MSci Optometry

In this unit you will have the chance to specialise in a clinical or scientific area. You will also continue to develop your clinical abilities as you spend most of your time in the Manchester Optometry Clinics, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital or on external placements. You will work towards being trusted in all the core areas of optometric practice to enable you to graduate and join the GOC register at the end of the academic year. 

The unit aims to:

• 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 to independently solve problems in clinical environments (QAA Qualifications Framework)
• Develop the ability to undertake clinical work which a learner can be trusted to perform without supervision (QAA Qualifications 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. In the fourth year of the programme this takes the form of peer discussions where learners present cases they have seen in clinic. 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 continue to have access to a suite of resources to facilitate learning in practice. These may consist of videos, audio, bespoke e-learning packages, factsheets and directed reading.
• Team Based Learning Events: In the fourth year of the programme this takes the form of peer discussions where learners present cases they have seen in clinic.
• 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 lead clinical teams with other year groups in our public facing optometry clinics/on external placement delivering care to patients, in the local community, under supervision giving an opportunity to show they can be entrusted with key areas of activity.  

Upon completion of this unit learners will be able to:

1. Explain the main types of bias that affect AI systems and takes steps to mitigate bias  
2. Discuss how AI solution for optometric practice might be critically appraised  
3. Justify the use of AI in specific clinical scenarios.

AND

1. Demonstrate the outcomes associated with one of the specialisms found here  

OR (if choosing a research project)

1. Address a research question with an appropriate experimental design  
2. Submit an application to an ethics committee
3. Use appropriate statistical techniques to analyse data collected  
4. Conduct a literature review and critically analyse relevant papers  
5. Discuss experimental results  
6. Write up a project in a form that could be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

Over the course of this unit and Advanced Clinical Practice 2 learners will be required to demonstrate that they can be entrusted (level in brackets) with the work listed below in order to graduate and register with the GOC. See section on summative assessment for further details of entrustable professional activities (EPAs).  

1. Managing a patient with retinal vascular pathology (4)
2. Managing a patient with an ocular emergency (4)
3. Managing a patient with glaucoma (4)
4. Managing a patient with macula pathology (4)
5. Managing a patient with anterior eye pathology (4)  
6. Managing a patient with neuro ophthalmic pathology (4)
7. Managing a patient with specific needs  (4)
8. Managing a patient with cataract (4)  
9. Managing a patient with a refractive error (4)  
10. Managing a paediatric patient (4)  
11. Managing a patient with a binocular vision abnormality (4)
12. Managing a patient with contact lenses (4)
13. Managing a patient with visual impairment (4)
14. Managing a patient who requires spectacle dispensing (4).

Upon completion of this unit learners will be able to:

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

Research Project or Assessment in chosen specialist areas (15 credits) (Summative)  

Case presentations (Formative)

• Integrated case-based examination at end of academic year, using the same format as TBL exercises in earlier years. This is a single assessment event which covers Advanced Clinical Practice 1 and 2 (15 credits)
• Completion of reflective portfolio (pass/fail). This is a single decision which covers Advanced 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 (Individual Score is low stakes Summative)
  • 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 to graduation and GOC registration 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 case presentations. For a learner to graduate the committee needs to be convinced that entrustments levels specified in the ‘Practical Skills’ section have been reached(30 credits).

Formative

• Immediate feedback on case presentations
• Feedback on research project or specialist area  
• Immediate feedback from supervisors on EPAs
• Periodic meeting and review of all formative assessment from Case presentations and EPA with academic advisor and year team if needed.

Summative

• Written feedback on reflective portfolio
• Feedback from the competence committee on decision to progress
• Research project OR summative tasks associated with chosen clinical specialisms.

In year 4, reading material is provided for students by staff but they are encouraged to search for their own additional resources to supplement learning. Reading will be from optometry journals, eBooks and clinical resources (e.g. College of Optometrists Guidance, LOCSU resources). As clinical practice is constantly changing, the recommended material will be reviewed each academic year, to ensure it remains relevant. 

Scheduled activity hours:

• Case Discussions: 40
• Clinical placement: 455