STANDARD II – CURRICULUM

Summary

The UAB School of Optometry curriculum fulfills the intent of the mission statement of the professional program to prepare graduates for entry-level practice. This is formally defined in the Curriculum Committee document, Basic Competency for Entry-level Optometrists. The curriculum of the professional program is under continual review by the Curriculum Committee, a standing committee of the School of Optometry. This committee recently completed an extensive review of the professional program curriculum. The recommended curricular changes were approved by the Executive Committee and the Dean in 2007. As a result, the new curriculum was implemented in August 2008 with the incoming first year class. The new curriculum will be introduced for the second, third and fourth years beginning with the summer term of 2009.

The length of the UABSO professional optometric curriculum is fifteen quarters in the current system (2^nd to 4^th years) and will be eleven semesters, once the new curriculum is fully implemented. A variety of procedures are employed to assess each student’s achievement of curricular outcomes. The program engages in periodic and systematic curricular evaluations by students, faculty and administrators. The optometric program retains primary responsibility for its curriculum for all courses and clinics. Basic science instruction provides a foundation of knowledge in physical, biological and behavioral sciences essential for clinical optometric care. Vision science instruction provides a foundation in the biological, optical, and functional aspects of the visual system. Clinical instruction and practice consists of didactic, laboratory, and supervised clinical experience in the examination, diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients. The quantity, quality and variety of experiences in the supervised care of patients are sufficient to develop clinical competency for entry level practice. The program has established and applied a set of clinical outcomes to prepare students for entry-level practice (Basic Competency for Entry-level Optometrists) and require that the graduate be able to: identify, record and analyze pertinent history and problems presented by the patient; demonstrate the necessary skills to examine and evaluate the patient to arrive at a rational diagnosis; formulate a treatment plan and understand the implications of various treatment options; provide preventive care, patient education and counseling; recognize when it is necessary to obtain a consultation and to coordinate care provided by others; demonstrate knowledge of professional, ethical, legal, personal, practice management, and public health issues applicable to the delivery of optometric care; effectively communicate orally and in writing with other healthcare professionals and patients; and, demonstrate basic life support skills for emergencies encountered in optometric practice. All external clinical programs are formalized by written agreement and are consistent with the program’s educational goals.

2.1 The optometric curriculum must fulfill the intent of the mission statement of the program to prepare graduates for entry-level practice as defined by the program.

Examples of Evidence

· Definition of entry level (UABSO Entry level competencies)

· Copy of curriculum (UABSO Curriculum website)

· Course learning objectives

· Relevant educational outcome measures

Fulfilling the Mission Statement

The mission statement of UABSO, contained in the UABSO Catalog, states:

“The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry adds value to the state of Alabama and its citizens through excellent, effective, and efficient optometric and vision science education, research, service, and patient care programs. The UAB School of Optometry has an unyielding commitment:

(1) to scholarship and research, which provide the underpinning of optometric and vision science education and service;

(2) to strengthen the provision of optometric care to a diverse public;

(3) to cherish the value that diversity in faculty and students bring to optometry and vision science; and

(4) to fair and equitable treatment of faculty, students, and staff—the source of UABSO’s strength.

The School of Optometry’s achievement of its mission will be measured by the success of students and faculty who learn, create, teach, and provide patient care in our doctoral professional and graduate programs.”

To help ensure that the mission statement is fulfilled, UABSO has several quantifiable metrics in place. These are described in the following section.

Definition of entry level

1. Functional standards for didactic and clinical optometric education (UABSO Catalog)

These standards are designed to prepare graduates for entry-level practice of optometry. Initially established by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), the functional standards provide guidance for prospective students and for the UABSO Admissions Committee regarding a candidate's capacity to function effectively in both academic and clinical environments, as well as a candidate's academic qualifications and personal attributes. The ability to meet these standards is necessary for graduation from UABSO as it is for all ASCO member schools and colleges of optometry.

The functional standards for optometric education require that the candidate/student possess appropriate abilities in the following areas:

1) observation

2) communication

3) sensory and motor coordination

4) intellectual-conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities

5) behavioral and social attributes.

In any case where a student's ability in one or more of these areas is compromised, he or she must demonstrate alternative means and/or abilities to meet the functional standards. On receipt of appropriate documentation, an ad hoc Functional Standards Committee is convened to review the request, and will determine the feasibility and nature of the accommodation requested and possible alternatives, if any. The UABSO curriculum (Curriculum website) represents the application of the detailed standards for education and training to achieve entry-level competency to practice optometry.

2. Entry level (basic) competencies required of graduates (UABSO Entry Level Competencies)

These entry-level competencies, in turn, form the objectives of the curriculum. The School, therefore, considers that the curriculum fulfills the mission statement of UABSO to prepare professional program (Doctor of Optometry) graduates for entry-level practice.

