MMedSci Ophthalmology Advanced Clinical Practice (Paediatrics) pre-arrival information

We know this can be a busy time for you, and we want to make preparing for starting your masters course as straightforward as possible.  This pre-arrival page is just for new Ophthalmology Advanced Clinical Practice (Paediatrics) students starting in September 2025. Here you’ll find information and tasks to complete specific to you and your course.

Introductory day timetables

Each year will start with an online introductory day. You only need to attend the day which relates to your year or module of study.

• Year one - Monday 29 September, 9am - 4.30pm. Download the schedule [Word document download]
• Year two (and Clinical Leadership and Education in Ophthalmology module) - Tuesday 30 September, 9am - 4.30pm. Download the schedule [Word document download]

Online introductory days for subsequent years can be found in the Orthoptics and Ophthalmology Google calendar. Schedules may change so please refer to the Google calendar for the latest information.

Access your introductory day

Accessing our virtual learning platform – Blackboard

You should use Google Chrome as your web browser. Other browsers are known to cause issues.

Download Google Chrome

All of your course materials can be accessed from MUSE (My University of Sheffield Environment) via the following steps. 

1. Visit the University of Sheffield website and login with your username and password.
2. Click on the My Services tab and select Blackboard, our virtual learning platform.

Blackboard has two areas you need to become familiar with: courses and organisations. The course is the module you will be studying in this next semester. The organisation is the umbrella platform for all modules, where information relating to every programme is found. All students should have access to both their course and the ACP in Paediatric Ophthalmology organisation.

Finding the first online session – Blackboard Collaborate

We use Blackboard Collaborate as our virtual classroom. This has all the same features as software like Zoom or Google Meet and allows us to present slides and use online whiteboards.

Read our guide to Blackboard Collaborate

The first session can be found on the organisation. 

1. Go to My Services on the University homepage
2. Click on Blackboard
3. Select Organisations
4. Click on ACP in Paediatric Ophthalmology
5. On the left-hand menu, click Blackboard Collaborate.
6. From here, you can join the initial teaching sessions for the introductory day, which is entitled Introductions, Ice-breakers and Tour of Blackboard. Please join this session and not the course room. 

Course-specific teaching will be hosted under Courses in Blackboard. We will familiarise you with the location of hosted teaching materials during our introductory session.

You can find more information on Blackboard using the links below:

Find Your Courses

Organisations

All sessions will be recorded and can be accessed later using these instructions.

Our programme is part of the School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery, which is part of the Faculty of Health at The University of Sheffield.  As such, will we be supported by resources which have been developed by our School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery such as the general handbook and by things like digital media produced by our faculty.  These resources will be available through your Blackboard courses and organisation.

If you need more help, you can email your module or programme lead.

Orthoptics and Ophthalmology Google calendar

Throughout your studies, you'll have the opportunity to attend virtual tutorials and catch-ups with your peers and tutors. To help you organise your time around your work and life commitments, please refer to our Orthoptics and Ophthalmology Google calendar for the latest scheduling information.

Dates and times are subject to change, so please subscribe to the calendar to make sure you have access to the latest information.

Subscribe to our Orthoptics and Ophthalmology Google calendar

Recommended reading

Being able to recognise abnormal, pathological anatomy is much easier when you have re-familiarised yourself with typical anatomy, especially for children. 

We recommend Snell, R.S. and Lemp, M.A., 2013. Clinical anatomy of the eye. John Wiley & Sons.

This is available through the University of Sheffield e-library as soon as you are registered as a student.

Pre-arrival tasks

Complete your local mentor support form

For our Clinical Leadership and Education in Ophthalmology module you will need to complete and return a local mentor support form which can be downloaded below. If you have not already done so, please send the completed and signed form by email to ahpnm-support@sheffield.ac.uk before the course begins.

• Local Mentor Support Form [PDF download]
• Read the local mentor handbook (available on Blackboard)

We also recommend reading the following document:

Harding, D., 2020. Workplace supervision for Advanced Clinical Practice: an integrated multi-professional approach for practitioner development

Develop your practical skills

Practise examining colleagues and willing volunteers most especially on the slit lamp, but also on the retinoscope, indirect ophthalmoscope and ophthalmoscope. You will need to use all of these instruments as soon as the course begins and therefore the more practice you can gain, the better.

Meet the team

Professional Lead for Orthoptics

MMedSci Ophthalmology Advanced Clinical Practice (Paediatrics) Programme Lead 

Professor Charlotte Codina

Professional Lead for Orthoptics and Ophthalmology
School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery

Email

c.codina@sheffield.ac.uk

Telephone

+44 114 215 9042

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MMedSci Ophthalmology Advanced Clinical Practice (Paediatrics) Programme Tutor

The ACP programme is predominantly led by Dr Charlotte Codina and Dr Viral Sheth, though all academic staff contribute to the programme and will take on the role of personal tutors, offering an initial one-to-one meeting with you online within four weeks of starting the programme.

Module leads