Experience vs. Classroom Learning

[MVEYES]

You are so right. Sometimes I think political Optometry is out of touch with the mainstream optometric practice. The problem is that mainstream needs to demand from the political powers what they feel.


Jerry

[wmcdonald]

As an educator, I am pleased to see this thread. I think that there is a great deal of this going for Opticianry, but we MUST develop a similar background and training for all Opticians, not just some parts for a particular state or jurisdiction if we are to advance. ODs have a great system of education and training, but it is done in a formal academic setting, not OJT with little evaluation of the teaching/learning transaction. To be a competent Optician requires a great deal of knowledge- optics, anatomy and physiology, contact lenses, dispensing and all the rest. What we need (my opinion) is some formal training program in which Opticians are taught all the facets of the profession, and it should include both academic preparation and hands-on learning. They must be an integral part of the Opticians training to ever fully grasp the knowledge base required. What is scarry is that most in the field don't have adequate training to train someone else, so those they train will only be as good as they were (or maybe not quite as good). That has, unfortunately watered down the entire field. We must change to include a formal education! Only then will we advance professionally to where we should be. It is education that will be the vehicle that drives us forward and without it, it will be the chains and others who don't favor licensing, much less education, will be the ones in control of our destiny. We need to be better prepared to gain control of where we are and where we want to be. I'm sure that someone who trained as an apprentice will take strong offense. I'm sure they are the best Optician ever and their trainer was outstanding, but that is not the issue. For the betterment of us all, we must move forward and education is the key.

[Pete Hanlin]

I'm sure that someone who trained as an apprentice will take strong offense. I'm sure they are the best Optician ever and their trainer was outstanding, but that is not the issue. For the betterment of us all, we must move forward and
education is the key.

Well, there you have put it in a nutshell! Are some of the best Opticians currently in the field self-taught or apprenticed? I think the answer is definitely "yes." Is education alone the answer to Optical training and knowledge? I believe we can all agree that experience is crucial in a field that is by nature hands on, so the answer is "no." However, can the profession advance itself without adhering to a consistent formal educational standard? The answer is "absolutely not."

I am an "apprenticed" Optician (in the general sense, I didn't go through an official apprentice program). However, I freely admit becoming a superb Optician without formal education is the exception and not the rule. Apprenticeship and/or self teaching cannot guarantee even a basic knowledge of all aspects of this field. I don't think apprenticed Opticians who consider themselves "superior" need to feel offense- they just need to realize that they are, indeed, "exceptional" to the rule!

As long as educators and the people representing education promote formal education in that light (not that it is impossible to acheive competency and even excellence without education, but rather that education is our best chance to acheive consistent excellence and professional recognition), I believe the two "sides" will begin to come together. I, for one, hope that formal education becomes the standard for our profession- I just see a long, hard road to making it so...

[MVEYES]

I also taught myself through textbooks and very little training at Ohio State University in the ophthalmology department. I am proud that I could self teach myself and have the motivation to become the best Optician by getting an ABOM certification. When I graduated from Wright State University in 1974 there were no Opticianry schools within a 100 miles. I went to Ohio State's Optometry school and asked if I could take classes in physiological optics but was refused unless I entered the optometry program. I had no desire to refract so I taught myself the principles of optics from the books that my brother had in his ophthalmology residency. Experience along with a good educational background is the road to success in our profession as well as Optometry and Ophthalmology.


Jerry

[chip anderson]

You evaluate the relevance. General Motors always made money when the CEO started at a young age on the production lines. It started losing when the company started hiring outside highly educated CEO's.

Chip

[Joann Raytar]

Originally posted by MVEYES
I also taught myself through textbooks

I think this is a key part of what makes better self taught opticians. They have picked up a book or two. Unfortunately, many foks aren't motivated enough to do research on the how's, what's and why's of what they do. This is probably why Jerry's state Optometric Society OD president feels she's learned enough. For some reason, certain people need motivators and mandatory Formal Education is one.

Jerry,
I dare that state society president to go one on one with an optician of the same caliber as some of our own members. (I'd list them but there are actually too many and I'd be afraid to leave someone out) My bet is, those opticians would run rings around her in certain areas of optical knowledge even though she may have some of them on the anatomy and physiology of sight.

[MVEYES]

You guys and gals have hit the bullseye. We need to bring our main credentialing organizations in line with this thinking.



Jerry

[Joann Raytar]

Originally posted by chip anderson
Jo:

There was a better way to deal with the aphakes without IOL's than thick glasses, there still is: Hard Well Fitted PMMA contact lenses. (If you want to know why this is better than soft or HGP, let me know.) I fit thousands of them and still have some for patients.

There are better ways to deal with macular degeneration coming out. In fact if you believe Paul Harvey (I don't) simple vitamins from High Health will reverse it.

Chip

Chip,

You know I want to hear about why PMMA is better than soft! Post a new thread or add your info to Chip's Corner.

• http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...t=chips+corner

I started that as an area for contact lens questions and info. You would be our resident contact lens pro!

[MVEYES]

Chip,

Certainly there is a RGP that has properties similar to PMMA except for oxygen permeability. I've switched old PMMA wearers over to gas perms very successfully. I use my lab, Aero contact lens of Ohio ( owned by Bob Lawner) for help in selecting the right material. They are really great.


Jerry