Visus writes: Embracing professional development

Many optometrists have embraced enthusiastically the professional development made possible by specialisation, whether formally recognised by enhanced GOC registration in therapeutics or by acquiring additional qualifications. But is everything rosy in this inexorable professional development? It is certainly advancing the scope of practice for optometrists and it is answering a call for a long overdue career pathway, perhaps not without caveat. For we must address the issue of competence-based education which of its nature is set, if not in stone, then at least documented and codified. Indeed, it underpins the statutory continuing education requirements for all registrants. However, it is the nature of the beast that developments in scientific evidence, technology and clinical management may render some competencies redundant or superseded. Similarly those competencies that already exist may be downgraded. Who controls this?