NSUCO - The Visionary Spring 2012

THE V ISIONARY • S PRING 2012 — 18 CLINICAL PREVENTION AND POPULATION HEALTH CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK Janet Leasher, O.D., M.P.H., FAAO Associate Professor of Optometry and Director of Community Outreach In January, Dr. Leasher was awarded $5,000 from the NSU Health Professions Division (HPD) Educational Research Competition to evaluate the extent to which the HPD applies the Clinical Pre- vention and Population Health Curricu- lum Framework and to investigate best pedagogical teaching practices from each discipline. In 2004, the Healthy People 2010 Cur- riculum Task Force consisting of allo- pathic and osteopathic medicine, nursing and nurse practitioners, den- tistry, pharmacy, and physician assis- tants created the Clinical Prevention and Population Health Curriculum Frame- work. The framework’s goal is to help in- crease the proportion of U.S. schools of medicine, nursing, and other health pro- fessions with health promotion and dis- ease prevention training and to develop more robust approaches to increasing relevant core competencies. The national framework comprises four components: • evidence base of practice • clinical preventive services – health promotion • health systems and health policy • community aspects of practice, with 19 domains and specific sub items While these public health concepts in- tersect all the health professions, it is not known to what extent the NSU-HPD has incorporated these components into its various curricula. First, a review of the course catalog will be con- ducted. Secondly, the faculty members who teach those courses will be sur- veyed to learn the emphasis placed on the sub items and to learn the pedago- gies used to teach the concepts. Thirdly, inter/multidisciplinary focus groups comprising faculty-only and students- only will be convened to further under- stand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to teaching and learning these core competencies at NSU. The expected outcome will be a greater understanding of how the HPD disciplines approach the Clinical Preven- tion and Population Health Curriculum Framework, with an expectation for consideration of future curricular en- hancement and potential cross-disci- pline collaboration. over the world. She will also visit a select group of optometric private practices throughout the United States that have innovated in providing care to patients with ASD. To expand her own knowledge and contribute to multidisciplinary management of these pa- tients, Dr. Coulter will be working with the Medical Working Group of Profectum, a non- profit organization that trains practitioners and advances research in developmentally appro- priate treatment. This group includes leading physicians, researchers, and health profession- als that will develop a medical curriculum that includes appropriate medical evaluations, man- agement of associated medical and behavioral symptoms, and visuo-spatial issues. To disseminate what she has learned, Dr. Coul- ter spoke on autism at the College of Op- tometrists in Vision Development annual conference and will speak at the Study Semi- nar at the Southern California College of Op- tometry. Dr. Coulter will also complete a Master’s in Education and work to develop a teaching module on optometric care of pa- tients with ASD for optometrists and opto- metric residents. Dr. Coulter continued... VISUAL DIAGNOSIS AND CARE OF THE PATIENT WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Mary Bartuccio, O.D., FAAO, FOCVD, Assistant Professor of Optometry For many years, the book Diagnosis and Management of Special Populations written by Dominick M. Maino, O.D., M.Ed., FAAO, FCOVD-A , was considered as the landmark publication with regard to the care of those with special needs. So much had changed in so- ciety and medicine since 1995; however, there was not a single pub- lication, other than Dr. Maino’s, that was a comprehensive review of the eye and vision care needs of patients with special needs. Other works had single chapters on certain topics, such as specific conditions or examination techniques, but none brought them all under one cover. The book Visual Diagnosis and Care of the Patient with Special Needs , edited by Marc B. Taub, O.D., M.S., FAAO, FCOVD , Mary Bartuccio, O.D., FAAO, FCOVD , and Dr. Maino, pro- vides the most current updates. From the title, it may appear this book is written primarily for the eye care practitioners, such as optometrists and ophthalmologists. While vision is the overriding topic, the book serves as an excellent resource for a multitude of professions, including those engaged in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech and language ASSOCIATION FOR PREVENTION TEACHING AND RESEARCH