Course learning objectives

Each coursemaster participating in the UABSO professional program is required to prepare and distribute a syllabus with objectives for the course or courses for which he or she is responsible. All course syllabi and objectives for basic science courses, vision science courses, optometry didactic courses, and clinical optometry courses for the 2008-2009 Curriculum are included (as hyperlinks) in the following tables. In the tables, course numbering prefixes signify the following:

OBHS: Optometry Basic Health Science (taught to combined optometry and dental class)

OPT: Didactic course with Optometry department faculty coursemaster

OPVS: Didactic course with both Optometry and Vision Sciences faculty coursemasters

VS: Didactic course with Vision Sciences faculty coursemaster

CLN: Clinic course

MIC: Basic science course with Microbiology Department (School of Medicine) coursemaster

PAT: Basic science course with Pathology Department (School of Medicine) coursemaster

PHR: Basic science course with Pharmacology Department (School of Medicine) coursemaster

Course Syllabi/Objectives: First Year (Semester-based Curriculum) 2008-2009

Year	Sem/Qtr	Course Number	Course Title
1	Fall A	OBHS 111	Fundamentals in Dentistry and Optometry 1
1	Fall A	OPT 111	Introduction to Optometry
1	Fall A	OPT 112	Geometric Optics
1	Fall A	OPVS 111	Basic Science and Clinical Optometry I
1	Fall A	VS 111	Ocular Anatomy
1	Fall B	OBHS 121	Fundamentals in Dentistry and Optometry 2
1	Fall B	OPT 121	Ocular Immunology and Microbiology
1	Fall B	OPVS 121	Basic Science and Clinical Optometry II
1	Fall B	VS 121	Biochemistry of the Eye
1	Fall B	VS 122	Physiology of the Eye
1	Spring A	OPVS 131	Basic Science and Clinical Optometry III
1	Spring A	VS 131	Visual Optics I
1	Spring A	VS 132	Visual Psychophysics
1	Spring A/B	OBHS 131	Systems 1: Neuroscience (12 weeks)
1	Spring A/B	OBHS 132	Systems 2: Gross Anatomy (12 weeks)
1	Spring B	OBHS 141	Systems 3 Cardiovascular (4 weeks)
1	Spring B	OBHS 142	Systems 4 Renal/Genitourinary (3 weeks)
1	Spring B	OPT 141	Clinical Ophthalmic Optics (9 weeks)
1	Spring B	OPT 142	Public Health Optometry I: Epidemiology & Biostatistics (9 wks)
1	Spring B	OPVS 141	Basic Science and Clinical Optometry IV (9 weeks)
1	Spring B	VS 141	Visual Optics II (9 weeks)
1	Spring B	VS 142	Neurobiology of the Visual System (9 weeks)
1	Spring B	VS 143	Eye Movements & Principles of Binocular Vision (9 weeks)
1	Summer	OPT 151	Clinical Evaluation of the Visual System (CEVS) I (6 weeks)
1	Summer	OPT 152	Ophthalmic Materials (6 weeks)
1	Summer	OBHS 151	Systems 5 Respiratory (3 weeks)

Course Syllabi/Objectives: Second Year (Quarter-based Curriculum) 2008-2009

Fall, winter and spring terms are based on the quarter system. Semester conversion is scheduled for the beginning of the summer term at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year, hence the summer semester (Summer S) listed on the table.

Year	Sem/Qtr	Course Number	Course Title
2	Fall	CLN 211	Primary Care Clinic Rotations
2	Fall	CLN 215	Community Eye Care I
2	Fall	MIC 200	Microbiology
2	Fall	OPT 211	CEVS II
2	Fall	PAT 503	General Pathology
2	Winter	CLN 221	Primary Care Clinic Rotations
2	Winter	OPT 221	CEVS III
2	Winter	OPT 222	Clinicolegal Aspects of Optometry
2	Winter	PAT 504	Systemic Pathology (11 weeks)
2	Winter	PHR 200	General Pharmacology (11 weeks)
2	Winter	VS 221	Visual Perception
2	Spring	CLN 231	Primary Care Clinic Rotations
2	Spring	OPT 230	Ocular Pharmacology
2	Spring	OPT 231	CEVS IV
2	Spring	OPT 232	Cornea & External Diseases
2	Spring	OPT 234	Professional and Clinical Communications
2	Spring	OPT 237	Contact Lenses I
2	Spring	OPT 239	Anomalies of Binocular Vision I
2	Summer S	CLN 240	Primary Eye Care Clinic I (4 weeks)
2	Summer S	CLN 258	Clinic Rotation I (4 weeks)
2	Summer S	CLN 245	Community Eye Care II (4 weeks)

Course Syllabi/Objectives: Third Year (Quarter-based Curriculum) 2008-2009

As for second year, third year fall, winter and spring terms are based on the quarter system. Semester conversion is scheduled for the beginning of the summer term at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year, hence the summer semester (Summer S) listed on the table.

