Optometry Australia has launched the Optometry Australia Institute of Excellence, enabling members to access continued professional development when, where and how it suits them best.
The Optometry Australia Institute of Excellence provides one portal through which members can plan how to address their learning needs and access a comprehensive suite of quality, online resources. Via this portal, members can immediately:
- Search for thousands of courses fromalmost 2,000 providers, including mivision mieducation, using the recently-enhancedonline CPD calendar,
- Sort these courses by location, date, topicand provider, honing in on programs thatbest suit their needs,
- Register for Optometry Australia, stateorganisation and if available, partner andsupplier CPD programs,
- Access a comprehensive array of OptometryAustralia’s member-only, online CPDofferings – including webcasts, online courses, Pharma and Clinical & Experimental Optometry. These resources are available to members for free and all within the one digital platform – optometry.org.au. CPD hours for completed member-only online courses are automatically recorded,
- Print out their CPD certificates and checktheir CPD points record.
Optometry Australia CEO Lyn Brodie said the Institute of Excellence offers optometrists unsurpassed access to learning.
“We do not believe another organisation provides optometrists with a more comprehensive CPD offering than Optometry Australia does. This has been supported by a massive investment in advanced digital infrastructure and the new Optometry Australia website, which is the perfect tool to host the Optometry Australia Institute of Excellence,” she said.
The new online learning platform responds to the recent changes to continuing professional development requirements for registered optometrists announced by the Optometry Board of Australia (OBA) that come into effect from 1 December 2020. The changes move optometry CPD from a points based system to a self-learning, time based CPD system.
Ms Brodie explained that although Optometry Australia did not agree to all the proposed CPD changes when the OBA consulted on them in 2018 (it advocated for the OBA to reconsider some elements), the Association had recognised that change was likely. Additionally, it foresaw that members would need support to meet their CPD needs.
“Given this, Optometry Australia has been working over the last 12 months to develop the Institute and ensure members are provided with easy access to quality CPD.”
Ms Brodie said Optometry Australia will roll out more features within the Institute of Excellence to help optometrists with the changes to the CPD registration standard. These will include an online tool to support optometrists in developing their learning portfolio and interactive online workshops.
STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS
Since 2016, Optometry Australia has hosted optometry’s most comprehensive listing of CPD offerings, searchable via the online calendar. All accredited optometry courses, from any CPD provider, are promoted via this calendar making Optometry Australia’s website the leading destination for optometrists wanting to find courses.
As the Optometry Australia Institute of Excellence replaces the CPD, Events and CPD Publications section of the Association’s website, this information will be incorporated into the calendar.
“The Optometry Australia Institute of Excellence online learning platform is already populated with many quality courses, including Optometry Australia branded programs,” said Ms Brodie. “Optometry Australia will continue to work with quality CPD providers, offering the opportunity to promote provider’s courses in the catalogue. Many options will be available for providers to partner with Optometry Australia, for example, we will house providers’ online courses and aligned assessment on our platform.”
Ms Brodie says “providing the right education to members is key” and the driving force behind a series of new short format courses.
“Having accredited CPD for the past four years, and received feedback from members (including bi-annual member surveys), we recognised a gap in the market for shortformat but maximum impact programs, which the organisation started to meet in 2018 through the rolling program of member-only webcasts (that generate over 800 participants). These webcasts complement our state organisation’s quality program of CPD and the leading Pharma magazine, and provide members with additional access to CPD including therapeutic CPD,” said Ms Brodie.