Merging the Professional with the Layperson: Optometric Services for the Community

Abstract

In this subject, we aim to integrate community services with students’ learning opportunities. Students work in groups and organize and implement a vision screening project by themselves under supervision. Through this subject, students are given opportunities to act upon their roles as community service providers, care, work, and communicate with various disciplines to bridge together knowledge they have acquired during their university studies and then share and apply their special interests with others. The project not only benefits service users, but also provides a very structured learning environment for students to gain experience working with a number of people in different levels of the community and to better understand societal needs, especially in this major public health concern of blindness prevention.