Postgraduate Diploma in Ophthalmology

Eye-related complaints make up a fair share of primary care clinic visits. Knowledge of how to respond when these patients present is fundamental for the General Physician, as is recognising when to refer to an ophthalmologist for further care. It is important for General Physicians to be able to recognise eye conditions that can lead to visual loss, therefore requiring urgent referral to the ophthalmologist. A thorough history and physical is core in making a diagnosis and determining the urgency of the eye condition.

Our Diploma programmes benefit greatly from the diversity of our international participants and our world-class experts who design and facilitate our programmes.

Learn at one of the UK’s premier medical learning institutes and become alumni of The University of Plymouth. We offer blended learning with flexible, online study. Please note, currently, due to Covid-19, our course is 100% online.

3 good reasons to study the Postgraduate DiplomaOphthalmology:

Our course equips you with the necessary theory and skills to develop mastery in the clinical and service aspects of ophthalmology
You’ll have greater confidence and knowledge to better manage your patients. You’ll also be further recognised and appreciated by clinical colleagues, as having a special interest and skill set in ophthalmology
You’ll have the opportunity to meet other doctors and medical staff on the course – from the UK and worldwide – building your international network

Eye-related complaints make up a fair share of primary care clinic visits. Knowledge of how to respond when these patients present is fundamental for the General Physician, as is recognising when to refer to an ophthalmologist for further care. It is important for General Physicians to be able to recognise eye conditions that can lead to visual loss, therefore requiring urgent referral to the ophthalmologist. A thorough history and physical is core in making a diagnosis and determining the urgency of the eye condition.

Our Diploma programmes benefit greatly from the diversity of our international participants and our world-class experts who design and facilitate our programmes.

Learn at one of the UK’s premier medical learning institutes and become alumni of The University of Plymouth. We offer blended learning with flexible, online study. Please note, currently, due to Covid-19, our course is 100% online.

3 good reasons to study the Postgraduate DiplomaOphthalmology:

Our course equips you with the necessary theory and skills to develop mastery in the clinical and service aspects of ophthalmology
You’ll have greater confidence and knowledge to better manage your patients. You’ll also be further recognised and appreciated by clinical colleagues, as having a special interest and skill set in ophthalmology
You’ll have the opportunity to meet other doctors and medical staff on the course – from the UK and worldwide – building your international network

We welcome applications from healthcare practitioners worldwide. The course is delivered entirely online and requires reliable access to a computer and an internet connection.

The formal entry requirements are:

Hold an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) from a WHO-recognised institution.* or
A degree in Optometry or Orthoptics from a recognised institution.
A satisfactory reference from a senior health care practitioner or line manager with knowledge of your work and experience
If your first language is not English, you must be able to demonstrate oral and written fluency in English. Working or studying in an English-speaking environment will usually be sufficient to demonstrate acceptable competence.

Please note that we do not offer any scholarships or financial assistance.

*Applications are considered from candidates who do not meet the formal entry requirements but can provide evidence of equivalence. For example, a medical degree from a World Health Organisation-recognised institution.

We have over 25 years of experience in healthcare education. Each year, we carefully evolve our programme to bring you the latest expertise and best possible learning environment:

Gain a UK Higher Education Institution Accredited Diploma
Study in your own time at your own pace (in whatever time-zone you live)
Continue to live in your own country/location without disrupting family life
Continue to pursue your existing career, without a break

Programme Outline
Our programme has been designed specifically for Primary Care Physicians and other healthcare professionals working in ophthalmology, to gain experience in the management of clinical and service aspects of ophthalmology. Our programme is learning experience is tailored to suit your individual preferences. The diploma requires you to complete 3 modules:

Module 1: Core generic knowledge & skills
Module 2: Advances in Ophthalmology
Module 3: Clinical Practice in Ophthalmology

You’ll be expected to participate in online clinical activity.

We pride ourself on offering market-leading learning experiences for medical practitioners. Our experienced team of top experts have carefully developed our programme to deliver the best possible learning outcomes for you. There are 3 modules:

Module 1: Core generic knowledge & skills
We’ll cover a variety of background factors influencing eye-related disorders. This includes determinants of health, lifestyle factors in health, identifying risk factors and nutrition and health. We’ll also cover how to break bad news, which is essential in helping you manage your patients effectively.

Module 2: Advances in Ophthalmology

In this module, we go deeper into the subject of ophthalmology, giving you detailed understanding. Topics include basic anatomy & physiology, ophthalmological history taking, red-eye/conjunctivitis, acute angle-closure glaucoma, acute anterior uveitis, the cornea (infection, itchy & watery eyes), central retinal vein occlusion, central artery occlusion, amaurosis fugax/visual obscurations, retinal detachment, refractive errors, clinical assessment of cataract, preop cataract assessment, cataract surgery, postop cataract care, age-related macular degeneration, primary open-angle glaucoma, secondary glaucoma, visual fields (defects/recognition), ocular tumours, periocular lumps/bumps, diabetic eye disease (screening/diagnosis), treatment of diabetic eye disease, the eye & systemic disease, cranial verve palsies/botox, paediatric eye disease, congenital defects

Module 3: Clinical Practice in Ophthalmology

Here we cover clinical skills related to the measurement of visual function, visual fields & interpretation, Intraocular pressure measurement, Adnexal assessment, Biometric assessment, Slit-lamp assessment, Ophthalmoscopy, Screening for squint, Procedures and clinical examination.

These are presented as a series of specially selected key video clips to enable you to understand the procedure and the steps required. We don’t assess clinical skill competency and strongly advise you to access hands-on clinical sessions with a local clinical specialist following the programme.

Duration

The Postgraduate Diploma runs over 1 academic year (9 to 12 months). For exact course dates please check our website here.

Delivery Method

Our courses are online with a 1-day introductory workshop and ½ day exam at the end.

Ranking

The University of Plymouth’s medical school has a high score of 96/100 and 100% employment for graduates six months from graduation (Complete University Guide 2019). It also has the top dental school in England – outside of London – scoring of 94/100, including a value-added score of 8/10 (The Guardian University Guide 2018).

Tuition Fees

Please check our current fees here. This fee includes everything (online access, course material, webinars, exam fees), except for graduation ceremony fees, which are separate.

Accreditation and Recognition

On completion of our programme, you’ll receive a diploma from The University of Plymouth. It’s an internationally recognised academic qualification. The University of Plymouth has been committed to excellence since its foundation in 1862. It received its University title, and degree awarding powers, from His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council. It’s fully recognised by the British Government and listed on the UK’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills list of recognised UK awarding institutions.