Page 77 - Index

Appendix 3
Excerpts from the Attributes of Students Graduating from
Schools and Colleges of Optometry
A 2011 Report from the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry
The New Doctor of Optometry Must be Professional and Ethical
To serve the public and the profession well, new graduates must embrace and demon- strate the ethical and professional standards appropriate to being recognized as a health care provider. The new graduate must also recognize that the completion of the Doctor of Optometry degree program is only the first step in a life-long commitment to self-directed learning and continual professional improvement.
The school or college of optometry shall ensure that before graduation each student will have demonstrated critical professional and personal attributes, including the following.
Personal attributes:
PE1. a commitment to life-long learning and providing the highest standard of care
PE2. the ability to acquire, analyze and apply new information while making reason- able and informed decisions that are consistent with the interests and needs of the patient and broader community
PE3. problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that integrate current knowledge, sci- entific advances and the human/social dimensions of patient care to assure the highest quality of care for each patient
PE4. the ability to recognize personal limitations regarding optimal patient care and to work with the broader health care community in providing the best care possible.
Professional attributes:
PE5. an understanding of professional ethics and challenges to the optometric pro- fession posed by conflicts of interest inherent in health care delivery, and the ability to incorporate those principles into decisions affecting patient care, always keeping the patient’s welfare foremost
PE6. professionalism, by demonstrating honesty and integrity in all interactions with patients and their families, colleagues and others with whom the optometrist must engage in his/her professional life
June 2020 ASCO IPECP Toolkit
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