Advanced Primary Care Optometry PG (10328.2)

Required texts

David B. Elliott. Clinical Procedures in Primary Eye Care. Elsevier 2020. ISBN: hardcover 9780702077890 or ebook ISBN:9780702077906.

Nathan Efron. Contact Lens Practice. 4^th Edition. Elsevier 2024. ISBN hardcover 9780 7020 84270 

Visual Ergonomics Handbook. Edited By Jeffrey Anshel. CRC Press. 2019. ISBN paperback9780367392611.

Scheiman, Mitchell; Wick, Bruce. Clinical Management of Binocular Vision: Heterophoric, Accommodative, and Eye Movement Disorders. 5^th Edition. ISBN 9781 4963 9973 1.

These books will be available for purchase online, and for loan at the UC library and via the unit reading list on Canvas.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Extensions & Late Submissions

Students can apply for an extension to the submission due date for an assessment item due to extenuating, evidenced circumstances (specific details are found in the Assessment Procedures). An extension must be applied for before the due date. Documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate) will be expected for an extension to be granted, however this will not guarantee that the application will be successful. The Unit Convener or relevant Program Director/Course Convener will decide whether to grant an extension and the length of the extension. An Assignment Extension form is available from the Student Forms page.

In the interest of providing timely feedback to the unit cohort, where late submissions are permitted, the mark allocated will be reduced by 10% of maximum available marks per day (or part thereof) up to and including three calendar days following the due date/approved extension/ reasonable adjustment. Late submissions may result in reduced feedback being provided.

Students will be allocated a mark of zero if submitting more than three calendar days late (without approved extension or reasonable adjustment), with no feedback provided. A student who does not undertake, submit or participate in a summative assessment, or who does not attend a timetabled exam without an approved deferral, will be allocated a mark of zero.

For the purposes of these penalties, all days of the week count, including weekends and public holidays, even when the University may be closed. For clarification, one (1) minute past the specified due date and time is considered a late submission.

It is students' responsibility to be familiar with the electronic submission process (e.g., the use of Canvas and Turnitin). Students are reminded to ensure they plan well enabling adequate time to submit assessments prior to the deadline, in order to avoid a mark adjustment. Penalties on late submissions will be strictly enforced. More details can be found in the Assessment Procedures.

Special assessment requirements

Course Work and Assessments for Aggregate Unit Mark

The final mark for this unit will be calculated by an accumulation of marks from each assessment item. Marks will be witheld until each assessment item is completed. To achieve a passing grade or higher in this unit, students must:

• Participate in all practical, tutorial, laboratory and guest lecture sessions;
• Attempt and complete all assessment items including non-hurdle items;
• Complete and pass all hurdle assessments including ungraded hurdles;
• Achieve a mark of at least 50% in the final theory exam hurdle;
• Achieve a mark of at least 50% in the final practical assessment hurdle; and
• Achieve a final aggregate (overall) mark of 50% or higher for the unit.

Oral verification of student knowledge: the Unit Convenor reserves the right to question students orally on any of their submitted work.

Eligibility for second attempt at a hurdle assessment: students who fail one more hurdle assessment(s) with a mark of 45% to 49% inclusive will be offered a second (and final) attempt at each hurdle, only if it is possible for the student to achieve an aggregate mark of 50% or above by passing the hurdles. If passing the hurdle(s) will not allow the student to pass the unit, then no second attempt will be offered.

How mark is affected: the mark that can be achieved on the second attempt of the hurdle assessment is a maximum of 50%. This 50% mark will replace the mark of the first hurdle assessment attempt if the student passes the second attempt at the hurdle. If the student does not pass the second attempt at the hurdle, the new mark achieved on the second attempt of the hurdle assessment will replace the original mark, and will be applied to calculate the aggregate score. Therefore it is possible for the student's hurdle assessment mark and aggregate mark to increase or decrease by taking the second attempt of the hurdle assessment.

Timing of repeats of a hurdle assessment: If the hurdle assessment is a final practical or theory examination, the second attempt of the hurdle will be held during the deferred examination period. If the hurdle assessment is a deferred final practical or theory examination, the second attempt of the deferred hurdle will be held in the week immediately after the deferred exam period.

Example mark calculations:

Student A had an aggregate mark of 60% for the unit but failed the original hurdle exam, scoring 49% for the hurdle. They received an WH grade and were offered a second attempt of the hurdle. On second attempt they achieved a passing score of 56% for the hurdle, so the maximum mark of 50% was applied for the second assessment attempt. The new 50% score was applied, the aggregate unit mark was adjusted upwards and they received a pass grade for the unit.

Student B had an aggregate mark of 60% for the unit and failed the original hurdle exam, scoring 44% for the hurdle. They received an NX grade and were not offered a second attempt at the hurdle because they did not meet the 45% to 49% mark criteria for a second attempt.

Student C had an aggregate mark of 60% for the unit but failed the original hurdle exam, scoring 45% for the hurdle. They received an WH grade and were offered a second attempt of the hurdle. On second attempt they scored 30% for the hurdle, their hurdle assessment mark and aggregate unit mark was adjusted down accordingly and they retained the NX grade.

Student D had an aggregate mark of 35% for the unit leading up to the hurdle. They failed the original hurdle exam which was worth 20% of unit marks. A 50% score on the hurdle re-sit would only give them 10 more unit marks, so their maximum possible aggregate mark would be 45%. They received an NX grade and were not offered a second attempt of the hurdle, as passing the hurdle and receiving a 50% grade for it would not provide them enough aggregate marks to allow them to pass the unit.