Year	Sem/Qtr	Course Number	Course Title
3	Fall	CLN 310	Primary Care Clinic II
3	Fall	CLN 315	Community Eye Care III
3	Fall	CLN 318	Clinic Rotations
3	Fall	OPT 310	Advanced Clinical Procedures I
3	Fall	OPT 316	Diseases of the Posterior Segment
3	Fall	OPT 317	Contact Lenses II
3	Fall	OPT 319	Anomalies of Binocular Vision II
3	Winter	CLN 320	Primary Care Clinic III
3	Winter	CLN 325	Community Eye Care IV
3	Winter	CLN 328	Clinic Rotations
3	Winter	OPT 320	Clinical Management of Vision Problems
3	Winter	OPT 322	Glaucoma
3	Winter	OPT 324	Geriatric Optometry
3	Winter	OPT 326	Pediatric Optometry
3	Winter	OPT 328	Public Health Optometry II
3	Spring	CLN 330	Primary Care Clinic IV
3	Spring	CLN 335	Community Eye Care V
3	Spring	CLN 338	Clinic Rotations
3	Spring	OPT 330	Physical Diagnosis
3	Spring	OPT 331	Neuro-Optometry
3	Spring	OPT 332	Advanced Clinical Procedures II
3	Spring	OPT 335	Low Vision
3	Spring	OPT 336	Business Aspects of Optometry
3	Spring	OPT 337	Public Health Optometry I
3	Summer S	CLN 340	Primary Care Clinic V
3	Summer S	CLN 341	Pediatric Clinic I
3	Summer S	CLN 342	Contact Lens Clinic I
3	Summer S	CLN 343	Ocular Disease & Low Vision Clinic I
3	Summer S	CLN 344	Special Clinical Rotation I
3	Summer S	CLN 345	Externship I

Course Syllabi/Objectives: Fourth Year (Quarter-based Curriculum) 2008-2009

Fourth year 2008-2009 consists of a fall, winter and spring quarter. At the end of the spring quarter, students complete the UABSO Optometry program.

Year	Sem/Qtr	Course Number	Course Title
4	Fall	CLN 410	Primary Care Clinic VI
4	Fall	CLN 411	Pediatric Clinic II
4	Fall	CLN 412	Contact Lens Clinic II
4	Fall	CLN 413	Ocular Disease & Low Vision Clinic II
4	Fall	CLN 414	Special Clinical Rotation II
4	Fall	CLN 440	Externship I
4	Fall	CLN 450	Externship II
4	Winter	CLN 420	Primary Care Clinic VII
4	Winter	CLN 421	Pediatric Clinic III
4	Winter	CLN 422	Contact Lens Clinic III
4	Winter	CLN 423	Ocular Disease & Low Vision Clinic III
4	Winter	CLN 424	Special Clinical Rotation III
4	Winter	CLN 440	Externship I
4	Winter	CLN 450	Externship II
4	Spring	CLN 430	Primary Care Clinic VIII
4	Spring	CLN 431	Pediatric Clinic IV
4	Spring	CLN 432	Contact Lens Clinic IV
4	Spring	CLN 433	Ocular Disease & Low Vision Clinic IV
4	Spring	CLN 434	Special Clinical Rotation IV
4	Spring	CLN 450	Externship II

· Relevant educational outcome measures

NBEO performance is a standard outcome measure by which all schools or colleges of optometry in the United States can be evaluated and compared. The performance of UAB students over the past six years (2002-2007) and a comparison with the national average performance for Parts I, II and III is included. UABSO students have consistently performed above the national average on the NBEO examination since 1983, when the school first mandated that students must pass Part I and II as a requirement for graduation from the UABSO professional program. Passing Part III is a requirement to practice in the State of Alabama as it is for most states. The pass rate on Part III is rarely less than 100%. Apart from exceeding the national average on all three parts of the NBEO examination, students also perform well on the individual subsections of the examination. This is best illustrated by the Part I performance in this regard because of the large number of sub-sections on the NBEO Part I examination.

Other evidence:

Self Study 2008 School Survey Outcomes

Survey Questions Relating to 2.1 (Preparation for Practice)

“The optometric curriculum is fulfilling (alumni "fulfilled") the School's objective to produce entry level optometrists.”

The mean score is based on the following scale:

Strongly Agree = 5, Agree = 4, Neutral = 3, Disagree = 2, Strongly Disagree = 1, Cannot Make a Judgment = omitted. % J = percentage of respondents who “could make a judgment” (that is, had the requisite knowledge or experience of the subject of the question to make an informed judgment). All percentage values rounded to the nearest whole number. Raw data for all surveys are accessible from the links below.

Combined Survey	Faculty		Alumni		Students
	n	% J	n	%	n	% J
Strongly Agree	22	56%	115	56%	31	37%
Agree	16	41%	82	40%	41	49%
Neutral	1	3%	8	4%	7	8%
Disagree	0	0%	2	1%	2	2%
Strongly Disagree	0	0%	0	0%	2	2%
Cannot make judgment	2				5
Total	41	100%	207	100%	88	100%
Mean Score	4.54		4.54		4.17

	Alumni Responses by Graduation Date (7 year groupings)
Year	1973-1979	1980-1986	1987-1993	1994-2000	2001-2007
Mean Score	4.59	4.54	4.46	4.56	4.43
n	22	35	35	41	74

All surveyed groups agreed that the UABSO curriculum is fulfilling the school’s objective to produce entry level optometrists. Average response for all survey metrics is between “agree” and “strongly agree.” No significant trend is evident in the alumni responses over the years, indicating the school, in the view of alumni, is continuing to fulfill this objective.

