Describes a social service position in an urban vision clinic that serves as a practicum site for optometric students and as a field placement site for social work students. Discusses health and financial benefits to patients and opportunities for interdisciplinary cooperation of social service positions in holistic health care. (Author/JAC)

The University of Houston College of Optometry external clinical program, which provides fourth year students with multidisciplinary clinical activities in facilities serving underserved areas, is described. The multidisciplinary practice setting allows the students to learn about the role of the optometrist and to communicate with other health…

A survey of 4,692 health care providers received 1,763 responses that assessed whether future continuing education programs could be designed in an interdisciplinary fashion and still meet the perceived needs of 5 health care professions. It found that program content, date, time, and location are the most important factors influencing attendance.…

Remediation of at-risk senior optometry students is discussed, looking at possible reasons for remediation need and the design of a program to effectively address students' needs, including program design, student evaluation/placement, development of specific skills, and supervision. The South Boston Community Health Center (Massachusetts) program…

A University of Missouri-St. Louis program combines a two-year optometric residency with a master of science degree in gerontology to prepare clinicians as teachers of geriatric optometry. The interdisciplinary program's components include optometric care of elderly patients, supervised student teaching, and coursework in geriatrics. (Author/MSE)

Clinical optometric education is in flux. It must meet the challenges of advances in bioscience, newer diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, a changing health care environment, and interdisciplinary learning for problem solving; engender social responsibility; promote good provider-patient relations; stress primary care; and emphasize prevention.…