Two-day intensive clinician to educator workshops was organised by IVI Academy for Eyecare Educators in Coimbatore and Pune
To upgrade optometry education through training of optometry educators, IVI organised two-day intensive Brien Holden Vision Institute Academy EyeTeach©: from Clinician to Educator workshops in Coimbatore (25-26 June) and Pune (28-29 June).
Organised under the aegis of the IVI Academy for Eyecare Educators, adopting the ‘train-the trainer’ model, EyeTeach workshops have trained over 120 optometry educators in India since its inception in 2012. While the sheer magnitude of ‘avoidable’ blindness in India requires engaging thousands of trained optometrists, there remains a huge gap in demand and supply of optometrists.
“Through the Academy, IVI plays a catalytic role in developing a pool of trained optometry educators to further train optometrists and thereby ensuring efficient eye care delivery in India. I strongly believe that continuing education and training of educators provide a strong base in advancing optometry in India,” Vinod Daniel, IVI CEO, said on the eve of the workshops.
The workshops are designed to provide comprehensive faculty development, comprising best practice in teaching and learning. Over 30 optometry educators from a number of optometry institutes including Vasan Institute of Ophthalmology and Research, Vasan Eyecare hospital, Rayhan College of Optometry, Vinayaka Mission, Al Salama College of Optometry, Laxmi College of Optometry, DY Patil Institute of Optometry, AJ Institute of Allied Health Sciences, Shri Bhartimaiya College of Optometry, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Harijyot College of Optometry, Bharati Vidyapeeth and MES College of optometry, participated in the workshop.
The workshops were facilitated by Ms Helen Dalton, Education Consultant and Ms Stephanie Looi, Global Service Development Manager, both from Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sydney. Helen is an expert in new and advanced teaching skills, while Stephanie has experience in the many facets of optometry including private practice, corporate optometry, practice ownership, teaching and project management.