2.2 The minimum length of the professional optometric curriculum must be four academic years or its equivalent.

Examples of Evidence:

· Copy of curriculum (UABSO Curriculum website)

The length of the UABSO professional optometric curriculum is fifteen quarters, and will be eleven semesters once the new curriculum is fully implemented. Either fifteen quarters or eleven semesters is equivalent to or exceed four academic years. The length of the curriculum is stated in the UAB School of Optometry Catalog and in the Curriculum (UABSO Curriculum website).

2.3 Each student’s achievement of curricular outcomes must be assessed.

Examples of Evidence

· Course examinations

· Laboratory practicals

· Clinical evaluations

· Pre- and post-clinical assessments (proficiency examinations)

· Course grades

Appropriate measures for the assessment of each student’s achievement of curricular outcomes are employed at UABSO.

UABSO has established and operates a standing Curriculum Committee (UABSO Committee Structure). The charge of this committee is defined by the Dean of the UAB School of Optometry and is updated periodically.

Charge to the UAB School of Optometry Curriculum Committee (updated 2005)

To maintain a current description of the professional curriculum; develop a system for describing appropriate basic competencies and continuous outcomes assessment of the current professional degree program curriculum; determine that standards of instruction are commensurate with the current curriculum and basic competencies through peer review, monitoring of student evaluations of teaching, and other appropriate means; recommend changes, additions, deletions, or reconfigurations of the curriculum when deemed appropriate to meet present and future needs.

One of the tasks of this committee is to establish and manage a system of curriculum outcome measures reporting to assess each student’s achievements.

Students’ achievement of curricular outcomes are assessed in the following manner:

1) Course Examination Each didactic course in the curriculum has written examinations, the scores of which contribute to the coursemaster’s assessment of each student’s knowledge and understanding of the course material. With two exceptions, core didactic courses in the UABSO professional program curriculum use an ABCF grading system, in which A = 90-100, B= 80-89, C=70-79, and F indicates a grade <70% and constitutes a fail. The newly developed and implemented Basic Science and Clinical Optometry (BaSCO) course (2008-2009) uses a Pass-Fail system (³70 = P; <70 = F). The course philosophy is to actively demonstrate the relationship between the intensive basic and vision science instruction that students receive in the first 18 months and the clinical aspects of optometry that predominate through the remainder of the curriculum. This is achieved in two ways: (i) weekly presentations by basic/vision scientists, clinical optometrists, or both, and (ii) student group research projects on a major clinical condition culminating in a class presentation. Elective courses (each student must take at least one) are also graded as Pass-Fail.

2) Laboratory Practicals Several of the clinical science courses have a laboratory portion and most of those have regular laboratory practicals in order to assess the student’s proficiency in the skills taught. The clinical science courses that have laboratory practicals include Ophthalmic Materials, Clinical Evaluation of the Visual System (CEVS) I, II, III and IV, Contact Lenses I and II, Anomalies of Binocular Vision I and II, and Advanced Clinical Procedures I. Within the CEVS course sequence, in particular, students are required to show proficiency in each skill tested before entering the clinic for patient care (CEVS Lab Practical Evaluation Criteria).

3) Pre-clinical Proficiency Examination During the spring quarter of the second year, CEVS students are required to perform a full examination on a recruited patient within 90 minutes. The examination is observed in its entirety by a UAB School of Optometry faculty member. As part of the requirements for this practical, students are required to perform all necessary testing including ancillary testing that is appropriately based on patient complaints and other findings. Students are expected to integrate patient history and clinical data in order to manage the patient appropriately (CEVS Lab Practical Evaluation Criteria).

4) Clinical Evaluations For each clinical service, (Primary Care, Cornea and Contact Lenses, Pediatrics, Ocular Disease, Community Eye Care), a student receives a midterm and final quarter grade. Several clinical courses are graded on a pass/fail system: Clinic Rotations - clinic courses intended to help students become more proficient in the examination, diagnosis and clinical management of patients in Primary Care Service, Optical Service and with special populations in an observatory/assistive role: Ocular Disease/Low Vision Service, Pediatric Optometry Services, and Cornea/Contact Lens Service, Special Clinical Rotations - clinic courses to help students become proficient in the examination, diagnosis and clinical management of patients in special populations, to be able to function independently in that capacity, to have advanced exposure to lens processing and optical management and the second-year primary care experience. All other CLN courses are graded on an A, B, C, F system. In general, one attending optometrist evaluates three to five students per half clinic day at least one day per week for one quarter. Grades are determined by the attending optometrist(s) based on individual patient encounters. Daily feedback varies from instructor to instructor and may be written or verbal at the instructor’s discretion. A student may have one or two instructors per clinical service per quarter providing feedback and determining a single agreed-upon final grade. Clinical evaluation details are contained in the following documents:

(i) ACOE 2008 Standard 2 Student Clinic Experience 09 25 08

(ii) ACOE 2008 Standard 2 CL Clinic-Intern Evaluation Form 1-31-07 (2)

(iii) ACOE 2008 Standard 2 Ocular Disease Modified Final

(iv) ACOE 2008 Standard 2 Pediatrics Clinical Evaluation Form – updated Midterm

(v) ACOE 2008 Standard 2 Intern Evaluation Grade Sheet Primary Care Clinic

As with any course in the UABSO Professional Program, clinical course failures are referred to the Academic Review Committee. The committee reviews the student’s course performance, any possible extenuating circumstances, coursemaster recommendations, performance in concurrent courses and past academic history in the program. After deliberating the case, the Academic Review Committee makes a recommendation to the Executive Committee. If the Executive Committee concurs, a recommendation is made to the Dean, who makes the final decision. In the event the Executive Committee does not concur with the Academic Review Committee’s recommendation or the Dean does not concur with the Executive Committee recommendation, the case is further discussed by the appropriate groups until a consensus is reached.

