University Launches Asynchronous CE Library

If there are silver linings to the pandemic, one of those is that the University has been able to launch its asynchronous continuing education (CE) library.

Melissa Vitek, OD ‘95, FAAO, director of International and Continuing Education and assistant professor at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, has been working with instructors and collecting lectures since June. Since that time, her department acquired a new event management software, Cvent, which has assisted in the execution of an enduring continuing education offering. 

The University’s website now includes a designated section titled “Asynchronous Enduring Learning Continuing Education Lectures” that links to recorded lectures approved for anywhere from one to three years.

“We had been talking about formalizing the enduring continuing education we have offered sporadically, but the pandemic helped accelerate the process,” said Dr. Vitek. “The timing could not be better as our registrants have become more receptive and adept at online continuing education in general.” 

When the University first pivoted to virtual CE events, they were all offered synchronously and there were some technical challenges both on the University end and on the user end. 

“We were getting used to the nuances of our virtual learning platform and attendees were learning how to log in, mute their microphones, etc.,” she said.

After months of virtual practice, attendees have become more tech savvy and things have gone much more smoothly. And, the program administrators have been able to make needed adjustments on the fly as they come up. 

In fact, the vast majority of attendees seem to prefer the virtual CE.

“People feel like if they’re giving up their Sunday or an evening to attend CE, at least they’re not having to also contend with a commute,” said Dr. Vitek. “They love the idea that they don’t feel so separated from their families/loved ones. At least they are sitting in their homes during the weekend/evening. For the Sunday events, they aren’t getting up, getting dressed and driving somewhere so they don’t feel like it’s another work-day. For those of us that are administering, we feel that way as well.”

Other advantages to being virtual rather than face-to-face is that there are no catering or dietary restrictions to worry about; no extra University staffing needed; and no concerns about parking, etc. 

Although there have been approximately 20 synchronous events offered since March, the University officially launched the asynchronous continuing education library in early August. 

Dr. Vitek said that attendance has increased for virtual events. When they were held in-person pre-pandemic, attendance was around 100 per event. Since it’s gone virtual, the attendance averages around 150 attendees per event. There was even one event that attracted more than 1,000 attendees. She believes the asynchronous platform is going to make it easier to work across programs. 

Optometry is the oldest and largest program at Salus, therefore, there is a robust CE offering for Optometry. Additionally, the Department of International and Continuing Education (DICE) offers administrative support for a large number of CE events for the Speech-Language Pathology department. 

The University’s Blindness and Low Vision Studies department has increased its offering of online continuing education, mircro-credentials and international certificates with the administrative support of DICE. 

The Audiology program has offered very specific continuing education offerings each year and are considering a shift to the virtual platform as well.

The Occupational Therapy program is Salus’ most flexible when it comes to continuing education. All approaches seem to work well for members of that profession.

The Physician Assistant (PA) professions relies heavily on asynchronous CE offerings to meet their CE licensure renewal requirements.

“Up until now Salus’ approach to CE was not an idea fit for the PA program,” said Dr. Vitek. “We will now have to opportunity to move more in that direction for our PA faculty, alumni and colleagues.”

Moving forward, the success of pivoting to online CE might change the way the University offers it long-term. There is one group, however, that still prefers the face-to-face interaction of continuing education and hopes to return to that someday soon.

The Grand Rounds Committee at The Eye Institute (TEI) sees the advantages to the synchronous online offerings but prefers being face-to-face in the Toland Classroom at TEI and having Grand Rounds before clinic on Friday mornings.

“With a few exceptions the overwhelming feedback is positive,” said Dr. Vitek. “People say keep it (the online component), this is so much better.”