UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

In this unit students will enhance their capacity to apply knowledge of the physical and biomedical sciences and the professional practices underpinning optometry in the clinical setting. Students will engage in problem-based learning cases on more complex optometric conditions associated with developmental and refractive disorders of vision, ocular disease, ocular therapy and systemic disorders of vision. Classes, seminars, clinical skills practicals and clinical placements will be offered in support of the problem-based sessions. In addition, students will apply and consolidate the competencies defined by the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ) in a variety of optometric and health care settings. They will also develop competencies in assessing and prescribing pharmacological interventions in optometry practice. Students will continue to enhance their understanding of ethical and public health related matters associated with vision care services. Transition to clinical practice workshops will prepare students for clinical rotations and highlight topical issues in optometric practice.

Credit

24 points

Offering
(see Timetable)

Availability	Location	Mode
Non-standard teaching period	UWA (Perth)	Face to face

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) competently perform history-taking for a range of conditions and case complexities; (2) competently perform examination for a range of conditions and case complexities; (3) design appropriate investigations for a range of conditions and case complexities; (4) demonstrate the ability to differentially diagnose a range of conditions and case complexities; (5) demonstrate competence in assessing and prescribing pharmacological interventions for a range of conditions and case complexities in optometry; (6) apply professional standards to the recording of and safe guarding of clinical data for a range of conditions and case complexities; (7) generate effective management plans for a range of conditions and case complexities; (8) effectively communicate management plans for a range of conditions and case complexities; (9) apply reflective process upon experiences to gain further understanding of the professional, management and business aspects of optometry practice; and (10) apply reflective process about experiences in optometry and allied health practice to gain further understanding of their roles in social, public and population health settings.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) tests; (2) written assessments; (3) clinical assessments; and (4) professional behaviour assessment. Further information is available in the unit outline.

To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the clinical assessments and professional behaviour assessment components.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Khyber Alam

Unit rules

Prerequisites

OPTM5101 Integrated Ophthalmic Science 1, OPTM5102 Optometric Practice 1, OPTM5103 Integrated Ophthalmic Science 2, OPTM5104 Optometric Practice 2
AND OPTM5105 Optometry Research Project
AND OPTM5106 Integrated Optometric Practice

Contact hours

Lectures 8x 1 hour online per week, 4 practical classes (8 hours per week), 2 PBL classes (4 hours per week), 1 TBL per week (2 hours per week). Pre-clinical placement: around 70 hours per Trimester.