Many clinic courses are prerequisites for subsequent clinic courses, meaning that a course failure may prevent the student from progressing in the clinic before repeating and successfully passing the failed course. Further details of the academic review process are provided in the following section.

5) Course Grades An important curricular outcome is the success of students in dealing with a challenging curriculum. The number of students who have failed one or more courses since 2002, the courses that were failed and the action taken by the Academic Review Committee in each case are listed in the accompanying table: Course Failures 2002-2008. To maintain student confidentiality, each individual case (student) is identified only by a randomly assigned number in the table.

Depending on each failing student’s circumstances, whether one or more courses is failed within an academic year, recommendations of coursemasters, prerequisite requirements for subsequent courses and other factors, students may be permitted to continue in the program and perform subsequent remedial work, may be allowed to continue on a restricted schedule, may be required to repeat the year or may be dismissed from the program. As stated above in section 4, a decision in each case is made by the Academic Review Committee who then makes a recommendation to the Executive Committee as to what action should be taken. The Dean makes the final decision in each case based on the Executive Committee’s recommendation.

The following statistics place the number of students in academic difficulty into the context of the overall number of students graduating from the program between 2002 and 2008:

· Total number of students admitted to UABSO between 1998 and 2004 (scheduled to graduate between 2002 and 2008): 283

· Total number of students graduating from UABSO between 2002 and 2008: 262

· Number of students dismissed for academic reasons between 2002 and 2008: 9

· Number of students who withdrew for non-academic reasons between 2002 and 2008: 7

· Number of students who were repeating and did not graduate in 2008: 5

Between 2002 and 2008, nine students were dismissed from the program because two or more failing grades were obtained in a single academic term (quarter), eight students were required to repeat a year because they failed a course while on academic probation. The majority of other students who obtained failing grades in a course were allowed to continue on a restricted schedule (9 students) or were allowed to remediate a course during the summer quarter of the academic year (25 students). Specific details are provided in the Course Failures 2002-2008 table.

The two most common contributors to a student’s failure in a course are: (1) slow adaptation to the rigor of the professional program (failing a course during fall quarter of first year), and (2) inability to reach the requisite didactic and technical skill level of a course in the CEVS course sequence.

A review of the minutes of the Curriculum Committee demonstrates the ongoing collection, review and use of these measures (and others) to modify and improve its curriculum.

Outcomes are also measured in the traditional manner with periodic grading to assess the students’ progress through formal classes and clinics. The outcomes for the traditional system of grading and promotion in the program are defined in the UABSO Catalog.

The committee concludes that appropriate procedures for the assessment of each student’s achievement of curricular outcomes are being employed at UABSO.

2.4 The program must engage in periodic and systematic curricular evaluations by students, faculty and administrators.

Examples of Evidence

· Minutes of meetings in which curriculum is evaluated

· Description of actions taken as a result of curricular evaluations

· Student assessment of courses and instruction

The School engages in periodic and systematic curricular evaluations by students, faculty and administrators.

Curriculum Committee Structure Most Curriculum Committee members are UABSO faculty. Faculty members represent both departments of the school, Optometry and Vision Sciences. The Curriculum Committee also includes a faculty representative of the Basic Health Science departments and a staff representative of the UABSO Office of Student Affairs. Student representatives from each of the four professional program years are also Curriculum Committee members. These students are actively involved in curricular deliberations at every Curriculum Committee meeting and are periodically asked to solicit feedback from their respective classes on issues that affect the students. Administrators participate in the evaluation of the curriculum as well. The department chairmen have participated as executive members of the Curriculum Committee since 1984, giving them direct access and right of approval over all committee proceedings.

Curricular Evaluation Instruments

Many internal and external metrics are used to evaluate the curriculum at regular intervals. The UABSO Curriculum Committee evaluates outcomes in the following ways:

1) NBEO Examination Results Observation of the results of examinations administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry. UABSO students are required to pass both the basic science (Part I) and clinical science (Part II) sections of this examination to complete the program. The UABSO Curriculum Committee examines outcomes of this examination to determine appropriate modifications to the curriculum. The performance of UABSO students on all parts of this examination has been highly successful compared to the national average dating back more than twenty years. NBEO Parts I and II results for the past 6 years demonstrate that UABSO students remain highly competitive.

