Optometry

An optometrist is a doctor of optometry. They are primary care doctors of the eye and frontline protectors of vision. Optometrists are often the first to detect critical health issues – from diabetes to hypertension from stroke to cancer – and refer their patients for timely treatment. 

Optometrists can prescribe optometric treatment such as corrective lenses, contact lenses, or vision therapy that may be required to provide the patient with clear and efficient vision 

Doctors of optometry are different from: 

  1. Ophthalmologists, who are physicians specializing in eye surgery and the treatment of eye diseases
  2. Opticians, who fill lens prescriptions written by optometrists or ophthalmologists 

If you want to learn more or are considering a career in optometry, the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) is your go-to place for more information.

Optometry Preparation

  • Timeline

  • 1. Obtain a Bachelor’s degree and complete all pre-optometry requirements, including prerequisites, the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), and experiences (4+ years)
    2. Attend an accredited optometry school (4 years) and earn a doctorate of optometry (O.D.) 
    Optional: students can choose to pursue a residency program to receive additional training on a specific area (1 year)
    3. Become a licensed optometrist in the state you wish to practice
    4. Maintain certification and complete continuing education

    Students can check out the Association of Schools and College of Optometry’s How to become an Optometrist for an additional overview.

    Upon matriculation into a health professional school or program, there are additional steps students must complete in order to obtain licensure or professional certification. These steps vary by field and by program, and may include board examinations, supervised clinical hours, background checks, or other program-specific milestones. Once you are in your graduate program, your graduate program advisor will provide guidance on the post-graduation next steps.

  • Pre-Requisites

  • Prerequisite courses are the academic foundation that most schools require students to complete Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) and before beginning optometry school. No matter which major you choose, you will need to fulfill the specific science and non-science prerequisites set by each school. We strongly recommend you complete the prerequisite coursework prior to studying for and taking the exam. Always review and cross-check the requirements of your major with the prerequisite coursework for your intended optometry school(s) to ensure you are completing both UCD requirements as well as the requirements of the professional school(s).

    While HPA has developed a suggested prerequisite chart from a sample of schools, prerequisite coursework and entrance requirements will vary by program, hence it is important to check individual schools' websites to familiarize yourself with their exact prerequisites.

    Program Prerequisites

    Courses to Take at UC Davis

    Required for the OAT?

    Most schools require: 

    		  

    General Chemistry

    CHE 2ABC OR CHE 4ABC 

    Yes

    General Biology

    BIO 1 & 2 & 3 AND BIO 1L & 2L

    Yes

    Organic Chemistry

    CHE 8AB OR CHE 118ABC 

    Yes

    Physics

    PHY 7ABC OR PHY 9ABC

    Yes

    Microbiology

    MIC 102 AND MIC 103L

    Recommended 

    Human Physiology

    (NPB 101 & NPB 101L) OR (NPB 110C & NPB 101L)

    Recommended

    Human Anatomy 

    (EXB 106 & EXB 106L) OR (CHA 101 & CHA 101L)

    No

    Statistics

    STA 13 OR STA 100

    Yes

    Math

    MAT 17ABC OR MAT 21ABC

    No

    Psychology

    PSC 1

    No

    English Composition

    Combination of writing-intensive ENL and UWP courses

    No

    Some schools may require:

    		  

    Social Sciences & Humanities 

    Any SOC, ANT, or HUM courses

    No

    Biochemistry

    BIS 102 AND BIS 103

    No

    Additional recommended courses:

    		  

    Genetics 

    BIS 101

    Recommended

    HPA recommendations:
    1. Complete all prerequisite courses for a letter grade, not P/NP.
    2. Earn a “C” or higher in all prerequisite coursework. Some programs may require no lower than a B in any of your prerequisite courses.
    3. Maintain a minimum undergraduate and science GPA of 3.0 or higher. A competitive GPA will likely be higher for most programs.

    Please note that optometry schools do accept community college work in varying degrees, some accept all transferable work, some a certain amount of units, and others accept a very limited amount. If you have any questions about your major, prerequisite courses, or grade/GPA concerns, you are encouraged to make an appointment with one of HPA Staff Advisors.

  • Exam

  • Pre-optometry students are required to take the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) as part of admissions requirements.

