IF WE CLOSELY examine the way we train optometrists now in comparison to the way we have historically, the last thirty years have seen two monumental shifts, both of which have necessitated changes in how we approach the important privilege of shaping the next generation of optometrists. The first shift is related to technology, which is increasingly employed not just in educating optometry students, but also in the practice of optometry itself. The second shift corresponds to the positive developments we have seen in representation, as more opportunities exist than ever before for people of all genders and backgrounds to be successful in this profession.
While each of these large shifts represents challenges to the way my fellow educators and I adapt our teaching methodologies to changing times, there are several components that never change, all of which are crucial to shaping not just the next generation of optometrists, but also the ones to come. We are committed to instilling in them strong foundational skills in optometric practice, the importance of professionalism, the pursuit of lifelong learning and problem-solving and the ability to provide care to every patient they serve with compassion and humility.
The Standard Remains the Same
The landscape of higher education has changed in many ways over the past few decades, and many faculty are devoted to the intricacies of providing the best education possible to students while navigating evolving mindsets that sometimes see the student as a type of “customer.” Helping to close this gap are university resources that offer a great deal of support to students, which allow faculty to maintain the high standards that are crucial to the enterprise of teaching students how to become doctors. The stakes are high when it comes to training healthcare professionals, and it is not in the students’ best interest to deliver anything less than a rigorous education that challenges them and shapes them.
What Technology Cannot Replace
Every day we see more examples of exciting new technologies that fall short of delivering results that truly match human capabilities. This is certainly true of optometry, and it’s something I believe is important for the next generation of optometrists to understand. We must embrace the technology but understand its limitations. As astonishing as some automated instruments are, and as genuinely helpful a certain software is, these lack the ability to react and appropriately respond to a patient who must be informed of a difficult diagnosis. Algorithms may be adept at discerning symptoms and delivering care, but they are only as good as the information they receive, and I believe that a compassionate healthcare provider responding sensitively in human conversation to the specific needs of a patient is always likely to get more relevant information. This has remained true for providers of my generation, and it will remain true for the next generation as well.
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Educational Technology
We see something similar concerning the way technology is used in the classroom and lab in the education of optometrists. Newer generations of students tend to favor virtual instruction, and while there are certainly advantages to the way the reach and accessibility of a lesson can be expanded with the use of technology, the drawbacks are similar. For instance, when students are not in the physical presence of faculty or their classmates, they lose the ability to create professional relationships that may benefit them in the future. Students don’t always have the positive experience of insight that is generated through curiosity and the back-and-forth of a human conversation, and it is not as easy for faculty to model the way building rapport contributes to effective communication.
Adapt, Adapt, Adapt
I am not suggesting that we shouldn’t use every tool at our disposal to be the best optometrists we can be and deliver the highest standard of care we possibly can. Training each new generation is an ongoing endeavor that requires adaptability and continuous adjustments as faculty, doctors and students evolve the profession. Change is constant; therefore, adaptability is the number one factor for success. My philosophy for shaping the next generation of optometrists is to embrace what is new and cutting-edge, but always rest on those core foundations that do not change so quickly with the times. These core attributes are effective communication, diligence, persistence, positivity and exceptional clinical skills. Focusing on these core attributes produces doctors who are leaders in their professions and communities, and good people who want to give back and improve lives.
About the Author
Dr. Mark Sawamura, OD, FAAO, is a distinguished optometrist and associate professor with tenure at the Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO) at Marshall B. Ketchum University. As the chief of the Jarnagin Center for Primary Eye Care and chief of ocular disease at the University Eye Center at Ketchum Health, Dr. Sawamura’s expertise in neuro-ophthalmic disease and advanced ophthalmic procedures profoundly influences the education of future optometrists. His dedication to excellence has significantly advanced eye care and research, making him an invaluable asset to Ketchum’s mission of fostering exceptional health professionals. To learn more about MBKU’s programs and clinics, visit www.ketchum.edu.
