Enhancing Ophthalmology Education in Medical Schools: Learned Lessons from Medical-Optometry Interprofessional Education Curriculum

Ophthalmology education in U.S. medical schools has steadily declined, despite the prevalence of vision related complaints in clinical practice. To address this gap, Nova Southeastern University College of Allopathic Medicine implemented an interprofessional education initiative in collaboration with its Optometry College. The program combined didactic instruction with hands-on clinical skills training led by optometry and medical faculty. Medical and optometry students practiced ocular examination techniques while gaining insight into optometrists’ scope. This initiative presents a framework for enhancing ophthalmic education in medical schools without home ophthalmology residency programs. It is particularly valuable for institutions without home ophthalmology departments, offering a feasible model to integrate ophthalmology education into medical training. While an ongoing study is being conducted for a more formal evaluation, this piece intends to reflect the authors’ perspectives regarding the intervention.