Pennsylvania College of Optometry
Encyclopedia
Salus University was established by the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, one of the oldest colleges of optometry in North America, on July 1, 2008. PCO has established degree programs in other disciplines over the past twenty-five years. "Salus," a Latin word meaning "health and well-being," is located in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
, a suburb of Philadelphia, and consists of four colleges:
schools and throughout most of the 20th century has been a leader in both training and research. It was the first school in the United States to confer the Doctor of Optometry degree after a four-year educational program. It was the first of all the optometry schools to receive regional accreditation and the first to offer courses in contact lens
es. PCO was the first to offer inter-disciplinary clinical training and have off-campus externship
programs. It was also the first independent college of optometry to develop graduate programs in vision rehabilitation and affiliate with a medical school. It was also the first to revise its curriculum
to integrate basic and clinical courses using a module approach; introducing clinical concepts, skills, and student’s presence early in the educational program rather than as an additional training after completion of basic studies.
Within the Eye Institute is the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center. The center is concerned with low vision and receives patients from around the world. It remains today the leading low-vision research center in the world.
TEI has three clinics: the main clinic in West Oak Lane
, plus two satellite clinics in Mt Airy
and East Falls
.
PCO administers one of the country’s largest extern programs, where doctors-in-training rotate through private practices, clinics, government facilities, veteran’s hospitals, Department of the Interior Indian reservation
clinics, and other clinical settings to afford their graduates the widest range of experience.
in Cheltenham
on York Road, below Washington Lane. (This area of Cheltenham is known as Elkins Park.) Breyer donated the former Wanamaker land to the Boy Scouts of America
for use as a wildlife preserve. Camp Henry W. Breyer was sold by the Philadelphia Council
in 1990 and is now the site of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.
The Elkins Park Campus is situated on 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) of land in Cheltenham Township, and is three miles (5 km) from TEI.
40.0853°N 75.1311°W
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Elkins Park is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is split between Cheltenham and Abington Townships in the suburbs of Philadelphia, roughly from Center City, Philadelphia.-Points of interest:...
, a suburb of Philadelphia, and consists of four colleges:
- Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO): the University's founding College, established in 1919.
- George S. Osborne College of Audiology: named for the late founding dean of the PCO School of Audiology, established in 2000.
- College of Education and Rehabilitation: new home of Graduate Studies in Vision Impairment Programs; established in 1983.
- College of Health Sciences: the Physician Assistant program, established in 2007, is located in this college.
Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO)
PCO is one of the oldest optometryOptometry
Optometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...
schools and throughout most of the 20th century has been a leader in both training and research. It was the first school in the United States to confer the Doctor of Optometry degree after a four-year educational program. It was the first of all the optometry schools to receive regional accreditation and the first to offer courses in contact lens
Contact lens
A contact lens, or simply contact, is a lens placed on the eye. They are considered medical devices and can be worn to correct vision, for cosmetic or therapeutic reasons. In 2004, it was estimated that 125 million people use contact lenses worldwide, including 28 to 38 million in the United...
es. PCO was the first to offer inter-disciplinary clinical training and have off-campus externship
Externship
Externships are experiential learning opportunities, similar to internships, offered by educational institutions to give students short practical experiences in their field of study. In medicine it may refer to a visiting physician who is not part of the regular staff...
programs. It was also the first independent college of optometry to develop graduate programs in vision rehabilitation and affiliate with a medical school. It was also the first to revise its curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
to integrate basic and clinical courses using a module approach; introducing clinical concepts, skills, and student’s presence early in the educational program rather than as an additional training after completion of basic studies.
The Eye Institute (TEI)
The Eye Institute (TEI) is the main clinical facility of PCO. TEI, from its inception to the present day, is a clinical facility that includes adult primary care, pediatric, vision rehabilitation, laser procedures, sub-specialty optometry services, and sub-specialty ophthalmology services. This training facility is open on a 24-hour basis and all graduates spend time in this facility beginning early in their studies. TEI is essentially like a teaching hospital, providing the clinical element to complement the academic program.Within the Eye Institute is the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center. The center is concerned with low vision and receives patients from around the world. It remains today the leading low-vision research center in the world.
TEI has three clinics: the main clinic in West Oak Lane
West Oak Lane, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
West Oak Lane is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of Philadelphia. It is located between East Mount Airy, East Germantown, Cheltenham, Montgomery County, East Oak Lane, and Fern Rock. Ogontz Avenue runs generally north, then northwest as the spine of the neighborhood and the...
, plus two satellite clinics in Mt Airy
Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mount Airy is a neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania.-Boundaries:Mount Airy is bounded on the northwest by the Cresheim Valley, which is part of Fairmount Park. Beyond this lies Chestnut Hill. On the west side is the Wissahickon Gorge, which is also part of Fairmount...
and East Falls
East Falls, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
East Falls is a neighborhood in the Northwest section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. East Falls is located adjacent to Roxborough, Manayunk, and Germantown, and Fairmount Park. The neighborhood runs along a stretch of Ridge Avenue that is only a few miles long, along the banks of the...
.
PCO administers one of the country’s largest extern programs, where doctors-in-training rotate through private practices, clinics, government facilities, veteran’s hospitals, Department of the Interior Indian reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
clinics, and other clinical settings to afford their graduates the widest range of experience.
Cheltenham Township site (Elkins Park Campus)
In 1929, Henry W. Breyer, Jr., purchased the abandoned Lindenhurst property once owned by John WanamakerJohn Wanamaker
John Wanamaker was a United States merchant, religious leader, civic and political figure, considered by some to be the father of modern advertising and a "pioneer in marketing." Wanamaker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:He was born on July 11, 1838.He opened his first store in...
in Cheltenham
Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania
Cheltenham Township is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although it retains the word "Township" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1977 and is therefore not subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code. The population was...
on York Road, below Washington Lane. (This area of Cheltenham is known as Elkins Park.) Breyer donated the former Wanamaker land to the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
for use as a wildlife preserve. Camp Henry W. Breyer was sold by the Philadelphia Council
Cradle of Liberty Council
The Cradle of Liberty Council is a Boy Scouts of America council created in 1996 with the merger of the former Philadelphia Council and the former Valley Forge Council .-History:The present council is the result of the 1996 merger of Philadelphia and Valley Forge councils...
in 1990 and is now the site of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.
The Elkins Park Campus is situated on 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) of land in Cheltenham Township, and is three miles (5 km) from TEI.
External links
- salus.edu, the Salus University homepage
- teivision.com, TEI's homepage
40.0853°N 75.1311°W