Entry Level Practice Standards
BEFORE GRADUATION EACH STUDENT WILL EFFECTIVELY UTILIZE AND DEMONSTRATE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE IN PATIENT CARE WITHIN EACH OF THE FOLLOIWNG AREAS:
The faculty has approved the following optometric Entry-level Standards:
Doctors of Optometry must have an established knowledge of the basic and clinical sciences in order to provide quality eye and vision care to their patients. The academic foundation must be broad and include the biological, medical, vision and optical sciences, as well as a basic understanding of the health care delivery system. A Doctor of Optometry must recognize the dynamic nature of knowledge and possess the commitment and skills needed to responsibly assess and apply new information and treatment strategies throughout their career.
The UM- St. Louis College of Optometry shall ensure that before graduation each student will effectively utilize and demonstrate a working knowledge in patient care within each of the following areas:
- basic body systems, with
special emphasis on the ocular and visual system and their interrelationships
to the body as a whole;
- the impact of genes and their
interaction with behavior, diet and the environment on human health;
- the various processes and
causes that lead to dysfunction and disease and the effect that these
processes can have on the body and its major organ systems, with special
emphasis on the ocular and visual systems;
- the mechanisms of actions of
the various classes of pharmaceutical agents, including injectable agents, their interactions, along
with their safe and effective use for the treatment of disease and
conditions affecting the eye and visual system;
- the structures and processes
contributing to the development of refractive error and other optical or
perceptual abnormalities of the visual system;
- the optics of the eye and ophthalmic
lens systems (including spectacles, contact lenses, and low vision
devices) used to correct refractive, oculomotor and other vision
disorders;
- visual development and vision
function with respect to deviation and enhancement of conditions such as,
but not limited to, strabismus, amblyopia, oculomotor, accommodation, and
visual perception;
- vision therapy and other
rehabilitative methods used for the management of common visual disorders;
- the psychosocial dynamics of
the doctor/patient relationship and an understanding of the social,
psychological, and economic forces affecting diverse patient populations;
- the practice management
structure and strategies as they pertain to various practice settings;
- the critical elements of verbal
and written communications and understanding of the need for clear and
appropriate documentation of patient encounters;
- the concepts of refractive
surgery and its management;
- the conscientious use of
current best practices in patient care decision making;
- a broad-based multidisciplinary
understanding of patient care;
- an appreciation for and a
commitment to lifelong learning;
- information management and
technology in the delivery of eye and health care;
- and an understanding of and
commitment to uphold the ethical obligations imposed by the tenets of the
Optometric Oath of Practice.
2001 School of Optometry
Revised March, 2007
- basic body systems, with
special emphasis on the ocular and visual system and their interrelationships
to the body as a whole;