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
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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 OPVS 111 Basic Science and Clinical Optometry Pucker 1 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 -
Spring
Course Number Course Title Instructor Sem. Hrs OBHS 121 Systems 1: Neuroscience Parpura 4 OBHS 122 Systems 2: Gross Anatomy Resuehr/Kadisha 2 OBHS 123 Systems 3: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Smith 3 OPT 121 Clinical Evaluation of the Visual System I Call/West 1 OPT 122 Ocular Microbiology Pucker 1 VS 121 Visual Optics Oechslin 5 VS 122 Visual Psychophysics Liu 3 -
Summer
Course Number Course Title Instructor Sem. Hrs CLN 131 Introductory Clinical Rotation Steele/Call 3 OBHS 131 Systems Renal Smith 2 OPT 132 Clinical Evaluation of the Visual System II West 4 OPT 133 Clinical Ophthalmic Optics Gordon 1 VS 131 Neurobiology of the Visual System Gawne 2 VS 132 Eye Movements & Principles of Binocular Vision Oechslin
Quinet4
Year 2
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Fall
Course Number Course Title Instructor Sem. Hrs OBHS 211 Systems 5: Gastrointestinal & Musculoskeletal/Skin Smith 4 CLN 211 Primary Eye Care Rotation I 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 OPT 215 Professional Communications Sims 1 VS 211 Visual Perception Sincich 3 OBHS 212 Systems 6: Hematology & Endocrine Smith 3 -
Spring
Course Number Course Title Instructor Sem. Hrs CLN 221 Primary Eye Care Rotation II Call 2 CLN 222 Community Eye Care II Sims 1.5 OPT 221 Clinical Evaluation of the Visual System IV Call 3 OPT 222 Diseases of the Anterior Segment Pate 5 OPT 224 Anomalies of Binocular Vision I Hopkins 3 OPT 225 Diseases of the Posterior Segment I Swanson 2 OPT 226 Clinicolegal Aspects of Optometry Horton 2 OPT 227 Introduction to Clinic Sims 1 OPT 228 Public Health Optometry Gordon 2
Year 3
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Fall
Course Number Course Title Instructor Sem. Hrs CLN 311 Primary Eye Care Clinic II Call 3 CLN 312 Clinical Rotation II, with Vision Therapy Oechslin 2.5 CLN 313 Community Eye Care IV Sims 2 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
Oechslin4 OPT 319 Diseases of the Posterior Segment II Swanson 2 -
Spring
Course Number Course Title Instructor Sem. Hrs CLN 321 Primary Eye Care Clinic III Call 2 CLN 322 Clinical Rotation III, with Vision Therapy Oechslin 2.5 CLN 323 Community Eye Care V Sims 2 OPT 321 Neuro-Optometry Swanson 2 OPT 322 Contact Lenses II Elder 3 OPT 323 Injections and Minor Surgical Procedures Call 3 OPT 324 Business Aspects of Optometry Rothschild 2 OPT 325 Clinical Management of Vision Problems Turner 2 OPT 326 Ophthalmic Lasers Steele 1 OPT 328 Assessment of Systemic Diseases in Optometry Logan 3 *OPT 515 Advanced Vision and Learning Elective Oechslin 1 *Elective
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Summer
Course Number Course Title Instructor Sem. Hrs CLN 331H Primary Eye Care Clinic IV Call 2 CLN 332H Pediatric Optometry Clinic I Weise 2 CLN 333H Cornea & Contact Lens Clinic I Gordon 2 CLN 334H Ocular Disease & Low Vision Clinic I Swanson 2 CLN 335H Special Clinical Rotation I Oechslin 2 CLN 336 Externship I (Full semester site**) Elder 20 CLN 336H Externship I (Half semester site**) Elder 10
Year 4
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Fall
Course Number Course Title Instructor Sem. Hrs CLN 410 Primary Eye Care Clinic V 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 II Oechslin 4 CLN 415 Externship I or II Elder 20 *OPT 514 Concepts of Practice Management Elective Vaughn 1 *Elective
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Spring
Course Number Course Title Instructor Sem. Hrs CLN 420 Primary Eye Care Clinic VI Call 4 CLN 421 Pediatric Optometry Clinic III Weise 4 CLN 422 Cornea & Contact Lens Clinic III Gordon 4 CLN 423 Ocular Disease & Low Vision Clinic III Swanson 4 CLN 424 Special Clinical Rotation III Oechslin 4 CLN 425 Externship II Elder 20 *OPT 515 Advanced Vision and Learning Elective Oechslin 1 *Elective