UAB students are required to pass Parts I and II of the NBEO Examination prior to graduating from the program.  Although the school does not require passage of Part III for graduation, some states, including Alabama, do require passing Part III to enable them to take the State Board Examination.  Since the last UABSO accreditation in 2002, 260 of 262 (99.2%) students successfully passed Parts I and II of the exam prior to the graduation deadline.  Two students, one in 2006 and one in 2008, were not permitted to graduate because of failing a portion of the NBEO.  Both students subsequently passed and both have been awarded an O.D. degree. UABSO performance on NBEO Parts I-III versus the national average from 2002-2008 is summarized in the following table.

2) Student Evaluations of Teaching Surveys Student evaluation of teaching (SET) is completed for all courses, didactic and clinical, throughout the professional program. Evaluations are administered through the office of Student Affairs and reviewed by the UABSO Curriculum Committee and the Director of the Professional Program, to determine potential deficiencies in individual courses. Both course evaluations and instructor evaluations (for all instructors teaching at least 10% of the course) are completed by students. When necessary, coursemasters (overall course evaluation) or instructors (instructor evaluation) are alerted to problems either by the Curriculum Committee or departmental chairs on behalf of the committee. Didactic course surveys and clinical course surveys retain the same basic format, with some questions tailored specifically to the course type (didactic or clinical). In 2004, paper surveys were replaced by online versions for students to complete prior to taking final examinations in each course. Examples of didactic course evaluation survey forms and didactic instructor evaluation forms, clinic service director evaluation forms and clinic instructor evaluation forms are included. A number of curricular changes have been implemented as a direct result of student evaluations.

3) Student Exit Interviews and Surveys Graduating student surveys and exit interviews have been conducted by the committee each year since 2000 to determine the educational success the students have experienced and to determine any potential problems in the program. This type of evaluation has been very useful in indicating the success of in-house clinical and externship clinical programs and how students perceive the strengths and weaknesses of their just-completed overall learning experience at UABSO. Several important themes emerging from exit interview comments have prompted curricular improvements. A sample Exit Interview form is included.

4) Survey of Recent Alumni Each year, the school obtains recent alumni evaluations to determine the impact of the professional program and UABSO faculty on the graduate’s chosen mode of practice. Such evaluations are useful in determining the school-related factors that are influencing a student’s choice. They can also help identify potential shortcomings in the program if, for example, students are consistently avoiding certain modes of practice. A sample evaluation form (APME Graduate Survey) is included.

5) Licensing Information: Alabama State Board of Optometry The Curriculum Committee does not utilize state by state licensing and career placement information as part of the outcomes assessment process.  State licensing statistics are not, to the knowledge of the committee, published or accessible in any one location.  Because nearly 50% of the School’s graduates take the Alabama Board Examination, the School does have access to that information.  The Alabama Board of Optometry provides unnamed results of overall/pass fail rates upon request.  The Executive Director of the Alabama Board of Optometry reports that only one UABSO graduate did not pass the Alabama Board Examination in the past 7 years.

6) Externship Preceptor Reviews The committee reviews the aggregate results of grades given to its fourth year externs. This data has proven helpful in recognition of the relative strengths of its externs’ clinical abilities.

The Curriculum Committee evaluates the outcomes of the above instruments on a regular basis as new information becomes available. This includes the assessment of SETs at the conclusion of each academic term (quarter or half-semester in 2008-2009), NBEO scores, student exit interviews and surveys (annually in May), externship preceptor reviews and Alabama State Board of Optometry surveys. When the regular curricular evaluations result in recommendations from the Curriculum Committee for a change, the Curriculum Committee chair presents the recommendations to the Curriculum Committee Executive Committee (consisting of the Optometry and Vision Sciences Department chairs and Curriculum Committee chair) for consideration. If approved, the recommendations are then presented to the Dean and UABSO Executive Committee (consisting of the Dean (Chair), chairs of the Departments of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Clinic Chief of Staff, Director of the Center for Biophysical Sciences & Engineering, and Director of the Vision Science Research Center). Should the Dean and Executive Committee approve the recommendations of the Curriculum Committee, the changes are enacted.

Overview of Recent Curriculum Committee Activity

Restructuring of the Entire Curriculum and Semester Conversion

The committee has considered a variety of important issues over the years. In recent history, semester conversion and concurrent restructuring of the entire curriculum have been particularly prominent. Two main factors drove the decision to convert from a quarter system to a semester system. First, the majority of professional level schools, the graduate school (including the Vision Science graduate program) and undergraduate schools at UAB follow a semester-based academic calendar. The Curriculum Committee and UABSO administration have acknowledged the benefits of moving to the same calendar as the majority of the university. However, it was also well recognized that the conversion would require a major restructuring of the optometry curriculum. Second, with the joint decision by the schools of optometry and dentistry to change their combined basic health science curriculum from discipline-based to organ-systems based, both schools agreed that this would require major curricular revision. This was the catalyst for the Curriculum Committee to recommend that semester conversion should coincide with conversion to the new basic science format. An organ/systems based approach has been recommended by medical schools for a number of years. The UAB School of Medicine made this conversion beginning in 2007-2008.

