2016_SUNY_Optometry_PRR

 Collaborative Care: Our professional degree students need to be exposed to collaborative care environments as a part of their clinical training. The College has numerous clinical care affiliations and has recently added more in hospital and health center settings. The educational/clinical experience of the students will need to be well managed to assure educational goals at these sites are achieved. The College is developing interprofessional education and collaborative care opportunities in the University Eye Center through existing and new affiliations with health care professions.  University Eye Center: The College’s UEC needs investment in terms of facilities and capital equipment to ensure it is able to provide students (and patients) with the most advanced care environment which supports our mission as an academic health center. Standard 12: General Education The College offers only first professional and graduate degrees. Admission to degree programs requires entering students to have completed general education courses and/or an undergraduate degree. Affiliated Clinical Network: A fundamental element in health professions education is the use of affiliated clinical care facilities to provide students with experiential, patient ‐ based learning opportunities. Indeed, experiential learning is a required element for specialty accreditation in optometry . The College’s structure and quality assurance processes for our Affiliated Clinical Network have not changed since the last MSCHE site visit. We have increased the percentage of clinical experience provided through our externship program. The fourth year of the professional program at the SUNY College of Optometry is devoted entirely to the Clinical Education Track and consists of a four ‐ quarter clinical rotation system that requires student optometrists to participate in external clinical site training as well as clinical rotations within the University Eye Center (UEC). Prior to AY 2014, students were assigned to two quarters within the UEC and two quarters in our externship program. Beginning with AY 2014, students completed one quarter in the UEC and three quarters in the externship program. The one internal and three external balance is typical of most programs nationally. External clinical affiliations include hospitals, multidisciplinary practices, health care centers and private practices. Additionally, rotations through some of the UEC’s specialty clinic areas are also part of the externship program. These experiences provide participants with a wide range of patient care opportunities in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings. With the changing health care environment, the identification and selection of affiliated sites has changed to ensure our students are exposed to interprofessional collaborative practice opportunities and prepared to practice in the evolving health care system. Certificate Programs: Graduate Certificate in Optometry Business Management: As mentioned under Standard 11, qualified students working toward their OD degree may apply for the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Optometry Business Management. The certificate is offered jointly by the College and SUNY Empire State College. Upon completion it is applicable to an MBA in Healthcare Leadership also offered by Standard 13: Related Educational Offerings Experiential/Applied Learning

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