Hopkins Receives Low Vision Educational Grant

Greg Hopkins (OD'10/MS’14) is the 2018 recipient of the Fredric Rosemore Low Vision Educational Grant, awarded by the American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF) in collaboration with the Frederic and Marion Rosemore Family Foundation. The grant enables institutions to provide care and support personnel directly related to the field of low vision.

 

Dr. Hopkins’ project, “Developing a Conversational Virtual Standardized Patient to Enable Optometry Students to Practice Low Vision Functional History-Taking Skills,” involves the expansion of an existing iPad virtual patient interaction app (developed by Ohio State’s college of Medicine) to include low vision patient interview practice sessions.   

 

“It is vitally important to elevate optometry students’ comfort level talking with patients about vision loss,” explains Dr. Hopkins. “Knowing what to say. Addressing big topics. It will be valuable to be able to practice using this tool prior to speaking with a real patient.”

 

“Not only do low vision patients benefit greatly from meaningful interactions with their optometrists, but a large percentage of diagnoses are made through interviewing skills,” says Dr. Hopkins. “Therefore, strong interviewing skills are essential. These interviews will be recorded, so clinical instructors will be able to analyze the interviews and go over the results with students. This technology will offer a great deal of flexibility in the learning environment, for example, students will be able to practice during their free time.”

 

Dr. Hopkins will be honored at the AAOF Celebration Luncheon during the American Academy of Optometry’s Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX.