Down Under Optometry Takes a Big Leap

Over the past four decades Australian-educated optometrists, particularly graduates from the University of Melbourne Department of Optometry, have made an unusual and influential impact on education and research around the world. Many have commented on this over the years. They have become heads of schools on four different continents, and they are arguably among the most aggressive leaders in organizing, coordinating, educating, and developing optometry globally. Most recently this has been witnessed in optometry’s presence with the World Health Organization (WHO) and in the global initiative, “Optometry Giving Sight.” And in our own Academy we have seen Australian educated optometrists exercising leadership at all levels of our Academy structure and being recognized with the Academy’s highest Awards. Australian educated optometrists are noted multiple times with each of the Prentice Medal (3), Fry Award (5), International Award (2), Borish Award (2), Feinbloom Award (2), Clay Award (4), Schapero Award (4) and Eminent Service Awards (2) [see: http://www.aaopt.org/about/awards/academy/index.asp]. Now optometric clinical training in Australia is making a big leap! The University of Melbourne has announced its plan to graduate the first Australian doctoral degrees as a 4-year Optometry Doctorate, following a required 3-year undergraduate degree. In Melbourne the current optometry course is a five-year undergraduate degree, but the new doctoral graduate level-course becomes progressively available from 2011. In Australia the optometric training, in the three Australian schools, has been based on a 4- or 5-year undergraduate degree following high school graduation. After taking the progressive step of moving to offer the first 5-year degree training in Optometry in Australia back in 2000, the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences at the University of Melbourne graduated the first cohort in Australia of optometrists with full therapeutic endorsement. The University of Melbourne’s new model of higher professional education, officially launched in April 2007, is known as the “Melbourne Model” and closely resembles that of U.S. and Canadian schools and colleges. The new professional doctorate degrees will also be awarded in medicine and dentistry for the first time in Australia. Optometrists Association Australia (OAA) Executive Director Mr. Joe Chakman noted, “This is a significant change in the way optometry will be taught in Australia.” As an expatriate, I applaud our Australian colleagues–clinical leaders, educators and researchers for this big step. A similar step in U.S. and Canadian Schools had significant impact on the advancement of the optometry profession within the medical and health care arena. Richard Hopping, OD, FAAO, Past President of a SCCO, and a past AOA President, notes, “Melbourne will lead the way for the other Australian schools and the profession will be better for it. I believe that U.S. optometry became stronger and gained greater respect from our adversaries when the U.S. universities went to the four year doctoral program. I found the legislative arguments regarding optometry changed after this. Optometry was no longer spoken of as outside the mainstream of health care. I can only see great good in Australia and throughout the world resulting from making such a change.” Jerald Strickland, OD, PhD, FAAO who served as Dean of two institutions (PCO and University of Houston) and now serves as Assistant Vice Chancellor for International Studies and Programs at the University of Houston System notes, “In the U.S. the OD degree allowed graduates to be appointed as officers in the Armed Forces, included in health care and social legislation, such as Medicare, and to be at the political and professional tables when major health care initiatives were discussed. The power of the title “Doctor” is substantial in the social structure of the U.S., and one can only imagine what setbacks in health care participation we could have had without the title.” I think all who understand the impact of education and research on the quality and scope of care provided to patients will join me in applauding these new initiatives by our Australian colleagues. Anthony J. Adams Editor-in-Chief Berkeley, CaliforniaFigure

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