The conversion from a quarter-based to a semester-based curriculum, and the associated change from a 10-week (quarter) to an 8-week (half-semester) basis for most classes, was considered to be the ideal opportunity to reevaluate the entire UABSO professional program curriculum. Semester conversion is taking place in two phases: (i) the first year class entering in 2008-2009 started the program on the new semester system; (ii) second and third year classes convert to the semester system at the beginning of the summer 2009 (the final term of the 2008-2009 academic year). The reason for the conversion during an academic year is that the UABSO clinic schedule for each year is designed around a summer beginning. Fourth year students (class of 2009) complete the program at the end of the spring quarter 2009, so no conversion per se affects the graduating fourth year class in 2008-2009.

General Curriculum Committee Issues

Agenda items for Curriculum Committee Meetings from January 2007 are as follows (for all meetings, Item 1: Review and vote on the minutes of the previous meeting is excluded). The entire minutes for each meeting are available upon request:

January 2007

2. Update on BHS Curriculum Revision

3. Public Health Curriculum Review Committee Report

February 2007 (“OB” = other business)

2. Report of the Subcommittee on Faculty Peer Review at UABSO (Dr. Whikehart)

3. Update: Optometry-Dentistry curriculum revision (Dr. Fullard)

4. Review of UABSO course prerequisites (Dr. Clore)

OB. Proposed change to the Community Eye Care schedule for the fall quarter (Dr. Fleming)

March 2007

2. Cultural competence

3. Proposed change to CEC (Community Eye Care) schedule

4. Elective policy for students on probation

5. Further review of UABSO course prerequisites

April 2007

2. Overview of Senior Exit Interview process

3. Proposed Curriculum Changes for 2007-2008

4. 2008-2009 Basic Health Science Curriculum Revision Update

May 2007

Fourth year student Exit Interviews were conducted in place of the regular committee meeting

June 2007

2. Senior Exit Interview Outcomes

3. 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 Curriculum

4. Peer Review Committee Updated Report

July 2007

2. Physical Diagnosis merger with Advanced Clinical Procedures II

3. Proposed simplification of prerequisites for advancement in Optometry School (UABSO Professional Program)

4. Proposed four year curriculum for 2008-2009 (based on a proposed 4-year semester system)

5. Curricular Accommodations for New NBEO Format (2009)?

August 2007

No meeting

September 2007

2. New NBEO format and timing (exam Tuesday and Wednesday during spring quarter): how should we help the students prepare?

3. Proposed changes to Environmental Vision/Sports Vision and Health Policy/Clinical Literature courses for 2007-2008: new names (Public Health I and II) and syllabi

4. 4-year semester-based version of the 2008-2009 curriculum update

5. Physical Diagnosis and ACPII for 2007-2008

6. Optometry Threads: including an expansion of Dr. Mike Reddy’s (Dentistry) case-based thread plan

October-November 2007 (combined minutes)

October

2. Curriculum Revision Initial Action Plan

November

2. 2008-2009+ Curriculum. Track by track assessment of the revised curriculum

December 2007

2. Separation of Physical Diagnosis and ACPII (2007-2008 & suggestions for 2008-2009)

3. Proposed move of “Eye Movements and Principles of Binocular Vision” course to Spring this year (2007-2008)

4. Medical School first year curriculum and student performance in Fundamentals I (Dr. Whikehart)

5. Faculty Updates on Curricular Tracks (Curriculum Update Website for reference)

6. Student updates on curriculum issues

January 2008

2. Update: plans for the Basic Science and Clinical Optometry course (starting 08-09)

3. ACP II for spring 2007-2008: update

4. Fundamentals I and II Course updates

5. Expansion of Dr. Rutstein’s Anomalies of BV II and Dr. Semes’ Posterior Segment and Glaucoma courses to full semesters (16 course weeks) in 2009-2010

February 2008

2. BHS Curriculum for 2008-2009.  Change in Systems format

3. BHS Fundamentals Curriculum update

4. Secured Examinations (Dental School meeting, February 2008, from Dr. Mike McCracken, School of Dentistry, with permission)

5. New NBEO Part I Examination (2009 implementation) Issues

March 2008

2. Report of the NBEO Break Subcommittee

3. First Year Academic Calendar and Class schedules for 2008-2009.  Final version apart from NBEO break modification?

4. Optometry-BHS, Optometry-Dentistry and Optometry-Optometry curricular communication

5. SET follow-up: subcommittee to determine what level of detail we want from SETs?

6. From Hartley Grubbs: student questions

April 2008

2. Exit Interview (May 2008) Format

3. Update on 2008-2009 Fundamentals I and II Course Dr. Whikehart

4. 2008-2009 Curriculum, Fine Tuning of First Year Fall Semester Schedule, iWebsite Issues

May 2008

Fourth year student Exit Interviews were conducted in place of the regular committee meeting

