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UCLA Career Center
OPTOMETRY
WHAT
IS OPTOMETRY?
Optometry combines
the biological and physical sciences into a clinical discipline that diagnoses
and corrects a wide range of vision difficulties. Doctors of Optometry (O.D.'s)
provide treatment by prescribing ophthalmic lenses or other optical aids, providing
vision therapy to preserve or restore maximum efficiency in vision, and in some
states, are authorized to prescribe drugs in the treatment of certain eye diseases.
O.D.'s can also detect general diseases of the human body that have the potential
capacity to affect vision, such as diabetes, hypertension, and arteriosclerosis.
Practicing optometry offers opportunities to work as independent practitioners,
as part of a group practice in a health clinic or hospital, or in government
or military service. Most optometrists today are self-employed and have very
flexible working hours. Career opportunities within optometry include optometric
education, research, and health care administration. Specialties consist of
pediatrics, low-vision services for visually impaired patients, contact lenses,
sports vision, vision therapy, geriatrics, and occupational vision.
DESIRED
SKILLS
Business ability,
self-discipline, and the ability to deal tactfully with patients are important
for success. The work of optometrists requires attention to detail and good
manual dexterity.
APPLICATION
PROCESS
Programs leading
towards the Doctor of Optometry consist of four years of specialized professional
education and clinical training. Some programs accept applicants who have
completed minimum 3 years of undergraduate study, however most programs prefer
or will require completion of undergraduate degree prior to matriculation.
Students need to obtain application materials from the individual schools,
take the OAT and apply to schools one year prior to entering a School of Optometry.
There is variance between schools regarding the earliest time to apply, but
it is best to apply as early as possible. Some schools begin accepting applications
in August, while other schools do not begin accepting applications until October.
Most schools accept applications until February or March of the year that
you plan to enter. Optometry programs consider many factors and criteria for
admissions including academic competitiveness (GPA, OAT scores, and undergraduate
degrees) and professional potential (biographic information, knowledge of
the profession, and letters of reference). Most, but not all, schools interview
applicants as part of the process. Applicants are also advised to get a copy
of "Optometry: A Career With Vision," which gives descriptions and comparisons
of individual school programs, entering class profiles, costs, etc. You may
obtain this booklet, at no cost, by writing the American Optometric Association,
243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141, (314) 991-4100, www.aaopt.org.
MAJOR
& CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Students can major
in almost any discipline provided the required courses are completed in order
to be competitive when applying to schools of optometry. In addition to academics,
extracurricular activities are strongly recommended. We strongly suggest working
with an optometrist to get experience within the field. Research projects
with faculty members are also recommended. The Student Research Program (SRP),
located at 2121 Life Sciences, is a good way to find professors who are willing
to do research with undergraduates.
EMPLOYMENT
OUTLOOK
The need for optometrists
is expanding as career and job opportunities increase in the service and information
technology fields where the need for good visual functioning is high. The
aging population in the U.S. creates an additional increase in demand for
O.D.'s that will last well into the next several decades. Based on data from
USA Today, optometry is one of the top ten income-earning professions in the
country and is the third largest healthcare industry. According to the Occupational
Outlook Handbook, Employment growth will be fastest in retail optical stores
and outpatient clinics.
RELATED
OCCUPATIONS
Workers in other
occupations who apply scientific knowledge to prevent, diagnose, and treat
disorders and injuries are chiropractors, dentists, physicians, podiatrists,
veterinarians, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists.
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ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
HOW
CAN THE UCLA CAREER CENTER HELP YOU?
CAREER
EXPLORATION
A combination
of written information, experiential opportunities, testimonials or
exposure to others and academic experience are helpful in exploring
possible career opportunities. The career center affords various resources
and services to assist students in this process including the Career
Center Library, Workshops, Counseling, assessments, and special programming.
A career in Optometry requires manual dexterity, attention to detail
and excellent interpersonal skills, make sure this is the career you
desire and the steps necessary to attain your goals.
HEALTH
CARE RELATED INTERNSHIPS
Experiential
educational and volunteer programs are an excellent way to expand
your knowledge of the health professions beyond the classroom. Participation
in health related internships will strengthen your application to
professional schools and provide exposure experiences that can be
highlighted in the personal statement. A select number of health care
internships focusing on research, legislation and public policy are
available through the Career Center's internship office on a local,
national and international basis. A sampling of internship opportunities
include (but are not limited to) the National Institute of Health,
the Surgeon General's Office, Cedar Sinai, AIDS Action, the U.S. Dept.
of Health and Human Services and the American Heart Association. Visit
the Career Center's Internship and Study Abroad Services Office for
a resource sheet handout providing an overview of health related internships.
Please visit career.ucla.edu for more
information.
MOCK
INTERVIEW
After reviewing
your materials, most schools grant interviews prior to making final
decisions regarding admissions. The Career Center offers Interviewing
workshops as well as an opportunity to receive a mock interview and
feedback prior to your actual interviews.
LETTERS
OF RECOMMENDATION
The Career
Center offers UCLA students and alumni a service which stores and
sends letters of recommendation to graduate schools. To open a PPS
letter file, visit career.ucla.edu.
All letters should be forwarded directly to the Career Center by
the author, as these are confidential documents.
ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
LIBRARY
Schools
and Colleges of Optometry: Admission Requirements
WEB
For
information on optometry as a career and a listing of accredited optometric
educational institutions, as well as required pre-optometry courses,
contact:
American Optometric Association, Educational Services, 243 North Lindbergh
Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141-7881. www.aoanet.org
Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, 6110 Executive Blvd.,
Suite 510, Rockville, MD 20852. www.opted.org
American Optometric Student Association www.nationalosa.org
The American Academy of Optometry www.aaopt.org |
PRE-OPTOMETRY
PREPARATION
TIMELINE
There
are 16 Schools of Optometry in the United States, 2 in Canada, and
1 in Puerto Rico. Each of these schools requires a combination of
specific coursework, OAT scores, applications, and letters of recommendation.
The timeline for the application process begins over a year prior
to the academic year you are applying for.
Feb.
August Sept. Oct.
Nov. Dec.
Jan. Feb.
March April
Research
Schools and request application materials
Take
OAT (Feb)
«-----Submit Applications to Schools of choice----------------»
«-------------------Interviews -------------------»
«-------------Admissions decisions-------------»
STANDARDIZED
TESTS
All
schools require the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), which tests academic
ability and scientific comprehension. The test is offered in February
and October of each year. We recommend taking the February exam in
order to have an early application. The OAT consists of four sub-tests:
Quantitative Reasoning, Survey of the Natural Sciences (Bio, General
Chem, Organic Chem), Reading Comprehension, and Physics. Applications
for the OAT can be found at the UCLA Career Center or or call: (312)
440-2693.
REQUIRED
COURSES
Below
is a list of UCLA courses that fulfill the minimum prerequisites for
the School of Optometry at U.C. Berkeley. This is NOT a comprehensive
or required list of prerequisites for all optometry programs. Students
maintain responsibility for verifying course selection with individual
optometry programs. Be sure to check the catalogs of potential schools
or the Admissions Requirements for Schools and Colleges of Optometry
(available to look at in the UCLA Career Center Library).
Pre-Professional
Optometry and Required Courses
Biology
Life Sciences 1, 2, 3, 4. One year of coursework
with lab.
Notes: If you took LS 2 and 3 before Fall 98, then take two
additional life science lab courses (in departments such as OBEE,
MCD Bio, neuroscience, psychobiology, or physiological science). These
courses prepare you for the Natural Science section of the OAT.
Human
Anatomy
Phy Sci 13 or 107 (upper division PS courses are
generally restricted to PS majors). Phy Sci 13 through UCLA Extension
is another good option.
Human
Physiology
OBEE M166* or Phy Sci 3** or 5 or 111A-C (upper division
PS courses are generally restricted to PS majors). *OBEE M166 may
not be acceptable for schools that will not take Animal Physiology
prerequisites. **PS 3 does not have a lab component.
Microbiology
MIMG 101/101L. One quarter with lab. MIMG
6 is the lower division microbiology class, but does not
have a lab component. One course from a community college with lab
may also be acceptable.
Chemistry
Life science or non-science majors: Chemistry 14A, 14B/BL,
14C/CL, 14D.
Physical, life or non-science majors: Chemistry 20A, 20B/L,
30A/AL, 30B/BL, 30C.*
These courses prepare you for the Natural Sciences section of the
OAT.
Biochemistry
Chemistry 153A/153L
Physics
Physics 6A, 6B, 6C or 6AH, 6BH, 6CH or 1A, 1B, 1C, 4AL, 4BL
One year with labs is generally recommended. Trigonometry-based physics
can also satisfy this requirement, but UCLA only offers calculus-based
courses and these are required for the various science majors. These
courses prepare you for the Physics section of the OAT.
Psychology
Psych 10 plus 1 upper division class (e.g. Psych
127).
Math
Math 3A, 3B, 3C or 31A, 31B, 32A
This is your preparation for calculus-based physics. One year of math
can include statistics (see below) and computer programming classes
(PIC 10A, 10B, 10C). These courses prepare you for
the Quantitative Reasoning section of the OAT.
Statistics
Statistics 10, M11, M12, 13, Biostatistics or Biomath, Psychology
100A*
*Check with individual schools for acceptability of classes offered
outside of the Statistics department. These courses prepare you for
the Quantitative Reasoning section of the OAT.
English
One year of college level literature and composition. Writing
I and Writing II courses, select general education literature courses,
and any upper division English literature or English Composition courses
will satisfy this requirement. Please see the “English requirement
for health professions schools” sheet for a complete list of
suggested courses. These courses prepare you for the Reading Comprehension
section of the OAT.
Other
recommended courses
Other
Biology
Physiology, anatomy, embryology, histology, or cellular biology are
all recommended. Check with each individual department counselor
for availability of upper division courses.
Embryology - MCD Bio 138
Histology - OBEE 157
Cellular Biology - Any upper division Microbiology
or MCD Bio class, OBEE M158
Other Humanities
and Social Science
courses are strongly recommended. The non-science GPA is an important
component to your overall academic record, and liberal arts education.
Courses in the following can enhance your communication skills and
overall understanding of the world: Anthropology, Communication
Studies, Economics, any ethnic studies area (e.g. Women’s Studies,
LGBT Studies, Afro-American Studies, Chicana/Chicano Studies, Near
Eastern Studies), Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology,
and Speech to name a few.
Computer skills
are strongly recommended. Many programs have incorporated computers
and electronic media into their curriculum. Several programs are strongly
recommending that a student owns a computer.
UCLA
is not responsible for coursework being accepted by recipient schools.
Students should contact the individual schools directly.
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