Issues in future health care delivery include the aging American population, rapidly rising costs, the shifting of control of health care from providers to consumers, decentralization of care, technological change, and rapid expansion of knowledge. These will have great effect on patients, health care providers, third-party payors, and curriculum.…

The self-study process is seldom viewed as a central process of improvement and change. Experience at the Illinois College of Optometry, however, shows how the process can be regenerative to people and institutions. The process and its elements are outlined in some detail. (MSE)

Written tests do not project clinical optometric competence very well at present. However, the basic skills and knowledge necessary for competence can be measured, even if diagnostic and treatment skills cannot by current means. (MSE)

A 4-week course teaching interpersonal skills helps optometry students develop self-awareness in handling patients and other practice problems. Among the topics covered are questioning techniques, patient communication types, children, and difficult questions. (Author/MSE)

A review of the literature addressing the subject of faculty workload under three topics is presented: (1) defining faculty workload; (2) elements of faculty workload and their relative weighting; and (3) faculty load formulas. Five "load laws" to be observed in the design of a faculty workload system are detailed. (MLW)

The procedures of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry's Office of External Educational Programs are reviewed to show how quality assurance techniques can be categorized. The format was designed to evaluate quality assurance procedures for both the educational and service aspects of eye care. (MLW)

The clinical education program at Ferris State College, College of Optometry, and the various clinics affiliated with the college are described. To ensure quality, all individuals with the responsibility of teaching the students are faculty of Ferris State. (MLW)

Barriers to success for women in optometry are reviewed including social pressures discouraging women applicants, role conflicts, access to informal networks, and discriminatory feelings of faculty. A 1968 National Center for Health Statistics survey of practice patterns of women optometrists, female enrollment, and practice preferences of women…

Since women are actively seeking admission to professional schools, a woman's counseling program is seen as imperative. The challenges of being a woman's counselor are discussed. The role of the woman's counselor, "community approach" to counseling, characteristics of the woman's counselor, and the variety of counseling programs are outlined. (MLW)

The subject of health policy and its influence on patients and providers is explored with an emphasis on an interprofessional consortium, devoted to representing the consumer constituency. Expanded involvement and expenditures by the federal government in the health care field are discussed and the need for regulatory reform is described.…

The development of a multiple regression equation for predicting an optometry grade point average and a discriminative function designed to distinguish between students likely and unlikely to have academic difficulty is described. Variables used include grades, test scores, undergraduate college competitiveness, and a measure of academic…

The format and production of the portable patient problem pack, a patient simulation method designed for problem-based learning, are described. Clinical and didactic applications and development of materials specifically for optometric education are discussed and additional information for designing optometry-related materials is appended.…

A growing number of health care educators are concerned with the effectiveness of the traditional approach for educating health care practitioners. The problem-based learning approach has been advocated as an effective alternative method for addressing many current concerns and for producing a more effective doctor. (Author/MSE)

A survey of residents and residency supervisors at three Veterans' Administration hospitals affiliated with one school of optometry investigated attitudes toward core optometry curriculum activities. Activities were generally rated well for content and effectiveness of presentation, and the study also provided information for program improvement.…

A survey of 15 optometry schools investigated degree of compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, concerning accommodation of students with disabilities, particularly in regard to students with learning disabilities. Results indicate institutional policy is made at a different level than that at which it is implemented.…