What happens when former first-generation college (FGC) students successfully graduate from college and then aim for post-undergraduate education? The purpose of this dissertation is to compare differences between FGC students and non-FGC admissions profiles regarding end-of-first-year performance at UC Berkeley's School of Optometry. The aims of…

This article presents a critical review of the literature surrounding the potential impact of undiagnosed and untreated vision impairment on reading development in the early years of primary school. Despite pre-school screening programmes, it is still possible for children to enter school with undiagnosed, uncorrected vision impairments. This can…

Students enrolled in the Optometry program at the University of Manchester are required to take a functional anatomy course during the first year of their studies. Low mean scores in the written examination of this unit for the past two academic years energized staff to rethink the teaching format. Interactive sessions lasting 20 minutes each were…

In this study, we examined differences in dynamic visual acuity between elite and subelite water polo players and sedentary students. To measure dynamic visual acuity binocularly, we asked participants to indicate the orientation of a broken ring, similar to the Landolt C, which increased in size as it moved across a computer screen. Two different…

A study comparing the medically relevant educational requirements of the University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry to that of the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry finds that the curriculums are generally equivalent, supporting the argument for an expanded scope of optometric practice. (EV)

Evaluated the new curriculum at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Optometry by comparing the content of the new curriculum to the old curriculum and by surveying faculty and students regarding their opinion of the new curriculum. Findings indicated that the curriculum is successful in implementing desired changes, including reduced…

A study investigated the relationship between performance on basic science (BS) and clinical science (CS) national board examinations in optometry because many students do well on CS while failing on BS. Results indicated a high correlation between scores on the tests, underscoring the importance of the BS examination and the test's predictive…

Describes a survey of members of the Association of Visual Science Librarians (AVSL) that evaluated the professional and financial support by their institutions. Results are discussed and compared to the 1971 Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Standards for Faculty Status for College and University Librarians. (LRW)

Due to criticism that optometrists are not adequately trained to use drugs for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, the course of study taken by optometry students was compared to that taken by medical students in terms of faculty capability, courses content, and relationship to career needs.

The Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory, with a vocational title called Optometry, was used to profile a sample of second-year optometry students and to compare them with samples of practicing optometrists. One conclusion questions these students' compatibility with older practitioners. (MLW)

The evaluation of a tutorial program for a college of optometry that provides both group reviews and individual instruction and a discussion of the need for such services are presented. (MSE)

A survey of the professional and graduate level degrees of the deans in each discipline at major health care education institutions found some patterns. Most administrators have only a single professional or combined professional/master's degree. Optometry has the most combined professional/doctoral degrees. (MSE)

In 1972 the New England College of Optometry instituted a new curriculum that provided accelerated optometric education leading to an O.D. degree for qualified candidates with a Ph.D. degree in the sciences. That experience is summarized. (MLW)

A discussion of current changes in optometry looks at the expanding for-profit health sector, changing student characteristics and enrollment patterns, the changing scope of optometric care and technology, and the demise of professionalism and ethics. Implications for pharmaceutical education are considered. (MSE)

A survey of 1,775 Ohio health care providers in 5 disciplines concerning the demand for professional continuing education is reported. Results indicate that program content, date, time, and location are the most important factors influencing program attendance. Specific comparisons are made between optometry and other health care professions. (MSE)