Centennial
In July 2017, Melissa Trego, OD ’04, Resident ‘09, PhD was appointed as the new dean of the University’s Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) after acting as interim dean for a little more than a year. She was also the first female graduate of PCO to hold the title.
Dr. Trego graduated PCO in 2004 and completed a residency in Primary Care at The Eye Institute (TEI) in 2009. Soon after, she became an instructor for PCO and clinical instructor at TEI. After completing her PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Cardiff University in the United Kingdom, she quickly became an assistant professor, then associate dean of Optometric Academic Affairs at PCO.
Dr. Trego, in conjunction with Elizabeth Tonkery, OD, MPH ’13, was instrumental in the development of PCO’s Accelerated Scholars program - the first three-year Doctor of Optometry program in the U.S., not requiring an MD or PhD.
Just one year after taking leadership as dean, Dr. Trego has been instrumental in the continued success of PCO students. She, along with dedicated PCO faculty, analyzed past National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) score trends and made significant changes to increase student outcomes through a curriculum overhaul. These changes Dr. Trego has implemented include encouragement for faculty to hold review sessions for students; development of a mentor program; and facilitation of a faculty-derived mock NBEO exam. As a result, PCO’s Part 1 NBEO examination scores increased nearly 22 percent since the year prior and it is the first time in almost 15 years that PCO students scored above the national average.
“A part of me wants to continue to protect the legacy of PCO,” said Dr. Trego. “I believe my role as dean is to continue to support faculty and students but also to remember how each of us has gotten where we are and not to forget that.” That being said, pushing the envelope – a long-standing tradition of PCO – continues. “Sometimes making people uncomfortable– it’s all a part of pushing the envelope, looking at our history and continuing to fight for the optometry program,” she said. “We are constantly rediscovering the best way to teach our students in this profession with technology that is changing all the time.”
In addition to her work at Salus PCO and TEI, Dr. Trego holds an array of leadership positions; she is the Chief Academic Officer for PCO; and serves on the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) board of directors. She has also served as a residency accreditation team member for the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). Dr. Trego has published various peer-reviewed abstracts and presents professionally both nationally and internationally. Throughout her career, she has won various awards including Alcon’s Clinical Excellence Award, Clinical Excellence in Low Vision, National Optometric Student Association (NOSA) Faculty Recognition Award, Outstanding Optometry Professor of the Year and the Onofrey G. Rybachok Memorial Educator of the Year Award.
In the coming years, Dr. Trego will continue to spend her time and energy developing faculty, being devoted to students, raising standards for PCO, and looking for ways that optometry can continue to integrate itself further into the overarching healthcare arena.
