MSCHE Self Study April 2021

 A Research Skills course for OD ‐ MS students was developed that provides general guidance for successful research, including data collection and analysis; skills for writing journal articles and meeting presentations; application requirements for IACUC and IRB approvals; federal guidelines for animal and human research; and sources of research funding.  A Journal Club for OD ‐ MS students where original literature is discussed weekly was created. This course teaches new OD ‐ MS students how to navigate literature and library sites and the art of gleaning information from journal articles.  Students must now meet with their thesis committee every six months to confirm their research project is progressing adequately. The thesis committee provides a written report to the Associate Dean after each meeting. This change has allowed the timely identification and rectification of impediments to successfully completing the thesis within the four years of study in the OD program. The above actions appear to have improved graduation rates. If, as expected, the current 10 students complete the program, the completion rate will be 88%, which is a 13% increase from the completion rate for the previous 10 ‐ year period. Combined Residency/MS and Residency/PhD Graduate Programs in Vision Science The program has had one Resident/MS student matriculate in each of its first two years. Early assessment indicates that lengthening the residency from one to two years so participants can be half time residents and half time graduate students has been successful. The first three Resident/MS students completed the residency and MS degree in the two ‐ year period. The program is assessed annually, and changes will be implemented as necessary. In 2020, the first resident/PhD matriculated. Residency Program The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA, individually accredits all residencies offered at or affiliated with the College. The residency standards employed by this accrediting agency can be found in the ACOE Residency Accreditation Manual . Among the standards that must be met is the following: The residency must specify in the curriculum the specific knowledge, skills and behaviors needed to attain core competencies and must require the resident to attain core competencies specific to the program’s mission. As part of the ACOE accreditation process, which includes a site ‐ visit at least once every eight years, each program must prepare a detailed self ‐ study that delineates its goals and objectives. The learning objectives/competencies for each of the residency programs are as follows:

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