International Optometric Bridging Program

www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/iobp

Information collected from the above site for the benefit of Indian students of B.Sc Optometry, if u need further information plz contact / email : +91 9440373070

Abdul Hameed <hameedmd@yahoo.com> Process for the Optometric Credential Assessment For Registration in Canada There are four parts to the Optometric Credential Assessment: 1. Academic Qualification Assessment 2. Language fluency 3. Prior Learning Assessment 4. Bridging One or Bridging Two (or additional education) 1. Academic Qualification Assessment The Academic Qualification Assessment evaluates your educational background to determine if you have a similar education to that of a Canadian-educated optometrist. The current educational requirements in Canada are completion of a minimum of 4 terms of undergraduate science courses and 9 terms of optometric education. You will be asked to submit documents pertaining to your undergraduate as well as your professional optometric education. Once all of the documents are received, the assessment is usually completed in 6 weeks. This may take longer if we need to contact you for additional information. Once all your documents have been received and assessed, you will be sent a letter with the results of the assessment. If your documents are favourably evaluated you may then continue on to Part 2: Completion of a language fluency test. 2. Language Fluency A standardized test of your language fluency must be completed if your first language was not English. Currently the accepted tests are: • Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test (must have a minimum overall average of 7.5 with no individual scores lower than 7.0) www.language.ca • IELTS Academic, (minimum overall average of 7.5 with no individual scores lower than 7.0) http://www.ielts.org/default.aspx. • CanTest (minimum overall average of 4.5 with no individual scores lower than 4.0) http://www.olbi.uottawa.ca/en/cantest.php You must achieve the minimum scores in order to move forward to the Prior Learning Assessment. (Please note the results of fluency tests are only valid for two years).

3. Prior Learning Assessment The Prior Learning Assessment consists of two parts: • A written test (multiple choice questions) of your current knowledge of the practice of optometry. The written test is called the Indicator of Current Learning in Optometry (ICLO) and is administered by Canadian Examiners in Optometry (CEO-ECO). This test is structured based on the competencies expected of optometrists entering practice in Canada. You are responsible for paying the fee for this test directly to CEO-ECO. Further information about the ICLO may be found at www.ceo-eco.org. Results from the ICLO are provided directly to the director of the International Optometric Bridging Program as well as to you. • A half day assessment of your optometric clinical skills. Your skills will be assessed in the areas of: refraction, accommodation, binocular vision, ocular health, contact lenses and ophthalmic appliances. 4. Bridging Programs The results of the credential assessment and PLA will determine as to whether you qualify for one of the two bridging programs listed below OR if the educational gap cannot be addressed within the bridging programs. • Bridging One – an eight week bridging program for those candidates deemed to have minimal educational gaps • Bridging Two – a one year comprehensive bridging program for those candidates deemed to need a more comprehensive bridging program • OR if knowledge and clinical skills are not sufficient no admission into either program. Candidates in Bridging One or Bridging Two must successfully complete the program in order to

move forward.

1-Academic Qualification Assessment

The Academic Qualification Assessment evaluates your educational background to determine if you

have a similar education to that of a Canadian-educated optometrist. The current educational

requirements in Canada are completion of a minimum of 4 terms of undergraduate science courses

and 9 terms of optometric education. You will be asked to submit documents pertaining to your

undergraduate as well as your professional optometric education. Once all of the documents are

received, the assessment is usually completed in 6 weeks. This may take longer if we need to

contact you for additional information. Once all your documents have been received and assessed,

you will be sent a letter with the results of the assessment.

Part 1: Academic Qualification Assessment $300.00*

* Payable in Canadian funds by money order, international bank draft or a certified cheque

drawn on a Canadian bank made out to the University of Waterloo, School of Optometry.

This fee must be paid before your application will be processed. (A $100.00 non-refundable

deposit is included in the fee.)

