Diploma in Ophthalmic Science

Government of Nepal has called for the provision of basic health care for all citizens by establishing a network of services in rural and urban population of the country. The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) has been contributing towards the development of different level of health personnel in the country. In this context, CTEVT has planned to produce Ophthalmic Assistant (Allied Ophthalmic Personnel) with a view to provide comprehensive (preventive and promotive, curative and rehabilitative) eye health services to the community.

In the past, this cadre of human resource were used to certify through CTEVT/Skill test department and considered as a vocational training. This kind of certification though was catering the immediate need of eye care programme in the country, the trained ophthalmic assistant has limited horizon to grow and limited career ladder to upgrade themselves. This has contributed for the increasing demand of academic training which will allow them to grow further after completion of this certificate level course. In this context, the CTEVT started certificate level programme leading to degree 'Proficiency Certificate Level in Ophthalmic Science' to the candidates who successfully complete the requirements as prescribed by theCTEVT.

The trained Ophthalmic Assistant is a professional Ophthalmic Health Worker, who has beengiven three full years training in Ophthalmology and related health sciences. The aim of this three years training is to produce compassionate mid level ophthalmic human resource that can help and play important role in eye care delivery system within the hospital and in thecommunity.

The graduates would be eligible for registration with the Nepal Health Professional Council in the category as mentioned in the Act of the Council. The registered graduates would be then eligible for the job at different level health institutions to the position as prescribed by the Public Service Commission or the concerned authority.

Mission of the Curriculum

The mission of the curriculum is to educate and train the quality middle level ophthalmic health personnel equipped with sound knowledge and skills of Ophthalmology along with general medicine.

Strategy

The strategies to achieve our mission of educational excellence will be attained by maintaining expert faculty, implementing a sound curriculum, and recruiting quality students.

Philosophy

The philosophy of the curriculum should be based on the development of both clinical and public health service provider as a profession for fulfilling the health needs of the people with its socio-cultural impact on health. It should be based on code of conduct of Nepal Health Professional Council. The approach should focus on providing curative, preventive and promotive primary eye health services in better way. 

Aim and Objectives

The course aims to produce middle level Ophthalmic personnel with equipped sound knowledge and perfect skills of Ophthalmology along with knowledge and skills of general medicine at the level they are aimed at. The course enable students:

• To acquire sound knowledge and perfect skills of Ophthalmology and general medicine
• To demonstrate competency in identifying and resolving community health problems by applying Ophthalmic and modern procedure and medicines taking in consideration of nature of the diseases and condition of the patients
• To demonstrate basic knowledge and clinical skills necessary to diagnose and initiate management of common ocular disorder.
• To exhibit leadership skills and professional characteristics and attitudes required as the role of Ophthalmic health personnel or primary eye/health care manager.
• To demonstrate the necessary knowledge and skills to work in a variety of eye/health care settings
• To promote Ophthalmology system of medicine with modern knowledge and skills