As part of the Patient Care and Professional Conduct course (OP118), first-year BSc Optometry students at Gulf Medical University participated in a guest lecture series designed to strengthen their understanding of communication, professionalism, empathy, and patient-centered care.
The series featured five distinguished experts from academia, clinical practice, corporate healthcare, geriatric eye care, and professional ethics. Through interactive discussions and real-world experiences, students gained valuable insights into the importance of effective communication and professional conduct in healthcare.
- Sumathi Narayanan, President – Creative Communication and Management Center, a specialist in communication and professional development, delivered the first session to students from Optometry, Audiology, and Speech-Language Pathology. Drawing on real-life examples and guided reflection, she highlighted empathy, active listening, and clear communication as essential and lifelong clinical skills, not simply interpersonal ones.
- Zachary Cairns, from Cairns & Co, an independent optometry practitioner based in the UAE, shared practical experience from everyday clinical settings. His session offered students an honest view of patient communication, professional conduct, and the realities of working in eye care practice.
- Irene Sophia, Senior Optometrist with over 2 decades of clinical experience at the UAE, from Genesis Healthcare spoke about the role of communication within multidisciplinary healthcare environments. She emphasised cultural sensitivity, respectful interaction, and the importance of building trust with patients and colleagues alike.
- Krishna Kumar R, President, Ophthalmic Science Professional Council under NCAHP, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, and with his passion and expertise in doorstep eye care and geriatric optometry, focused on communication with elderly patients. Through personal stories from clinical practice, he conveyed how listening carefully, offering reassurance, and treating patients with dignity can meaningfully support their independence and overall wellbeing.
- Murtuza Ebrahim, AGM- Optometry Services, Lenskart ME addressed professional ethics and empathetic communication in optometry. He encouraged students to understand that ethical practice and genuine empathy are not separate values — they work together and are reflected in every patient interaction.
The lecture series reinforced Gulf Medical University’s commitment to developing compassionate, ethical, and patient-centered healthcare professionals from the earliest stages of their education.
“Exposure to experienced healthcare professionals helps students appreciate the human side of healthcare from the very beginning of their training. This lecture series provided valuable lessons in communication, empathy, professionalism, and ethical practice that are essential for future healthcare providers.” remarked Dr Praveen Kumar Dean, College of Health Sciences.
