Survival guide to pre-reg stage 1: Competency

Over the first eight or nine months of your supervised pre-registration year, you will aim to gain in confidence dealing with as wide a range of patients as possible (see table 1). Establishing a good rapport with your supervisor, practice staff and stage 1 assessor and ensuring your practical skills meet the requirement for registered optometrists will also be crucial.

In addition trainees must be able to justify clinical actions and patient management – and this will include explaining any refractive correction, treatment or referral activity.

Another requirement is the evidence for your stage 1 assessor to sign you off for all 75 competency elements, and to be able to respond to any requests by the assessor for information to be sent prior to the visit. As part of this, record-keeping must be accurate, legible and meet the GOC standards of practice. It is essential to demonstrate patient consent for use of their records has been agreed.