    Please note: Before taking the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT), we strongly recommend that students complete the prerequisite courses for the exam prior to taking the exam - the courses provide foundational knowledge to support studying for the test.

    To learn more about the standardized exam and preparing for it, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Standardized Exams and HPA’s Test Prep Events & Resources.

Applying to Optometry School

  • Choosing Schools

  • There are over 25 optometry schools in the U.S. Check out the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO)’s list of accredited U.S. optometry schools.

    There are a variety of factors that go into choosing which optometry schools to apply to, including degree awarded, location, environment (i.e. urban), tuition, class size, focus or mission statement, etc. Spend some time researching schools online and create a spreadsheet that tracks the factors most important to you. On average, pre-optometry students apply to 5 to 6 optometry schools. HPA also recommends meeting with an advisor to discuss your school list.

  • Application System

  • Applicants typically apply the year before they matriculate into the optometry school and Optometry Centralized Application Service (OptomCAS) is a centralized application system that is used by all optometry schools. To learn more about OptomCAS, visit the OptomCAS Overview. Students are encouraged to refer to the OptomCAS Applicant Help Center for additional guidance on how to complete their applications. HPA recommends for applicants to carefully review the application process of each individual school that they are applying to.

    The OptomCAS opens in late June and closes late May of the following year. While OptomCAS closes in late May, participating schools of OptomCAS may have earlier deadline dates, which are the deadlines applicants should be submitting by. These deadlines may also vary by schools or some may admit students on a rolling basis; please check your individual schools for specific dates. If that is the case for your school of choice, be sure to submit your application early, but only when you are ready. Come see an advisor at Health Professions Advising to review your application.

    Schools and application systems may have specific guidelines about what is considered a completed application, and these components may vary based on the application system and/or individual school. Some examples include but are not limited to submitting the application fee and receiving letters of recommendations and official transcripts. Students are responsible for ensuring their applications are complete, submitted, and verified by the application deadline.

    To learn more about applications and application timeline, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications and Application Timelines.

  • Personal Statement
  • The prompt and/or character or word count may vary per year. HPA recommends applicants  begin drafting their personal statement in advance of the application opening. It is very common for applicants to write multiple drafts before they finalize their personal statement. To learn more about approaching personal statements, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Personal Statements.
  • Experiences and Activities

  • Experiences and activities help students learn more about their motivations, interests, and goals, and to explore the field of optometry. What you do with your time helps define who you are in your application. Whatever you choose to do, be sure you are dedicated, passionate about it, and understand your motivation for pursuing it. It is important that you balance your co-curricular activities with your academics to ensure you are maintaining strong academic performance while still engaging meaningfully outside the classroom.

    Students are encouraged to participate in optometry summer programs, if available locally, to gain exposure into the field of optometry, understand the application process, and engage in various professional development workshops. Check out the list of Optometry Summer Programs on the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry's website.

    To learn more about experiences and various on- and off-campus opportunities, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Experiences. UC Davis students are also encouraged to subscribe to HPA Today (HPA’s newsletter).

  • Letters of Recommendation

  • Letter of recommendation requirements vary by health professional schools. For many health fields, HPA recommends two lecture-based science instructor recommendations (this excludes research PI), one lecture-based non-science instructor, and additional letters from your co-curricular experiences. This can include a research PI, mentor, volunteer coordinator, professional you shadowed, etc. Your specific school list will determine what letters you may actually need.

    Most optometry schools may prefer if one of the recommendations is from an optometrist. Some may require that one of the recommendations is from an optometrist.

    To learn more about the etiquettes for letters of recommendation, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Letters of Recommendations.

  • Supplemental Applications
  • Supplemental applications (or secondaries) may be required for some optometry schools and some may not require it. Students should carefully review the application process of the schools they are applying to. Supplemental/secondary applications may include additional fees and/or essays. To learn more about supplemental applications, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Applications.
  • Interviews
  • Interviews may be required for some optometry schools and some may not require it. Students should carefully review the application process of the schools they are applying to. To learn more about preparing for interviews, please visit HPA’s Application Preparation tab on Interviews and HPA’s Interview Week.

More questions? Check out the frequently asked questions or schedule an appointment with an advisor.