MSci Optometry

In this unit you will build further on your ability to lead on personalised patient management within the Manchester Optometry Clinics in an evidence based way and aided by technology. There will also be opportunities for short clinical placements external to the university. You will work towards being trusted in key clinical areas in preparation for your final year. 

The unit aims to:

• Foster a sense of community and a supportive learning environment where all learners feel that they belong
• Develop a mature understanding of professionalism  
• Enable to application of knowledge gained in earlier years to clinical environments (QAA Qualification Framework)
• Develop the ability to undertake clinical work which a learner can be trusted to perform with reactive supervision (QAA Qualification Framework).

The teaching and learning philosophy for the MSci optometry is learner centred with an emphasis on building knowledge by working as part of a team through considering clinical scenarios. Learning is structured to maximise guided self-directed learning, with team based learning events provided to support greater conceptual understanding of the material. Practical clinical skills are developed alongside clinical scenarios in a supportive environment with an emphasis of learners becoming trusted to carry out clinical activities and make a positive contribution to patient care. Our approach helps students prepare for their future careers by enabling them to develop independence, confidence, resilience and the ability to work as part of a team. We use a range of teaching and learning activities to meet the learning needs of a diverse range of students:

• Online learning: Learners are presented with a clinical cases along with a suite of resources to facilitate achieving the outcomes associated with it. These may consist of videos, audio, bespoke e-learning packages, factsheets and directed reading.
• Team Based Learning Events: All learning is brought together and consolidated in a day long learning event once every two weeks. Events are led by a team of subject experts who act as specialist facilitators, directing student learning via a range of application exercises which, after a formative assessment of individual understanding, students work through as a team.  
• Practical classes: Learners work in small groups with clinician supervisors who support them to further develop their clinical skills working towards entrustment levels needed to move from third to fourth year.  
• Academic adviser meetings: Learners meet with their named academic adviser twice per semester in formal timetabled meetings. Academic advisers support students with their personal and professional development throughout the MSci optometry course.
• Placement: Learners work in clinical teams with other year groups in our public facing optometry clinics delivering care to patients in the local community under supervision giving an opportunity to show they can be entrusted with key areas of activity. Learners are encouraged to apply for short term placements provided by our Manchester Practice Partners or volunteer for optometry charities. This experience can count towards the regulator mandated clinical experience.
• Inter Professional Education: Learners attend an events where they work with students from other healthcare programmes to understand a patient journey holistically.  

Upon completion of this unit learners will be able to:

1. Explain what is meant by evidence based practice  
2. Discuss different levels of evidence  
3. Appraise publically available information about eye health  
4. Demonstrate how to search the academic literature  
5. Discuss how research in healthcare is undertaken  
6. Discuss the role of Research Ethics Committees and the need for the regulation of research involving human subjects  
7. Describe methods of data presentation, analysis and interpretation
8. Use the concepts of variability, sampling and how to test for differences
9. Demonstrate how to investigate associations
10. Demonstrate how to deal with categorical data, how to compare more than one group and regression analysis  
11. Demonstrate how to deal with non-parametric data  
12. Use the basic functions of Excel and SPSS  
13. Critically appraise a research article and explain it in lay terms
14. Describe the process of audit  
15. Explain the use of PROMS
16. Describe the various approaches to referencing
17. Communicate effectively with patients in their immediate context  
18. Explain tensions when making resource allocation decisions in healthcare  
19. Explain recent and emerging developments affecting the delivery of eye care  
20. Demonstrate what is meant by consent, confidentiality, conflict of interest, whistleblowing, limits of competence, equality and diversity  
21. Apply the legislation applicable to the practice of optometry  
22. Demonstrate what is meant by clinical governance  
23. Demonstrate how an Optometrist delivers NHS funded care  
24. Show how culture and ethnicity may affect the delivery of healthcare  
25. Discover the role of Optometrists in public health  
26. Demonstrate an understanding of intellectual property implications in AI collaborations between the NHS and commercial entities and articulate the distinct sub-fields of AI and machine learning, explaining their applications.
27. Describe the core concepts used in machine learning and what is meant by supervised, unsupervised and reinforcement learning  
28. Describe how to utilise AI systems to enhance task efficiency while ensuring quality and safety.

Knowledge and understanding (optional)

Upon completion of this unit learners will be able to either:

1. Demonstrate that they have met the criteria for Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy  OR
2. Demonstrate the learning outcomes associated with a ten credit second semester University College for Interdisciplinary Learning (UCIL) unit.

Over the course of this unit and Clinical Practice 1 learners will be required to demonstrate that they can be entrusted (level in brackets) with the work listed below by the end of third year. See section on summative assessment for further details of entrustable professional activities (EPAs).  

• Managing a patient with retinal vascular pathology (2)
• Managing a patient with an ocular emergency (3)
• Managing a patient with glaucoma (3)
• Managing a patient with macula pathology  
• Managing a patient with anterior eye pathology (2)  
• Managing a patient with neuro ophthalmic pathology (2)
• Managing a patient with specific needs  (3)
• Managing a patient with cataract (3)  
• Managing a patient with a refractive error (3)  
• Managing a paediatric patient (3)  
• Managing a patient with a binocular vision abnormality (3)
• Managing a patient with contact lenses (3)
• Managing a patient with visual impairment (3)
• Managing a patient who requires spectacle dispensing (3). 

Upon completion of this unit learners will be able to:

• Apply basic principles to real world problems  
• Reflect on and discuss own strengths and development needs
• Discuss strategies to cope with stress and use a growth mindset when dealing with adversity
• Work as part of a team and show awareness of methods that can be used to resolve conflict  
• Discuss how to communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals  
• Engage with and apply feedback from academic staff and peers  
• Analyse evidence from the peer reviewed literature
• Construct a curriculum vitae.

Formative

• Multiple Choice Questions every 2 weeks
• TBL case-based exercises and application exercises every 2 weeks.

Summative

• Integrated case-based examination at end of academic year, using the same format as TBL exercises. This is a single assessment event which covers Clinical Practice 1 and 2 (25 credits)
• Assessments associated with UCIL unit (10 credits).
• Completion of reflective portfolio (pass/fail). This is a single decision which covers Clinical Practice 1 and 2.
• Entrustment scores given by clinical supervisors at each undertaking of an EPA which generates a score between 1 and 4 where:
  • 1 = Observation of activity only  
  • 2 = Activity performed under direct supervision  
  • 3 = Activity performed under reactive supervision  
  • 4 = Activity can be performed unsupervised  
• Decision on progress from third to fourth year made by a competence committee who review these entrustment scores along with other key metrics across the whole year such as attendance and performance in formative MCQs. For a learner to progress the committee needs to be convinced that entrustments levels specified in the ‘Practical Skills’ section have been reached (25 credits).

Formative

• Immediate feedback on MCQs  
• Immediate feedback on team based application exercises  
• Immediate feedback from supervisors on EPAs
• Periodic meeting and review of all formative assessment from TBL and EPA with academic advisor and year team if needed.

Summative

• Feedback on integrated case based examination following summer exam period
• Written feedback on reflective portfolio
• Feedback from the competence committee on decision to progress.

The MSci optometry uses a TBL approach to teaching and learning. As such, learners are required to engage with a number of self-directed learning activities including reading. In year 3, reading material is provided for students by staff but they are encouraged to search for their own additional resources to supplement learning. Directed reading will be from optometry journals, eBooks and clinical resources (e.g. College of Optometrists Guidance, LOCSU resources). As clinical practice is constantly changing, this material will be reviewed each academic year, and then again before each session is delivered, to ensure it remains relevant.

Scheduled activity hours:

• TBL Events: 42
• Practical classes: 35
• Clinical placement: 228