The academic programmes include a Postgraduate Diploma in Community eye health and a Master of Science in Surgery (with major dissertation in Community eye health).  The certificate training programmes are contained in a portfolio of short courses aimed at strengthening public health services. These include "Leadership and management", Project management essentials", " Community eye health", "Advocacy and Strategic Planning", and "Developing action plans". Some of these are conducted in workshop format. Along more clinical lines, a selection of "Simulation Ophthalmic Surgery" (SOS) Training courses are offered, as well as a Diabetic Retinopathy Grading course for Screening, and a workshop on Awareness-raising and Health Promotion, in collaboration with various technical  use of various industry experts. Additionally, UCT-CEHI offers practical opportunities for career and employment through experience development, through the UCT-CEHI Volunteer Internship Programme.

Here is a summary of the Education and Training offered by UCT-CEHI. Download the pdf version of this CEHI Training summary alongside.

COURSE TITLE

AIM AND PURPOSE

DURATION, STRUCTURE AND TIMING

Postgraduate Diploma in Community Eye Health (PgDCEH)

Provides training in eye care programme management to plan, organise and manage community eye health programmes at national, district or facility level. It does not provide a clinical training in ophthalmology.

Duration: one year (February to November)

Structure: Four (4) semester courses delivered in blended format. First 6 contact weeks in Cape Town (mid-February to end-March), followed by synchronous and asynchronous online lecture sessions. Practical exercises and assignments, including development of a district eye care plan.

Master of Surgery (Community Eye Health) (MScCEH)

NB: This replaces the MPHCEH

Provides supervision and support to enable participants to undertake research that might inform the planning and management of eye care programmes.  It does not provide a clinical training in ophthalmology. Participation in the UCT-CEHI Volunteer Internship Programme is recommended.

BY MAJOR DISSERTATION ONLY

18 months minimum registration period

Eligibility: 4-year Bachelor’s degree, satisfactory research concept, completion of Research methods and Community eye Health plus one additional SPHS portfolio of online courses (Leadership and Management or Project Management Essentials)

LAM: Leadership and management (for strengthened public eye health services)

Provides participants with the core leadership and management skills needed for effective planning, design, and implementation of improved eye care services through development of personal leadership and management strategies.

Duration: 1 week contact / 12 weeks online

Structure: 1 week contact workshop (March) or 12 weekly sessions delivered online in asynchronous mode (starts July). Practical exercises and assignments must be completed.

PME: Project management essentials (for strengthened public eye health services)

Provides training and support to enable participants to develop comprehensive project plans, from conception to feasibility assessment and marketing, based on the project management approach.

Duration: 1 week contact / 12 weeks online

Structure: 1 week contact workshop (March) or 12 weekly sessions delivered online in asynchronous mode (starts July). Post-training support is provided for completion of project plans, evaluated, and ready for marketing.

CEH: Community eye health (for strengthened public eye health services)

Provides participants with the core knowledge and understanding of community eye health, the discipline which focuses on designing and implementing public health interventions against needless blindness and visual impairment.

Duration: 12 weekly sessions starting February

Structure: Synchronous and asynchronous online lecture sessions, about key aspects of community eye health. Ideal for district level eye care service managers. Practical exercises and assignments, including development of a district eye care plan.

ASP: Advocacy and strategic planning (for strengthened public eye health services)

Provides training and support to equip participants to conceive, develop and implement effective advocacy and health promotion strategies to facilitate the establishment and improvement of eye health services in LMIC health settings.

Duration: 1 week contact (last week of February)

Structure: Intense workshop-style training delivered in contact mode, teaching participants how to develop advocacy and health promotion strategies. Post-training support is provided for completion of advocacy plans for marketing.

AHP: Awareness-raising and Health Promotion (for strengthened public eye health services)

Provides training and support to equip participants to conceive, develop and implement effective awareness-raising and health promotion strategies to address barriers to the uptake of health services in LMIC health settings.

Duration: 1 week contact (August)

Structure: Intense workshop-style training delivered in contact mode, teaching participants how to develop awareness and health promotion strategies. Post-training support is provided for completion of advocacy plans for marketing.

DAP: Developing action plans (for strengthened public eye health services)

Provides training and support to enable participants develop an eye care plan for a health service unit, based on regional and national strategies to address the causes of vision loss within LMIC- health system settings.

Duration: 1 week contact workshop in March

Structure: From strategy to action plan developments. Post-training support is provided for completion of action plans, evaluated and ready for marketing. Suitable for groups from the same organisation.

EHS: Eye and health systems (for strengthened public eye health services)

Provides participants with the core knowledge and understanding of the health systems framework and approaches to strengthen human resources, service delivery, health information systems to meet the goal of improve health outcomes, with special focus on eye care.

Duration: 1 week contact (February)

Structure: Intense workshop-style training delivered in contact mode, teaching participants about the structure and function of the health system elements.  Practical exercises and assignments must be completed.  Ideal for district level eye care service managers.

SOS: Simulation Ophthalmic Surgical Training

Provides participants with the competencies to perform cataract, glaucoma, and retinal surgery under supervision, from novice to proficient, using evidence-based teaching and learning techniques.

Duration: 2-3 days contact (variable time schedules)

Structure: Participants undergo intense practical training in a dry laboratory setting, using standard theatre instruments, synthetic eyes, and a virtual reality surgical simulator.

DRS: Diabetic Retinopathy Grading for Screeners

(Courses start in

MAY / JUNE annually)

Provides participants with the knowledge and skills to take high quality fundus images, assess them and apply grading techniques to route patients appropriately for further follow-up and consultation.

Duration: 8 – 10 weeks online

Structure: Participants participate in online video sessions, download course materials and further reading, then undergo tests to be certified as competent DR graders.