Practical Optometry 1, 7.5 credits

Passed results of at least 55 credits from the Study Programme in Optometry's semester 1 and 2 and at least 45 credits from semester 3 and 4.

Students who have failed their VIL/ VFU (clinical training opportunity) after demonstrating serious deficiencies in understanding, skill, or professional attitude, and done this to the degree that client or patient safety or client/ patient/ employer trust for the healthcare have been jeopardised, will qualify for a new VIL/ VFU opportunity only after completion of an individual action plan.

After the course, the student should be able to

• independently perform plan, motivate and carry out complete eye examinations on all patient groups
• independently select and justify the choice of method and measurements made
• independently integrate knowledge and skills to solve/ manage the patient's needs
• demonstrate the ability to receive supervision and collaborate with the supervisor and other staff to develop a professional approach
• demonstrate the ability to identify any need for additional knowledge of relevance to the area
• identify, reason and reflect on issues of ethics, sustainable development and equal conditions for the current workplace
• identify, reason and reflect on her own and other professionals' role in work areas for the current workplace.

A large part of the course involves practical training (VFU) at a pre-approved optician's store, eye clinic or equivalent. During VFU, the goal is for the student to integrate the overall content of the optician's syllabus and use that knowledge within the framework of the work carried out in the workplace.

The course includes VFU, self-studies, theoretical overviews, practical/ clinical exercises, portfolio and written assignments. The student must herself arrange to find a VFU placement that has to be approved by the course leader.

Some course elements are compulsory, see heading "Examination".

The course is examined in the following way:
a) continuous examination of clinical proficiencies and patient care in connection with VFU, is graded U (Fail) or G (Pass)
b) compulsory portfolio according to instructions
c) compulsory seminar as per schedule

The course is graded U or G. The grade G requires G on examination a) as well as fulfillment of compulsory course elements.

Absence from or unfullfillment of compulsory course element
The examiner decides whether, and if so how, absence from or unfulfillment of compulsory course elements can be made up for. Study results cannot be reported until the student has participated in or fulfilled compulsory course elements, or compensated for any absence/ failure to fulfill in accordance with instructions from the examiner. Absence from or unfulfillment of a compulsory course element may imply that the student can not retake the element until the next time the course is offered.

Guidelines in case of failure
The examiner may, with immediate effect, interrupt a student's VFU placement if the student demonstrates such serious deficiencies in knowledge, skills or attitude that patient safety or patient confidence in healthcare is at risk. If the VFU placement is interrupted in this way the student is deemed to have failed that element and to have used up one VFU opportunity. In such cases, an individual action plan should be set up stating which activities and tests are required before the student is qualified for a new VFU placement on the course.

Possibility of exception from the course syllabus' regulations on examination
If there are special grounds, or a need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus's regulations on the examination form, the number of examination opportunities, the possibility of supplementation or exemptions from the compulsory section/s of the course etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected knowledge, skills and attitudes may not be changed, removed or reduced.

If the course is cancelled or goes through substantial changes, information about interim regulations will be stated here.

Course evaluation takes place in accordance with KI's local guidelines. Compilation of the students' answers in course questionnaires and the course coordinator's analysis of these are published on KI's public course web.