Professional Behavior & Expectations

Functional Standards for Didactic Education

To provide guidance to those considering optometry as a profession, the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) has established functional guidelines for optometric education. The ability to meet these guidelines, along with other criteria established by individual optometric institutions, is necessary for graduation from an optometric professional degree program. Note that there may be additional criteria established by State, Provincial, or Federal regulators for licensure as an optometrist.

One of the missions of each school and college of optometry is to produce graduates fully qualified to provide quality comprehensive eye care services to the public. To fulfill this mission, each institution must ensure that students demonstrate satisfactory knowledge and skill in the provision of optometric care. Admission committees, therefore, consider a candidate’s capacity to function effectively in the academic and clinical environments, as well as a candidate’s academic qualifications and personal attributes.

Candidates with questions or concerns about how their own conditions or disabilities might affect their ability to meet these functional guidelines are encouraged to meet with an optometry institution counselor prior to submitting an application.The functional guidelines in optometric education require that the candidate/student possess appropriate abilities in the following areas:

1. Observation Abilities

The student must be able to acquire a defined level of required knowledge as presented through lectures, laboratories, demonstrations, patient interaction, and self-study. Acquiring this body of information necessitates the functional use of visual, auditory, and somatic sensation enhanced by the functional use of other sensory modalities. Examples of these observational skills in which accurate information needs to be extracted in an efficient manner include:

Audio/Visual:
- Reading and interpreting information from presentations, papers, slides, video and live demonstrations.
- Discriminating numbers, images and patterns associated with diagnostic tests and instruments, including microscopic images of tissue in order to discern three-dimensional relationships, depth and color changes.
Tactile Abilities:
- Palpating the eye and related areas to determine the integrity of the underlying structures.

2. Communication Abilities

The student must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently and sensitively with patients and their families, peers, staff, instructors and other members of the health care team. The student must be able to demonstrate established communication skills using traditional and alternative means. Examples of required communications skills include:

Relating effectively and sensitively to patients, conveying compassion and empathy
Perceiving verbal and non-verbal communication such as sadness, worry, agitation and lack of comprehension from patients
Eliciting information from patients and observing changes in mood and activity
Communicating quickly, effectively and efficiently in English in person and in writing with patients and other members of the health care team
Reading and recording observations, test results and management plans accurately, in addition to completing assignments, patient records and correspondence accurately and in a timely manner

3. Sensory and Motor Coordination Abilities

The student must possess the sensory and motor skills necessary to perform an eye examination, including emergency care. In general, this requires sufficient exteroception sense (touch, pain, temperature), proprioceptive sense (position, pressure, movement, stereognosis and vibratory) and fine motor function (significant coordination and manual dexterity using arms, wrists, hands and fingers).

Examples of skill required include but are not limited to:

Instillation of ocular pharmaceutical agents
Insertion, removal and manipulation of contact lenses
Assessment of blood pressure and pulse
Perform minor surgical procedures such as the removal of foreign objects from the cornea
Simultaneous manipulation of lenses, instruments and therapeutic agents and devices
Reasonable facility of movement
Injections into the eye, lids or limbs

4. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities

Problem solving, a most critical skill, is essential for optometric students and must be performed quickly, especially in emergency situations. In order to be an effective problem solver, the student must be able to accurately and efficiently utilize such abilities as measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, judgment, investigation, memory, numerical recognition and synthesis. Examples of these abilities include being able to:

Determine appropriate questions to be asked and clinical tests to be performed
Identify and analyze significant findings from history, examination and other test data
Demonstrate good judgment and provide a reasonable assessment, diagnosis and management of patients
Identify and communicate the limits of one’s knowledge and skill

5. Behavioral and Social Attributes

The student must possess the necessary behavioral and social attributes for the study and practice of optometry. Examples of such attributes include:

Satisfactory emotional health required for full utilization of one’s intellectual ability
High ethical standards and integrity
An empathy with patients and concern for their welfare
Commitment to the optometric profession and its standards
Effective interpersonal relationships with patients, peers and instructors
Professional demeanor
Effective functioning under varying degrees of stress and workload
Adaptability to changing environments and uncertainties such as being considered an essential worker
Positive acceptance of suggestions and constructive criticism

SCCO Code of Conduct Procedures

All SCCO students are bound by the MBKU Student Code of Conduct as well as the policy and procedures contained in this handbook.

SCCO expects students to maintain the highest level of professional conduct at all times and in all aspects of their professional education. It is each student’s responsibility to maintain and monitor their conduct and uphold the policies of the University. All suspected Code violations will be referred to the University Conduct Process.

Standards of Dress

SCCO students attending lectures and laboratories on main campus are allowed to dress casually or wear navy blue scrubs. However, for some laboratory sessions and proficiencies, faculty may require professional/ clinic-appropriate attire. Please reference the Manual of Clinical Education for specific guidelines on this type of dress code.

Optometric Oath for Students

With full deliberation, I freely and solemnly pledge that:

I will pursue the study of the art and science of optometry faithfully and conscientiously, to enable me to ultimately practice to the fullest scope of my competence.
I will uphold and honorably promote by example and action the highest standards, ethics, and ideals of my chosen profession and will work to protect and honor the degree, Doctor of Optometry.
I will provide professional care for the diverse populations who seek my services, with concern, compassion, and with due regard for their human rights and dignity.
I will place the treatment of those who seek my care above personal gain and strive to see that none shall lack proper care.
I will hold as privileged and inviolable all information entrusted to me in confidence by my patients.
I will advise the patients that I care for, fully and honestly of all which may serve to restore, maintain or enhance their vision and general health.
I will strive continuously to broaden my knowledge and skills so that my patients may benefit from all new and efficacious means to enhance the care of human vision.
I will share information cordially and unselfishly with my fellow students and other professionals for the benefit of patients and the advancement of human knowledge and welfare.
I will do my utmost to serve my community, my country, and humankind as a citizen as well as an optometric student.
I hereby commit myself to be steadfast in the performance of this, my solemn oath and obligation.

Southern California College of Optometry Code of Ethics – Dean & Class

Dean The fundamental purpose of the profession of optometry is to protect, conserve, and improve human vision. It is the ideal, the Resolve, and the Duty of each member of the profession to keep the visual welfare of the patient uppermost at all times.