Deakin’s foundation professor of optometry: ‘its time to move on!’

In an interview with Insight, Prof Weisinger said Professor Alex Gentle, currently course director, would assume overall responsibility for the program.
In his own words, he said: “Seven years into my five year plan, it’s time to move on!
“Where to from here? Upon completion of my tenure, I will immediately commence work on a major global optometry advancent initiative and will be presenting key concepts at an international forum in October.
“Along with this work, I will be consulting within the health-care and education sectors and continuing my work as a general medical practitioner with special interests in health promotion, nutrition and sports performance. I will rain part of Deakin University, by way of a clinical professorship within the School of Medicine, and will assist the School whenever possible.”
Prior to coming on as Foundation Director, Prof Weisinger enlisted the support of Professor Adrian Moore from Anglia Ruskin in Cambridge to develop the business case for the program. Ultimately, Deakin University approved the course leading to the combined degree – Bachelor of Vision Science and Master of Optometry. He then worked closely with Flinders University’s Professor David Prideaux, to develop the course structure, while at the same time attracting and hiring staff, attracting student enrolments, participating in the development of prises within the Faculty of Health initially and then in the adjacent brand-new purpose built REACH building to house the course, on the Waurn Ponds campus.
In the early period, there was opposition to the foundation of a new optometry program – which came from both Optometry Australia and even another Australian optometry school. Eventually, they accepted Deakin Optometry as a reality and eased off.In his announcent to staff on 18 May, Prof Weisinger rinded th his vision was for a course that broke from tradition with a focus on educational innovation, development of clinical skills through high volume clinical exposure, retail and commercial awareness and robust and meaningful industry partnerships.
In October 2008, he presented his vision for a brand-new optometry program to mbers of the Deakin Executive, including the incumbent Dean of the Faculty, Professor John Catford.
Almost two years later, Deakin approved the business case and shortly after he was appointed to his position. There was no course framework, nor material from which to kick-start the course.
“I was involved in generating every optometry position and almost without exception, interviewed each one of those appointed. It takes special, world-class people to deliver on a challenge like this and through the talent of our staff, dedication and pure hard work, we created something very special,” Prof Weisinger told Insight.
“Today, on the verge of graduating our first cohort of optometrists, Deakin optometry is fast becoming the benchmark for optometry education and training. We need to satisfy a small list of conditions to achieve full accreditation.
“We have one of the most sought-after courses offered by Deakin University, consistently hitting our enrolment targets, and we have established operational sustainability – particularly through the establishment of an executive managent team and our integration with, and excellent support from, the School of Medicine.
“Our local clinical partnerships are strong, but at the same time, we have students placed in all corners of the country. We are supported by dozens of non-aligned optometrists as well as by all of the major ployer groups.
“Having already spent weeks at the Australian College of Optometry, as well as short placents in ophthalmology here in Geelong, our students will graduate having seen hundreds, possibly even thousands of patients, in the various practices in which they have been mentored for the past six months or so. Upon return from placent, we provide th with further clinical cases and tuition to ensure that every student can meet our high standards.
“Also, our facilities are absolutely first-class, both in Geelong and at our facility within the Australian College of Optometry in Melbourne; the latter would have been unheard of seven years ago!”