Role of the DICE, Part II: Innovation on a Global Scale

DICE designs and implements profession-specific and interprofessional micro-credential and degree programs to provide a broad array of training. “Students worldwide advance their knowledge and skills through face-to-face, virtual (synchronous and asynchronous), and hybrid delivery models,” explained Melissa Vitek, OD ’95, FAAO, dean of DICE.

Dr. Vitek began her academic career as an instructor at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) in 2000, and took on a PCO administrative role in 2011 as the liaison for international and continuing education within the Office of Professional Studies and International Programs (PSIP), which was the name of the University-level department run by then-director, Melissa Padilla, MPH ’13

Between 2011 and 2015, Dr. Vitek worked with Janice Scharre, OD, MA, FAAO, (special program advisor, then provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Salus) to develop a one-year, full-time, on-campus delivery model for the Master of Science in Clinical Optometry (MSCO) degree with an Advanced Studies certificate program. The first offering was cohort-specific and included eight students from China. Students completing this program earned an MSCO degree and a certificate in a specialized content area, such as contact lenses, binocular vision, vision therapy, and vision impairment and rehabilitation.

Dr. Vitek’s role was expanded and she became the department director in 2015, and was promoted to dean of DICE in 2021. During her transition, the department continued to diversify.

“Each subsequent cohort, from the original MSCO cohort, has been more diverse and now includes students from across the globe,” said Dr. Vitek. “DICE has educated students from 24 countries, including Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia,

Cuba, Finland, Ghana, India, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom.”

In addition to Salus being the only University in the U.S. to offer an MSCO degree and a Master of Science in Audiology (MSCA) degree, it’s the only University to offer a PhD in Biomedicine, which can be specialized in specific healthcare-related professional areas. The diversification of program offerings allowed DICE to diversify its student reach and has helped to expand the program’s impact across the globe.

“I am from Jordan and was looking for optometry programs in the United States. The clinical exposure the MSCO program offered gave me such great experience that I don’t think I would have been able to get anywhere else,” said Muhannad Faouri, MSCO ’22 “The program provides students with lots of hands-on experience they are missing from just a bachelor’s degree in optometry.”