Clinical Prevention and Population Health Curriculum Framework in Optometric Education

Health professionals and policy makers are stressing the importance of a knowledge base in health promotion and prevention. The Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine and the Association of Academic Health Centers convened the Healthy People Curriculum Task Force which developed the Clinical Prevention and Population Health Curriculum Framework (CPPHCF) as a model for health professions, to ensure health promotion and prevention principles are taught using a common knowledge base. Optometrists need to know about health promotion and prevention to provide patients with appropriate health counseling. To address the question of how well optometry covers the areas, the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) appointed a task force in 2006 to survey its members.

A survey instrument was developed and sent to the Chief Academic Officers of North American Schools/Colleges of Optometry in November 2006. A follow up was done in December and January to encourage participation and clarify responses.

Over 100 optometric educators responded. Some taught a narrow area while some had didactic courses that represented many topics. From these responses, a picture of what is taught as it relates to health promotion and practice could be drawn. Areas in common across programs were observed while some areas exhibited wide variation.

The schools and colleges of optometry have incorporated a majority of CPPHCF principles into their curricula. Optometry schools should use their curriculum review process to determine whether these areas are adequately addressed to meet optometrists' responsibilities as health care providers.