With the changes brought about in the education of optical professionals by the GOC under the banner of ETR (education and training requirements), there are destined to be more and more optometrists joining the profession with higher qualifications.
It’s definitely a step in the right direction, but as a profession we need to ensure that these new registrars are given every opportunity to flourish.
We do that by supporting their short and long placements as they travel through university ensuring that they are given sufficient exposure to real-world cases to develop into high-quality clinicians.
We will have a strange year or two where there is a mixed cohort of these ETR students taking over from the familiar scheme for registration, administrated by the College of Optometrists. The College will still administer the bulk of the new longer placements from the ETR via their Clip (Clinical Learning in Practice) programme.
While these routes to qualification will vary by university in some cases, the overarching vision is the same: creating clinicians better suited to the requirements of providing care.
I still see this more as evolution rather than revolution. We all still have a role to play. Firstly, lots of us must look to the future, reflect and decide what we are going to do to keep up with the new kids on the block (yes, I’m old enough to remember the band too).
For me, that was tackling independent prescribing (IP). Returning to part-time study as a 44-year-old optometrist was both rewarding and daunting.
While advancing clinical knowledge and expanding the scope of practice is exciting, the reality of balancing work, study and personal life – alongside the fear of failure – was a little overwhelming. That is very normal and to be expected. Please don’t let it put you off.
For those who have taken a break from study, it feels very different from being a student in your early 20s. Time management becomes crucial – finding moments before clinic starts, during lunch breaks or late at night to go over pharmacology, case studies and clinical guidelines.
Technology also plays a bigger role in learning now, compared to when many of us first qualified. Online learning platforms, recorded lectures and virtual study groups offer flexibility, but they also demand a level of digital literacy that can feel intimidating at first.
It takes time to adjust to new ways of learning, but once mastered, they can be invaluable tools for studying efficiently.
I must say, the support from the entire team at the University of Hertfordshire was excellent – notably Colin Davidson. Getting used to a new learning management system was no mean feat and the lectures, coursework, etc, were interesting and challenging.
How will you keep up?
If you haven’t already, please do consider a higher qualification as part of your development. Depending on where you are in the UK, there may be some funded places (speak to your local optical committee (LOC) or regional optical committee).
Many employers, including Specsavers, will help toward, or even cover, funding. A special shout out to Scope which offers a funded IP placement scholarship as well.
If you are after a taster of what some of the higher qualifications might involve, there are great CPD articles and resources available in Optician and at scope-connect.com and specsavers-spectrum.com.
Secondly, we must support students in whichever way we can for experience, placements and the like. I’m sure we can all remember those who shaped and formed our career by giving us opportunities and experience or those who helped us to decide ‘what not to do’.
While this new world of short placements, long placements and differences in qualification routes might seem daunting to us, imagine how it feels for them. Let’s all embrace our roles and make it a huge success.
You are all role models to that generation. We need to set the bar high for them to aspire to and give them motivation, support and impetus so that they can be the best they can be.
Who will you inspire?
Someone who was the very best of us in this respect has sadly passed away recently. Judy Lea – tragically leaving us at just 59 years old.
She worked across community and Hospital Eye Service roles as well as being active in her LOC, serving as an assessor for Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre and the College of Optometrists and achieving the certificate in assessing vocational achievement for diabetic retinopathy.
Her work with students and newly qualified optometrists as Specsavers’ head of university engagement and, subsequently, head of optometry development, leaves an enormous legacy.
Her skills and influence positively impacted the care of many thousands of optometrists who, in turn, support the eye health of the nation to a higher standard thanks to her.
- Paul Morris is director of professional advancement at Specsavers UK & Ireland.
