Page 62 - The Indian Optician Digital Edition September-October 2021
P. 62
ASCO’S NEW EDITION
OF ENTRY LEVEL OPTOMETRY
COMPETENCY STANDARDS
he vision and mission of the Association curriculum based on this document so
of Schools and Colleges of Optometry that optometry students passing out
T- India (ASCO India) is to update and from their institute achieve the expected
upgrade optometry education and practising competency skills.
standards of optometrists in the country. To
this end the association offers fellowships The latest edition, IELOCS 21, has been
and organises continuous educational developed by a team of educators chosen
programmes, conferences for optometry by ASCO India and with the support of the
educational institutions and optometrists, and Optometry Council of India. A team of 17
more such activities. academics, optometrists and a psychologist
worked on this latest edition designed to
As in all professions, competency is the link update, upgrade and educate optometrists
between knowledge, judgement, skills and in India as well as in other Asian countries.
the daily activities required by a practicing
optometrist. Competency is the ability to IELOCS 21 is a comprehensive document
perform the activities within an occupation that covers the minimum competency
or function to the standard expected in standards required for graduate
employment, and professionals are expected optometrists. It is quite thorough with its
to implement their responsibilities to the descriptions of minimum competencies
standards necessary for safe and effective in regular clinical examination as well as
practice. A competency is a combination of different specialties of optometry.
the specification and application of a
knowledge or skill within the occupation, to The minimum competency standards
the appropriate standard. It calls for a have been classified based on the
combination of individual task skills, task knowledge, skills and behaviour that every
management skills, contingency management graduating and practicing optometrist must
skills and job/role environment skills. possess. In addition there are sections on
communication skills, professional conduct
With this in focus, in 2011 ASCO had prepared and documentation to make it more
a document on Indian entry level optometry comprehensive. Sections on the minimum
competency standards (IELOCS). As the last and desirable equipment requirements add
edition of IELOCS was about ten years old, ASCO further value for eye care practitioners as
has now updated it taking into account the well as institutions of optometry education.
advancements in optometry, evolving science
and practicing standards across the globe that The framework of current legalities and
have taken place over the last decade. privileges enjoyed by optometrists has also
been taken into consideration. Overall, it has
The goal of the IELOCS document is to enable been compiled to make it both invaluable as
the schools of optometry in India to design their a document and user friendly.
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