NY Optometry Jurisprudence cheat sheet

Applicants must complete at least 60 semester hours (or equivalent quarter hours) of preprofessional study at an accredited college or university before entering a Doctor of Optometry program.

The 60 semester hours must include specific science coursework: general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology or zoology, and physics; these are minimum subject requirements, not electives.

General chemistry and organic chemistry each require a full lecture sequence with laboratory; a one-semester survey course generally does not satisfy the requirement.

Biology or zoology must be a full-year sequence (two semesters) with laboratory; botany-only or ecology-only courses typically do not meet the biology/zoology requirement.

Physics must be a full-year algebra- or calculus-based sequence with laboratory; a one-semester physics course is insufficient.

Quarter-hour conversions: 60 semester hours equals approximately 90 quarter hours; individual courses convert at 1 semester hour = 1.5 quarter hours.

Courses with a grade below C (or pass/fail without a passing designation) generally do not satisfy the specified science prerequisites.

Advanced Placement (AP) credit may count toward the 60 hours only if the undergraduate institution awarded college credit and it appears on the official transcript.

The professional program is a four-year (eight-semester) course of study leading to the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree at an accredited school or college of optometry.

Accreditation is granted by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) of the American Optometric Association; graduation from an ACOE-accredited program is required for licensure.

The four-year curriculum includes biomedical sciences, optics, clinical procedures, ocular disease, pharmacology, and supervised clinical rotations.

Students must complete a minimum number of supervised clinical patient encounters and externship rotations before graduation; exact counts are set by the individual program and ACOE standards.

The OD degree is a professional doctorate, not a PhD; it requires approximately 150-180 semester credit hours of professional coursework.

Graduates must also meet state-specific educational requirements, which may include additional coursework in jurisprudence or public health.

The National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) administers a three-part examination sequence: Part I (Applied Basic Science), Part II (Patient Assessment and Management), and Part III (Clinical Skills).

Part I is a computer-based multiple-choice examination typically taken after the second or third professional year.

Part II is a computer-based multiple-choice examination covering clinical diagnosis and management, typically taken in the final professional year.

Part III is a clinical skills examination (patient-based and simulated) that assesses clinical performance; it must be passed for licensure in most states.

Alternative pathway: some jurisdictions accept NBEO Parts I and II plus the Northeast Regional Clinical Optometry Assessment and Treatment Skills (NERCOATS) examination in place of Part III.

NERCOATS is a regional clinical skills assessment offered by the Northeast region; it is not a substitute for Parts I and II.

Score reporting: NBEO uses scaled scores; passing standards are set by the NBEO and are not the same as state licensing board pass marks.

Examination results are reported to state licensing boards; candidates must authorize score release to the board where they seek licensure.

Child Abuse Identification and Reporting: New York requires licensed professionals, including optometrists, to complete a state-approved course in child abuse identification and reporting (typically 2 hours) before licensure or within the first year of practice, depending on the board's rule.

The child abuse course must be taken from a provider approved by the New York State Education Department; a certificate of completion is required.

Infection Control and Barrier Precautions: New York requires completion of a state-approved infection control course (typically 2-4 hours) as a condition of licensure and for renewal.

The infection control course covers standard precautions, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, and safe injection practices; it must be repeated at each renewal cycle as specified by the board.

Both additional requirements are separate from the NBEO examinations and from the OD degree; they are state-specific licensure conditions.

Documentation of completion must be retained and produced upon audit by the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions.