Optometry
Doctors of optometry (ODs) are the independent health care professionals for the eye. Optometrists examine, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases, injuries, and disorders of the visual system, the eye, and associated structures as well as identify related systemic conditions affecting the eye (American Optometric Association).
ALWAYS CHECK FOR SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH SCHOOL YOU ARE GOING TO APPLY TO—THIS IS ONLY A GUIDE.
COURSEWORK
Please see Pre-requisite Chart to see courses at Skidmore that can fulfill typical requirements and how they compare to other pre-health tracks.
Typical course requirements include general chemistry with labs, college algebra and trigonometry, English, general biology with labs, organic chemistry, biochemistry, calculus, physics, psychology, and statistics. Visit the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry as well as the websites of individual schools for exact requirements.
RELEVANT TESTS
The Optometry Admission Testing Program (OAT) is a standardized examination designed to measure academic ability and comprehension of scientific information. It is available year-round. Examinees are allowed to take it an unlimited number of times, but must wait at least 90 days between testing dates. The four tests in the OAT battery include:
- Survey of the natural sciences (biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry)
- Reading comprehension
- Physics
- Quantitative reasoning
The Doctor of Optometry (OD), a four-year degree, is the only degree that will qualify
you to be an optometrist. According to the Association of Schools and Colleges of
Optometry, the average GPA of the 2015 entering class was 3.43. For past profiles
of entering classes, average tuition, locations of programs and more, visit the Association
of Schools and Colleges of Optometry website.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS