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 University

Cardiff 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 visits

2. 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)