Optometry Lecturer of the Year 2018

Winner: Patrick Richardson

Lecturer and Clinical Director at Ulster University, Patrick Richardson, uses an evidence based approach to bring optometry to life and prepare students for practice.

Having worked part-time in three academic departments and a large teaching hospital, Patrick Richardson says his clinical experiences play a central part in his teaching, explaining; “I believe my main role is to take my experience to the students and make them understand the direct links between a theoretical knowledge of optics and clinical work.”

He recommends lecturers are up-front about their clinical mistakes. “Give students the stories about your errors and how you learnt from them. These are often the things that they remember best,” He argues.

Mr Richardson is also passionate about student engagement, and has worked with colleagues to developed an online tool for logging student experiences. Other innovations, include introducing pre-screening and digital records within the clinic that can be accessed simultaneously, meaning students can work with patients uninterrupted.

Commenting on his nomination Mr Richardson said, “I was delighted to learn that the Ulster students had nominated me for the award.”

"My main role is to take my clinical experience to the students."

Patrick Richardson

Runners up

Finalist: Chris Hull

Professor Chris Hull puts critical thinking at the heart of his teaching at City University

For Professor Chris Hull the most rewarding aspect of teaching is when students pick up his enthusiasm for a subject, something he tries to encourage through creative teaching methods

“I believe that good clinicians need to be excellent critical thinkers and this is taught throughout the clinical and non-clinical subjects in our curriculum. I try to use methods that engender enthusiasm and enquiry and need thinking skills,” he explains.

Finalist: Dr Manbir Nagra

Adopting a collaborative teaching style, Dr Mandir Nagra says she learns along with her students

From introducing peer discussions for students to sharing new pieces of optometric kit, Dr Nagra, of City University, aims to bring theory to life for her students.

Working with student to create lessons that work for them is a central part of her technique. “I like to receive constant feedback from students,” she explains, “We all have the same goals. There isn’t an ‘us and them’ approach – it’s team work.”