Student Handbook

Appendix C - Functional Requirements for Succeeding in Optometry School and as a Doctor of Optometry In an effort to inform students of the personal skills that are required to practice the profession of optometry, the following functional standards were developed by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry: Functional Standards for Didactic and Clinical Optometric Education The SUNY College of Optometry must ensure that students demonstrate satisfactory knowledge and skills in the provision of optometric care. The Admission Committee, therefore, must consider a candidate’s capacity to function effectively in both the academic and clinical environments, as well as a candidate’s academic qualifications and personal attributes. To provide guidance to those considering optometry as a profession, the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) has established functional standards for optometric education. The ability to meet these standards, along with other criteria established by SUNY Optometry, is necessary for graduation from our Doctor of Optometry program.

The functional standards for optometric education require that the candidate/student possess appropriate abilities in the following areas: 1) observation; 2) communication; 3) sensory and

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