The College of Optometrists

Elo there

(My first post)

I was wondering, did anyone on the messageboard sit the new style PQES? I understand they had 30 or so students on the Pilot Scheme, any tips for preparation in particular for the continious assessment reviews every 3 months.

And secondly, what revision courses do people reccommend? Ive had a batch full posted from the College. Theres a fair few on offer.

Thanks

I did pilot year involving assessment visits but was a lot different as they didnt count towards anything so was just useful feedback to me. They held trial exam day at anglia a while ago which i didnt go to, but they are holding another trial day in Manchester pretty soon which I am trying to get involved in so will let you know.

As for the revision courses, I was with multiple so just attended their revision courses, no others. Were very well organised and v useful. Some of the BV ones sounded good as its not something you can see that often and have time + equipment to properly assess, but i think that a good orthoptics placement on hospital visits should be just as good. If you are in the south, institute ones are meant to be brilliant if you are willing to give up the time and money!

I did the bradford course this year and found it very good. Usual complaints from everyone was lack of time for practical sessions and value for money as they aren't cheap - especially when the courses are coming from your own pocket!

The problem is that revision courses this year were geared towards the well known and understood PQE Part II's and not the new PRP final day assessment/quarterly visits.

I'm sure the content will be much the same but with extra stuff tacked on and geared towards it but the unfortunate thing is nobody who did a course this year as a pre-reg can really say how it'll help you prepare for the new style assessments.

Perhaps some of the course tutors might know more. Tim Hunter being one....

As for the quarterly assessments my assessor only did the first one... didn't hear from him after that so i'm not much help there either i'm afraid!

I'm looking at re writing the AOP pre-reg support in view of the changes in the PQEs. A lot of the information you need to know may be the same but you need to know it at different times and there is a lot more concentration on the routine in your assessments.

My advice for the moment would be look very hard at the College pre-reg handbook and the listed competancies for the first quarter. Obviously concentrate on those with your supervisor before going onto the second quarter work etc.

Frankly as supervisors and examiners and course tutors we're all having to adapt very rapidly to the new format and we'll all be learning how to make it work as we go!

As a College examiner, assessor and as a course organiser, I appreciate the sentiment. However, the content of the new Final Exam is not that dissimilar to the part B’s as they are now. Its more the method of examining which has changed and that has a greater impact upon the examiner rather than on you as a candidate. So courses organised around the Final Exam will therefore have similar content and objectives. Quarterly assessments are new to all supervisors and trainees but are now well structured and there is a lot of information available. In fact they are a natural progression to most of us, so should not seem entirely new to those organising a course around them. All course organisers have adapted quickly to the new system so there should be some good ones on offer. Choose a course that suits your needs rather than location or fee etc (The fees may be high but believe me, course organisers are not making a profit!) A course that is run by experienced College Examiners and Assessors is likely to give you guidance straight form the horse’s mouth though, even if you don’t necessarily agree with what they are saying! Good luck, its a tough year but really worth it in the end. I organise both the City University and the CLEARVIEW Training courses. Happy to talk further over the phone if needs be.

i work for a multiple and i also did jane macnaughtons course.... i recommend it as you get to meet a lot of examiners and their views on how they assess... you also get a lot of practical advice and are observed in mock exams and the you get feedback on how well you performed and what you can change for the exam...its a very good preparation tool

Bear in mind that the big change is the speed at which you will be assessed. You no longer have the luxury of exams after six months, you will be assessed on competancies after THREE months. This means you need to hit the ground running. This is the aspect that I think everyone will be unused to. I recommend reading the first quarter competancies ASAP available on the web and in the pre-reg handbook (also downloadable off the web)from:

http://www.college-optometrists.org/index.aspx/pcms/site.education.Examinations.Scheme_For_Registration.Scheme_for_Registration_Home/

and getting to grips with those first. Well worth sitting down with your supervisor and discussing what you need to do to acheive those competancies by the time of the first quarterly assessment. Additionally you will need to be practicing CONTACT tonometry through the year as this will be assessed in the routine part of your final exam.

Good luck!

Thanks Chocs, I appreciate the feedback. How did you get on in the exams?

EntropY, whilst you are focusing on the first assessment, dont leave booking a course too far down on your list. The City University Course is just about full now. CLEARVIEW Training is starting to fill and I know that the Cardiff and Bradford courses are also very popular and always fill early.

passed all ten !!!!