June 2008

2. 2008 Exit interviews compiled outcomes

3. 2008-2009 Curriculum

4. 2009-2010 Transitional Curriculum

July 2008

2. Update on patient recruitment efforts (Dr. Fleming)

3. Discussion of 8 AM clinic appointments and their impact on clinic conference time

4. Additional 2008 Exit Interview issues

5. 2008-2009 Curriculum Update

6. 2009-2010 Transitional Curriculum Update

August 2008

2.  Update Additional 2008 Exit Interview issues

3  Semester-based first year BHS curriculum 2008-2009

4. Transitional Curriculum Subcommittee update

5. NBEO Part I preparation for class of 2011

September 2008

2. Ad hoc Transitional Curriculum Committee Report for 2009-2010

3. Update on Fundamentals I and student performance to date

October 2008

2. Welcome to new curriculum committee members

3. Proposal to change Fall B Ocular Biochemistry schedule

4. Review of first year Fundamentals I course

5. First year Fall Semester so far.  Update and student perspective (student survey)

6. Preview of Spring Semester

7. Ad hoc Transitional Curriculum Committee update

November 2008

2.  Review of October 28 Ad hoc Transitional Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes and November 19 meeting of Drs. Bartlett and Fullard

3.  Systems Course Update: Teaching committees for BHS Systems Courses

4.  Proposed Schedule Modification for Systems 3-9

5. Vote on a proposal to recommend reinstatement of Undergraduate Biochemistry as a prerequisite for admission to the UABSO Professional Program.

December 2008

No meeting scheduled

January 2009

2.  Report on Fall Semester B Fundamentals II course (Dr. Whikehart)

3.  Transitional Curriculum Report: Drs. Hopkins, Steele, Than and Ms. Calah Ray

Self Study 2008 School Survey Outcomes

Survey Questions Relating to 2.4 (Curricular Emphasis)

As an additional way to evaluate the curriculum, the School asked curriculum-related questions in its recent survey. Questions relating to faculty participation and engagement in the students’ overall learning process are also included. Results of the applicable survey questions are listed below.

The following key pertains to survey response tables:

The mean score is based on the following scale:

Strongly Agree = 5, Agree = 4, Neutral = 3, Disagree = 2, Strongly Disagree = 1, Cannot Make a Judgment = omitted. % J = percentage of respondents who “could make a judgment” (that is, had the requisite knowledge or experience of the subject of the question to make an informed judgment). All percentage values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Survey Question: The Curriculum Committee is meeting its specific objectives.

[Curriculum Committee charge:

To maintain a current description of the professional curriculum; develop a system for describing appropriate basic competencies and continuous outcomes assessment of the current professional degree program curriculum; determine that standards of instruction are commensurate with the current curriculum and basic competencies through peer review, monitoring of student evaluations of teaching, and other appropriate means; recommend changes, additions, deletions, or reconfigurations when deemed appropriate to meet present and future needs.]

	Faculty		Students		Staff
	n	% J	n	% J	n	% J
Strongly Agree	19	48%	15	20%	8	50%
Agree	15	38%	36	48%	7	44%
Neutral	4	10%	16	21%	1	6%
Disagree	2	5%	7	9%	0	0%
Strongly Disagree	0	0%	2	3%	0	0%
Cannot make judgment	1		12		27
Total	41	100%	88	100%	43	100%
Mean Score	4.28		3.72		4.44

Survey Question: It is (alumni "was") beneficial for students to participate in combined classes with other health profession students.

	Faculty		Alumni		Students
	n	% J	n	%	n	% J
Strongly Agree	14	35%	108	52%	11	12%
Agree	18	45%	71	34%	31	35%
Neutral	7	18%	15	7%	18	20%
Disagree	1	3%	13	6%	19	22%
Strongly Disagree	0	0%	0	0%	9	10%
Cannot make judgment	1
Total	41	100%	207	100%	88	100%
Mean Score	4.13		4.29		3.33

	Alumni Responses by Graduation Date (7 year groupings)
Year	1973-1979	1980-1986	1987-1993	1994-2000	2001-2007
Mean Score	4.73	4.54	4.29	4.34	4.11

**The scoring system used for the following two questions is based on the scale:

Much too high = 1.5, Much too low = 1.5, Too high = 3, Too low = 3, Appropriate = 5, Cannot Make a Judgment = omitted.

Survey Question**: The current number of lecture hours in the professional program is (alumni "number of lecture hours in the program was”):

	Alumni		Students
	n	%	n	%
Much too high	6	3%	7	8%
Too high	36	17%	37	42%
Appropriate	164	79%	44	50%
Too low	1	0%	0	0%
Much too low	0	0%	0	0%
Cannot make judgment
Total	207	100%	88	100%
Mean Score	4.59		4.09

Survey Question: The current number of lecture hours in the professional program is not excessive:

	Faculty
	n	%
Strongly Agree	9	24%
Agree	16	42%
Neutral	3	8%
Disagree	9	24%
Strongly Disagree	1	3%
Cannot make judgment	3
Total		100%
Mean Score	3.61

Survey Question**: The emphasis on critical thinking skills in the program is (alumni "was"):

	Faculty		Alumni		Students
	n	% J	n	%	n	%
Much too high	0	0%	1	<1%	0	0%
Too high	1	3%	0	0%	5	6%
Appropriate	19	54%	184	89%	71	81%
Too low	12	34%	19	9%	10	11%
Much too low	3	9%	3	1%	2	2%
Cannot make judgment