The University of Central Arkansas will study whether opening a school of optometry on its Conway campus is feasible, the university said Thursday. Arkansas currently has no schools of optometry, the health-care profession of primary eye care.
Tripp Umbach, a health-care consulting group based in Pittsburgh, Pa., will create a “comprehensive analysis of the current and projected needs of optometrists in Arkansas and surrounding regions” and outline the pros and cons of developing an optometry school on the campus, UCA said.
The study, set to start in March and finish by May 31, will include a detailed financial report of how much it would cost to build and start up the school and operate it the first four years, university officials said. UCA will pay Tripp Umbach $30,000 for the study.
“Staying true to our mission of being a state leader in the health sciences, we are committed to exploring the possibility of providing a school of optometry,” UCA President Tom Courtway said in a statement. “Hopefully, this study will help us arrive at making a sound and informed decision.”
The study is part of UCA’s ongoing evaluation of existing programs and degrees outlined in the Framework for the Future, the plan it introduced in November 2013.