Bachelor of Orthoptics (Honours)

Domestic students:

Recent secondary education (Year 12)

This course uses the ATAR as part of its selection considerations.

VCE: Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in one of Biology, Chemistry, Health and Human Development, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology or any Mathematics. Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or at least 25 in English other than EAL.

Selection rank adjustments

VCE: A study score of 30 in any Mathematics, Physical Education, Health and Human Development or any Science equals 4 aggregate points per study. A study score of 20 in any LOTE equals 4 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 12 points.

Additional selection information

• Applicants seeking consideration via Work Recognition must complete all requirements listed on the La Trobe University Work Recognition webpage and submit a Personal Statement, including relevant work experience and reasons for applying for this course.
• Some prerequisites for this course can be satisfied by successfully completing specific subjects offered through Unilearn and achieving the minimum overall grade. Further details and minimum overall grade information is available from the La Trobe University Prerequisites page. Applicants who complete Unilearn studies must also submit a copy of their 'Statement of Achievement' and transcript to VTAC.
• Subject Proficiency: Demonstrated proficiency equivalent to stated Year 12 prerequisites.
• Applicants who have undertaken studies in a language other than English must demonstrate that they have achieved the required minimum scores in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (Academic) or equivalent. Refer to Language requirements for further information.
• Applicants who have not successfully completed an Australian Year 12 or equivalent are ineligible to apply for this course. This course uses the ATAR as part of its selection considerations.
• A study score of 30 in any Mathematics, Physical Education, Health and Human Development ,or any Science equals 4 aggregate points per study. A study score of 20 in any LOTE equals 4 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 12 points.

International students:

Recent secondary education (Year 12)

Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in one of Biology, Chemistry, Health and Human Development, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology or any Mathematics.

Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or at least 25 in English other than EAL.

English language requirements

Please refer to our Language requirements page for details of other accepted English proficiency tests and additional recognised English language proficiency measures, such as English as the language of instruction.

IELTS is the only English Proficiency test accepted for entry into this course.

6.5 IELTS (Academic) with no individual band less than 6.0.

All applicants:

Inherent requirements

Behavioural and relational skills

Core requirement Students must be able to manage their own responses and behaviour to work effectively in a range of learning environments with diverse people and tasks. This includes the capacity to be receptive and respond appropriately to constructive feedback. Students should also be able to work with others in a team or group environment and make and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals in order to complete tasks or for professional practice. See also Student behaviours policy for more information. Course-specific requirement

Orthoptic students are exposed to healthcare contexts in which they will encounter diversity and adversity and will be required to draw upon behavioural and relational skills to manage these situations in a professional manner. They are also required to examine and be examined by their peers and clinicians and/or academics in a teaching and clinical environment. This includes people of all genders, religions and cultural backgrounds. Orthoptic students must be able to express their emotions and prioritise patient care, irrespective of their personal feelings, attitudes and motives when working with patients of diverse social and cultural backgrounds. They must be respectful in their manner and be attentive, empathetic, honest, and non-judgmental with patients, teaching staff, supervising clinics and others. Appropriate responses to constructive feedback are essential and students must be able to manage their own physical and mental health appropriately. The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assist with building rapport with people (academic staff, patients, carers, clinicians). Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships. Students should be sensitive to individual differences and display respect and empathy to others.

Cognition

Students must be able to locate, acquire, retain and apply knowledge as part of their learning and for assessment. They must have the ability to sustain their attention over a designated period, maintain their focus in a variety of learning environments and remember information long enough to complete tasks in a reasonable and safe timeframe. Safe and effective delivery of orthoptic investigation and management requires comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood, and applied appropriately. This includes conceptualising and using appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items. It also includes appropriately applying knowledge of theory, research evidence, policies and procedures in the class and practice settings.

Literacy skills are required to: convey spoken and written messages accurately and effectively in a practice setting; paraphrase, summarise and reference in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments. This also includes application of knowledge of policy and procedures in a clinical environment required for investigation, diagnosis and treatment.

Competent application of numeracy skills is essential and includes understanding, interpreting and correctly applying numerical data, measurement, and numerical criteria. Orthoptic students should be able to perform accurate calculations of refractive error, glasses prescriptions (i.e. optical calculations) and biometric and intra-ocular lens calculations. They should be able to apply numerical data for other examinations, including but not limited, to intra-ocular pressure measurement, measurement of a deviation using prisms, visual acuity, including conversions of acuity, lens prescriptions.

Sensory (visual, auditory, tactile, olfaction)

Students should possess the ability to interact with visual, auditory or tactile inputs sufficiently to manage their learning environment and to meet professional performance needs. Orthoptic students should have sufficient and stable visual acuity and peripheral vision to accurately perform a range of tests and record results in normal, strong and dim lighting. They also need to be able to read scales and identify topical medication in all lighting conditions.

Visual acuity needs to be sufficient enough to accurately perform tests involving the periphery of a student's visual field (e.g. when assessing confrontation visual fields or undertaking an ocular motility examination). Orthoptic students should also have sufficient visual acuity to negotiate unfamiliar surroundings effectively, particularly in dim lighting. They also need to detect, monitor and assess the physical characteristics of a patient and provide thorough orthoptic care, as required. Students should demonstrate as a minimum, distance visual acuity of 6/12 binocularly and near visual acuity of N.8 binocularly to perform the range of skills required in clinical practice. Students should also demonstrate a sufficient binocular field of vision of 50 degrees horizontally and 40 degrees vertically.

Orthoptic students are required to accurately hear, comprehend, and respond to auditory information whilst performing and examination on a patient and communicating with the patient and others as required. Sufficient hearing and cognition is required in order to detect patient response whilst performing examinations. The orthoptic students should also be able to detect and respond to patient verbal cues and sounds (i.e. distress sounds), especially when setting up a patient on a device and using instruments that make contact with the patient's eyes. Students must be able to detect and respond to any request for assistance activated by a bell or calls for help.

Orthoptic students should have sufficient tactile input to accurately manipulate instruments whilst holding instruments close to or on to a patient's eye. They should be able to interpret information they receive by tactile input to make adjustments to instruments, or the patient as needed.

Strength and mobility

Gross motor skills: Students should possess the strength, range of motion, coordination and mobility sufficient to manage their learning environment and ultimately, professional performance needs. Fine motor skills: Students should possess the manual dexterity and fine motor skills sufficient to manage their learning environment and ultimately, professional performance needs.

Orthoptic students are required to safely complete learning activities, assessment, and professional tasks that require gross motor skills. This includes adjustment and regulation of instruments on adjustable tables (position, height, placement) to ensure patient and practitioner comfort and accuracy of the examination/test. They are required to maintain balance and to safely mobilise and transfer both individuals and equipment, resources, and stock.

Orthoptic students are required to employ their fine motor skills to undertake essential learning activities, assessment, and professional tasks. They are required to handle and manipulate a range of instruments that are either in direct contact with the eye or held near the eye. This task needs to be undertaken with care and dexterity to avoid injury and to ensure accuracy of the examination/test.

After graduation, you could pursue a career as an orthoptist in a range of settings, including:

• hospitals
• specialist private eye clinics
• community and rehabilitation centres
• ocular pharmaceutical and device manufacturers
• not-for-profit organisations
• academia/research.