Institute launches Doctor of Optometry programme in partnership with London South Bank University

The Institute of Optometry has launched a Doctor of Optometry programme in partnership with the London South Bank University (LSBU). The Institute had been pursuing the goal of a professional doctorate initially led by Dr Deacon Harle. In recent years the project was led by Dr Rishi Agarwal, Director of Post Graduate Education at the Institute and an ardent advocate of Doctor of Optometry degree in the UK.

The LSBU is located just a few minutes walk from the Institute of Optometry, but there were more important reasons why it was an obvious choice of a partner. Dr Rishi Agarwal explains 'I had been in discussion with several British universities about collaborating to deliver a professional doctorate in optometry, and then I decided to approach LSBU. I learnt that the LSBU were expanding their range of doctorates for health care professionals. They already had an established Doctorate of Nursing and they were planning to expand this for the professions of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and radiography. We were very glad to add optometry to the list.

Dr Agarwal added 'A key issue is that the title that will be awarded at the end of the degree is Doctor of Optometry (D. Optometry) and this is the first professional doctorate in the UK to carry this name. I have been waiting for over 37 years for this kind of doctorate to start in the UK. I now wait for the first batch of British Doctors of Optometry in practice' said Dr Agarwal.

Dr Agarwal further explained 'Professional doctorates offer flexibility in the application of existing knowledge and offer development of work based learning. It gives an opportunity for research and study for doctorate to experienced professionals often with innovative ideas'.

Dr Sandip Doshi, who is a Director of the Institute, added 'Professional doctorates already exist in the United Kingdom in several specialties, including a number of health care professions. Having been actively involved in our therapeutics course, I am particularly delighted to be involved in the development of our professional doctorate in optometry'.

Sir Patrick Cable-Alexander, Chief Executive at the Institute of Optometry commented. 'The degree will involve a taught element in the first two years, but students will only need to come to London for 8 days in one year and 12 in the other. A lot of study can be completed at home, suiting practitioners who have busy clinical or hospital posts. The last three years of course will involve a research project, which will be jointly supervised by staff at the Institute of Optometry and at LSBU. We anticipate that many optometrists will carry out this research in their own practice and this will be fully supported'.

Professor Bruce Evans, Director of Research at the Institute and a visiting professor at the City University, added, 'The Institute has a very long history of collaboration with many organisations in the UK. For example we continue to have strong links with City University, particularly our PhD programme. We are delighted to add LSBU, who also have good relationship with City University, to the organisations with whom we collaborate. The facilities at LSBU are first class and I am sure the Doctorate of Optometry students will benefit from the collaboration between the Institute, with its long history in the world of optometry, and LSBU, which has a very high profile in other health care professions'.

The entry level for the new doctorate will be evidence of work at a Masters level. But. Professor Evans noted, 'This does not necessarily mean that the applicants need to have completed an MSc. Optometrists who have, for example, had a paper published, completed a higher diploma, or produced high quality written material for health care services may find that this work renders them eligible to enter the doctorate'.

More information can be obtained from Professor Bruce Evans, Director of Research, Institute of Optometry bruce.evans@virgin.net or Professor Rishi Agarwal, Director of Post Graduate Education, Institute of Optometry; Visiting Professor, London South Bank University at agarwalrishik@gmail.com.