CURRICULUM

As one of the first optometry schools to be integrated into an academic health center, the UAB School of Optometry offers courses within its Department of Optometry and Vision Science, in addition to courses in other UAB health science departments.

 

The four-year curriculum begins with an emphasis on basic science and vision science and transitions to clinical content. Students are exposed to patients early and their patient care responsibilities increase as each term passes. In fact, the final year of the curriculum is devoted exclusively to clinical rotations on and off campus. Externships are an integral part of the final year of the curriculum and ensure each student is exposed to diverse clinical experiences prior to graduation.

Course subjects include optics, neuroscience, gross anatomy, eye movements, public health optometry, glaucoma, pediatric optometry, contact lenses, low vision rehabilitation, binocular vision and more. The UAB School of Optometry provides a vibrant, comprehensive and ever expanding curriculum reflective of the environment in which it is offered: a world class academic medical center.

The Doctor of Optometry degree prepares students for a career as a licensed optometrist. Licenses to practice optometry must be obtained for each state or province in which the practitioner renders care to patients. UAB’s well-rounded curriculum includes training on skills approved for optometrists outside the state of Alabama. Our graduates can expect to be well prepared to complete licensure exams outside the state and beyond.

In an effort to match the changing demands of the profession, the curriculum outlined below changes periodically.

Year 1

• Fall
• Spring
• Summer

• Fall

  Course Number	Course Title	Instructor	Sem. Hrs
  OBHS 111	Fundamentals in Dentistry and Optometry	Bruns	5*
  OPT 111	Introduction to Optometry	Nichols, K.	2
  OPT 112	Geometric and Clinical Optics	Gordon	5
  VS 111	Ocular Anatomy	Kraft	4
  VS 112	Physiology of the Eye	Srivastava / Gorbatyuk	4
  VS 113	Biochemistry of the Eye	Pittler	2
  OBHS 112	Fundamentals in Dentistry and Optometry 2	Bruns	5

Year 2

• Fall
• Spring
• Summer

• Fall

  Course Number	Course Title	Instructor	Sem. Hrs
  OBHS 211	Systems 5: Gastrointestinal & Musculoskeletal/Skin	Smith	4
  CLN 211	Clinical Rotation II	Call	1.5
  CLN 212	Community Eye Care I	Sims	1.5
  OPT 213	Clinical Evaluation of the Visual System III	Call	10
  OPT 212	Ocular Pharmacology	Turner	4
  VS 211	Visual Perception	Sincich	3
  OBHS 212	Systems 6: Hematology & Endocrine	Smith	3

Year 3

• Fall
• Spring
• Summer

• Fall

  Course Number	Course Title	Instructor	Sem. Hrs
  CLN 311	Primary Eye Care Clinic III	Call	3
  CLN 312	Clinical Rotation V, w VT (64 or 100 clk hrs; balances Spring 3**)	Oechslin	2.5
  CLN 313	Community Eye Care IV	Sims	1
  CLN 314	Special Clinical Rotation I	Oechslin	1
  OPT 311	Anomalies of Binocular Vision II	Hopkins	4
  OPT 312	Contact Lenses I	Clore	3
  OPT 313	Geriatric Optometry	Swanson	1
  OPT 314	Low Vision	DeCarlo	2
  OPT 316	Glaucoma	Ziemanski	2
  OPT 318	Pediatric Optometry	Weise Oechslin	4
  OPT 319	Diseases of the Posterior Segment II	Swanson	2

Year 4

• Fall
• Spring

• Fall

  Course Number	Course Title	Instructor	Sem. Hrs
  CLN 410	Primary Eye Care Clinic VI	Call	4
  CLN 411	Pediatric Optometry Clinic II	Weise	4
  CLN 412	Cornea & Contact Lens Clinic II	Gordon	4
  CLN 413	Ocular Disease & Low Vision Clinic II	Swanson	4
  CLN 414	Special Clinical Rotation IV	Oechslin	4
  CLN 415	Externship I or II	Turner	20
  *OPT 514	Concepts of Practice Management Elective	Vaughn	1

  *Elective