carry over to the clinical environment with the development of an interprofessional clinical service in the on-campus facility. Specific clinical space has been designated for the establishment of an integrated clinical service. Plans are underway to target special patient populations with complex conditions such as diabetes or neurological impairment, as well as aging adults who may suffer from multiple chronic conditions. Students from different disciplines will learn from each other as they provide a team approach to the delivery of health care services. Videotaped patient care encounters that take place in the interprofessional clinic will form a unique digital case library for use in planned Interprofessional Grand Rounds, after securing appropriate releases from patients.

The WesternU College of Optometry has incorporated into its mission a special emphasis on a unique learning opportunity: neuro-optometry. To set the foundation for a deeper understanding of neurological processes, students from the optometry program will enroll in the course Neuroscience, which is presented in the medical school curriculum. This course integrates basic science disciplines of embryology, histology, neuroanatomy, biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology within a clinical context. Towards the goal of creating this special emphasis in neuro-optometry, the curriculum will also include didactic and laboratory instruction dedicated to the specialized discipline of neuro-optometric rehabilitation in the third year of the program. Ocular sequelae and visual consequences of neurological disease, along with perceptual problems and techniques for rehabilitation will be discussed, as detailed in the course description.

In addition to preparing students for full scope optometric practice, the clinical education curriculum will also include components emphasizing neuro-optometry. The on-campus clinical programs will also be developed to include hands-on training in neuro-optometric patient care and community-based opportunities for neuro-optometry, such as in rehabilitation hospitals.