Supplementary assessment

This unit is not in the final semester of the course, and a supplementary assessment is NOT available.

Use of Generative AI

Students are not permitted to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit, except for Studiosity Writing Feedback Plus.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

For this 9 credit point unit the total notional workload over a semester or term is assumed to be 450 hours. Engagement with the lectures, practicals, tutorials and engagement with materials on Canvas is expected in order to complete the unit at Masters level.

Inclusion and engagement

If you have a Reasonable Adjustment Plan (RAP) that you wish to apply to your studies, it is your responsibility to communicate with your Unit Convener in writing by email at least 7 days before your in-class assessment is due. Please attach your RAP with your request. Impairments that impact a student's ability to carry out ocular assessments are required to be disclosed to the Unit Convenor and clinical educators. Alternative examination techniques and strategies will be taught to students who require it, to ensure that they can appropriately examine patients and that patient safety is not compromised.

Participation requirements

Cooperation in laboratory classes, workshops and/or remediation sessions is required, and students are required to take turns being the patient and practitioner in approximately equal duration. This hands-on approach helps you gain an insight, empathy and understanding from both the optometrist and patient perspectives. Collaborative team work, conflict resolution and respect are essential during classes. Any action or omission that affects patient safety or which is deemed disrespectful to your patients, fellow students or the teaching staff can result in failure of a patient assessment task, regardless of the aggregate mark for the assessments detailed in this unit outline.

This Unit contains participatory elements which are vital to the Optometry Board of Australia entry-level competencies for optometrists (https://www.optometry.org.au/history/entry-level-competency-standards-for-optometry-revised-to-reflect-current-best-practice/). Students are expected to work towards and gain these competencies during the Master of Optometry Course and achieve competencies outlined in the UC Fourth-Year Clinical Rubric.

Please note, not all learning material covered in lectures, e.g. worked examples of problems or discussion in small groups, can be captured by the lecture recording software. Students are required to attend for the entire time scheduled for tutorials, practicals, laboratories and presentations. Students who are late by more than 15 minutes without an adequate documented reason will be regarded as absent; students who leave before the end, unless all assigned work has been completed to the satisfaction of the lecturer or tutor will be regarded as absent from the tutorial.

It is expected that students unable to fulfil these participation requirements will inform the Unit Convener as soon as practical, by telephone or email. If attendance requirements cannot be regularly satisfied (e.g. timetable clash) it may be recommended that you schedule this unit for a future semester. Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in failure of the associated assessment piece.

For inability to attend a scheduled laboratory session, an ‘Absence from Laboratory' form (available on UCLearn Canvas) with supporting documentation must be submitted to the Unit Convener; students may be requested to attend an additional laboratory sessions outside of timetabled hours within or outside weeks 1-13 to complete the required tasks. Consideration will be given for illness; however, evidence such as a medical certificate will be required. The final decision will be at the discretion of the Unit Convener. Contact details for the Unit Convenor and the Faculty of Health Administration Office are given in Section 1.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Students who have already completed Advanced Primary Care Optometry will be required to complete preparation or their upcoming clinical placement next semester, for example vaccinations and working with vulnerable people checks, by week 8. More information can be found by contacting InPlace via MyUC

Required IT skills

The use of UCLearn Canvas, library searching skills, reference management software, word and data processing (Microsoft Office Suite) and electronic presentation skills are necessary for this unit. In-unit costs Students are expected to purchase their own non-programmable scientific calculator and small tape measure. 

In-unit costs

Students are expected to purchase their own non-programmable scientific calculator and small tape measure. Students will be expected to have the optometry student equipment starter kit and may additionally purchase equipment as described above in Materials and Equipment section 4b. Students may wish to print electronically provided material for their own study. 

Work placement, internships or practicums

For students who have already completed 10329, Optometry for Special Populations PG, this unit precedes an observational or clinical placement. Successful completion of this unit  10328 Advance Primary Care Optometry PG, along with successful completion of 10329 Optometry for Special Populations PG, enables students to enrol in the clinical placement units for the Masters of Optometry Program. 

This unit has pre-placement requirements (e.g. Working with Vulnerable People registration, immunisations, recording of relevant details in InPlace etc), which must be completed prior to commencement of your observational or clinical placement; refer to Placement Requirements.

For repeating students, if the pre-placement requirements were completed more than 6 months ago, students are advised to contact InPlace (inplace.canberra.edu.au) early in semester 2 of the current year to ensure their documents are up to date for semester 1 of the following year.

Students must adhere to University policy during WIL experiences, including the Student Conduct Rules 2018, the WIL Policy and WIL Procedure, and the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedure. Contact your unit convener if you have any concerns with meeting the requirements of this unit.

Additional information

Academic Misconduct and Contract Cheating.

1. a student enrolled with the provider has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm; or
2. a student for whom the provider has arranged clinical training has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking the clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm.

Practitioners are required to make a mandatory notification in relation to a student if the practitioner reasonably believes that a student has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm.

All concerns raised within the Discipline of Optometry or by clinical preceptors will be reviewed by the Head of Discipline and the Course Convener before any reporting action is taken.These professional obligations are taken seriously by staff and the University. Students should be aware of their obligations under student registration.

For further information, please refer to: https://www.optometryboard.gov.au/policies-codes- guidelines/guidelines-for-mandatory-notifications.aspx

• Semester 2, 2025, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (226742)
• Semester 2, 2024, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (222028)