OCAC 1503 01: Medical Foundations I < Youngstown State University

OCAC 1503 - Ethics and Basic, Clinical Skills, General Medical Knowledge and Pharmacology I

Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 44171,
Credit hours: 3

Course Meeting Times

Instructor

Latrice Jones-Bey

Email: ldjonesbey@ysu.edu

Public Instructor Information

Instructor Title: Program Director/Adjunct Faculty

Professional Qualifications:

Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist, JCAHPO

Master’s, Business Administration, Southern New Hampshire University Bachelor’s, Biology, John Carroll University

Associate, Science, Cuyahoga Community College Office: Bitonte College of Health and Human Services Phone: (330)941-3321

Private Instructor Information

Course Description

1503. Ethics and Basic, Clinical Skills, General Medical Knowledge and Pharmacology I. This course introduces students to professional ethics, legal and regulatory considerations, and foundational clinical skills used in ophthalmic practice. Emphasis is placed on ethical decision-making, patient confidentiality, informed consent, and the legal responsibilities of ophthalmic technicians. Students are introduced to the purpose and process of basic ophthalmic clinical skills, including visual acuity (VA), autorefraction (AR), confrontation visual fields (CVF), extraocular muscle (EOM) assessment, and ocular dominance testing. Introductory pharmacology concepts related to safe medication handling and technician responsibilities are also presented. This course prepares students for supervised clinical practice and advanced ophthalmic skills coursework. Additional Information: Courses must be taken in the prescribed sequence as part of a cohort. Students progress through the certificate together, and courses are not available out of sequence. Lecture - 3 credit hours 3 s.h.

This course introduces students to professional ethics, legal and regulatory considerations, and foundational clinical skills used in ophthalmic practice. Emphasis is placed on ethical decision-making, patient confidentiality, informed consent, and the legal responsibilities of ophthalmic technicians. Students are introduced to the purpose and process of basic ophthalmic clinical skills, including visual acuity (VA), visual function and impairment, autorefraction (AR), confrontation visual fields (CVF), extraocular muscle (EOM) assessment, and ocular dominance testing. Introductory pharmacology concepts related to safe medication handling and technician responsibilities are also presented. This course prepares students for supervised clinical practice and progressive ophthalmic skills coursework.

Course Readings

Group	Title	Author	ISBN
Required

Stein, Harold A., Raymond M. Stein and Melvin I. Freeman. The Ophthalmic Assistant: A Text for Allied and Associated Ophthalmic Personnel. 11th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier, 2023. ISBN 978-0-323-75754-6.

Required

The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.

Additional Course Materials

Course Learning Outcomes/Objectives/Goals

How to Succeed in This Course

Attendance Expectations

Late Work Submission Policy

Additional Course Expectations

Artificial Intelligence Policy Statement

Assignments/Assessments

Grading and Grading Scale

University Policies

Course Schedule

Week of	Reading(s)	Proposed Topic	Due/To Prepare for Class
10/19	Clinical Ethics Professional Behavior Being a Scribe Clerical Responsibilities		Discussion Board Post
10/26	Intro to Refractive Errors Spectacle Correction Ophthalmic Math CVF and Dominance		Discussion Board Post
11/2	Ocular Emergencies and Triage Midterm Review		Discussion Board Post Assignment 1
11/9	Midterm		Midterm Exam
11/16	Extraocular Muscles Examining Children and Patients with Special Needs Supplemental Testing		Discussion Board Post
11/23	How to Prepare a Presentation Review for Final		Assignment 2
11/30	Final Exam	Final Exam

The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.

OCAC 1503 01: Medical Foundations I