Optometrist

OCCUPATION INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Who is the licensing body responsible for Optometrists in Alberta?
• What are the registration and licensure requirements for an existing practitioner coming from a jurisdiction outside of Canada and the United States?
• What is the International Optometric Bridging Program (IOBP)?
• What is the Canadian Examiners in Optometry (CEO) Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry (CSAO) exam?
• What is the Alberta College of Optometrists Internship Program?
• What are the educational requirements for Optometrists in Alberta?
• What resources are available for Optometrists in Alberta?

 

Who is the licensing body responsible for Optometrists in Alberta?

In Alberta, you must be registered with the Alberta College of Optometrists (ACO) to practice as an Optometrist. Only registered members may call themselves Optometrists. 

What are the registration and licensure requirements for an existing practitioner coming from a jurisdiction outside of Canada and the United States?

An existing practitioner from a jurisdiction outside of Canada and the United States must:

1. Complete the International Optometric Bridging Program (IOBP) at the University of Waterloo.
2. Apply to the Canadian Examiners in Optometry (CEO) and successfully pass the Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry (CSAO) exam.
3. Apply to the Alberta College of Optometrists, provide all the required documents and complete all the required forms (found on the ACO website).
4. Apply to the ACO to write the Jurisprridence Exam. This exam can be written after the CSAO exam.
5. Register with the Alberta College of Optometrists.

Note: a list of approved schools and colleges of optometry recognized by the Alberta College of Optometrists is available on the ACO website.

What is the International Optometric Bridging Program (IOBP)?

http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/international-optometric-bridging-program   

 

The University of Waterloo in Ontario Canada along with the College of Optometrists of Ontario provides an International Optometric Bridging Program (IOBP) for optometrists educated outside Canada and the United States. The IOBP program consists of a structured orientation to Canadian standards of optometric practice. It also provides opportunities for language, academic and clinical skills necessary for registration in all provinces of Canada.

Applicants can request an application form from the University of Waterloo website. Applicants are encouraged to be aware of the IOBP language fluency requirements and the following assessments: academic qualification assessment, prior learning assessment, and Optometric Credential Assessment.     

This program is designed to prepare the applicants to move forward to the Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry; the examinations necessary for registration to practice optometry in Canada.

What is the Canadian Examiners in Optometry (CEO) Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry (CSAO) exam?

Canadian Examiners in Optometry (CEO) assesses the competence of optometrists seeking authorization to practice in Canada using the Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry (CSAO).

 

The CSAO is comprised of seven components:

• Optometric Knowledge
• Ocular Therapeutics
• Clinical Judgment
• Clinical Skills consisting of: 1. Interviewing and assessing refractive and accommodative conditions 2. Assessing Oculomotor and Sensory-Integrative functions 3. Assessing Ocular and System Disease 4. Assessing ophthalmic Appliances

 

To be eligible to take the CSAO, you must provide valid documentation that you have successfully completed the International Optometric Bridging Program of the University of Waterloo. As well, applicants are encouraged to be aware of exam registration deadlines, exam criteria, exam fee, exam frequency exam location and, the turnaround time for exam results.  

 

What is the Alberta College of Optometrists Internship Program?

The Alberta College of Optometrists provides an Internship Program for unregulated new graduates of both accredited and non-accredited university optometry programs. Under the supervision of a regulated member, the Internship program is intended to provide new graduates with additional practice while waiting for the results of initial CSAO exam. The Internship Program also applies to graduates who did not pass all the components of the CSAO exam on their initial attempt. Applicants must complete the program within the first calendar year after graduation.

What are the educational requirements for Optometrists in Alberta?

(Note: Licensing bodies compare international education and experience to Canadian standards)

In Canada, two institutions offer four year Doctor of Optometry degree programs:

• The University of Waterloo in Ontario.
• The University of Montreal in Quebec.

A number of universities and colleges in Alberta offer Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree programs and courses which will satisfy optometry program entrance requirements.

Additional Occupational Information

For more information on occupational duties and wages, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service at www.alis.gov.ab.ca and search for Optometrist under occupational information.

What resources are available for Optometrists in Alberta?

Alberta Association of Optometrists website: www.optometrists.ab.ca

Alberta College of Optometrists website: collegeofoptometrists.ab.ca

Canadian Association of Optometrists website: www.opto.ca