What documents must be submitted for the Academic Qualification Assessment? 1. Application form: completed, dated and signed by you and your witness. 2. Birth certificate: you must submit a notarized copy of your birth certificate. The birth certificate must include your date of birth and the names given to you at birth. If you have changed your name, you must submit a notarized copy of your legal change of name document. 3. Marriage certificate: a notarized copy of a marriage certificate, if your name was changed by marriage. 4. Photograph: one passport sized photograph taken within the last six months, signed and dated by you. 5. Passport information: a copy of your passport information sheet including your picture

and personal information. 6. Educational documents: a. Original or notarized diploma(s)/certificate(s) from high school/secondary school b. Original or notarized diploma or degree certificate(s) from any post-secondary or university-level educational programs c. Official transcripts/mark sheets including final grades. These documents must be sent to the IOBP at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry directly from the issuing institution. Documents not sent directly from the issuing institution will not be accepted. 7. Other documents

a. Course descriptions/course syllabi/course catalogue or calendar (note: if the course catalog for a year/program is different from the applicants education, it is important that a letter is enclosed that includes a description of any differences from the available course catalogue) b. The number of classroom hours of study and laboratory/clinical hours of study, the hours of supervised clinical practice and the areas of supervised clinical practice c. Notarized copy or original of your optometric license or registration d. If you are not currently practicing in your country of education, a letter from the regulatory body stating that you are eligible to be licensed in the country of your education 8. Current résumé – to include work history of the past 5 years 9. Completed copy of the application checklist Where do I send my documents? • International Optometric Bridging Program School of Optometry, University of Waterloo 200 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 Canada Susan Cooper, O.D. FAAO Director, International Optometric Bridging Program

Who do I contact if I have any questions about the program or application process? • Deb Nahlik Administrative Coordinator, International Optometric Bridging Program 519-888-4567 Ext. 37882 (please call this number for inquiries or to book an appointment) iobp@optometry.uwaterloo.ca

2-Language Fluency

A standardized test of your language fluency must be completed if your first language was not English. Currently the accepted tests are: • Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test (must have a minimum overall average of 7.5 with no individual scores lower than 7.0) www.language.ca • IELTS Academic, (minimum overall average of 7.5 with no individual scores lowers than 7.0) http://www.ielts.org/default.aspx. • CanTest (minimum overall average of 4.5 with no individual scores lower than 4.0) http://www.olbi.uottawa.ca/en/cantest.php You must achieve the minimum scores in order to move forward to the Prior Learning Assessment.

(Please note the results of fluency tests are only valid for two years).

Part 2: Language Fluency (CLBPT, IELTS, CanTest) www.language.ca $50.00-$65.00* http://www.ielts.org/default.aspx $245.00-$275.00*

http://www.olbi.uottawa.ca/en/cantest.php

Part 3: Prior Learning Assessment – PLA

The Prior Learning Assessment consists of two parts: • A written test (multiple choice questions) of your current knowledge of the practice of optometry. The written test is called the Indicator of Current Learning in Optometry (ICLO) and is administered by Canadian Examiners in Optometry (CEO-ECO). This test is structured based on the competencies expected of optometrists entering practice in Canada. You are responsible for paying the fee for this test directly to CEO-ECO. Further information about the ICLO may be found at www.ceo-eco.org. Results from the ICLO are provided directly to the director of the International Optometric Bridging Program as well as to you. • A half day assessment of your optometric clinical skills. Your skills will be assessed in the areas of: refraction, accommodation, binocular vision, ocular health, contact lenses and ophthalmic appliances. Prior Learning Assessment Written exam payable to $850.00* Canadian Examiners in Optometry, www.ceo-eco.org Clinical Exam payable to University of Waterloo, School of Optometry $500.00* (upon confirmation of eligibility)

If assessed favourably applications MAY be accepted up to 2 weeks in advance based on

space availability. Please note a $100 late fee will apply.

The PLA will be offered twice a year at the School of Optometry at the University of Waterloo,CANADA

The graduates from the U of W undergraduate Doctor of Optometry program have a 100% employment rate with a usual minimum starting salary of over $75,000 dollars. Due to this fact, most students accepted into this program should be able to secure funding from traditional lending sources.

Study material should be available through any medical or university library. Many of the books may also be purchased in person or online through the University of Waterloo book store http://www.bookstore.uwaterloo.ca/home.html

How can I study for the Prior Learning Assessment? • A list of references can be found on the CEO website,

http://www.ceo-eco.org/pla_preparing.asp

Where can I get study material? • Study material should be available through any medical or university library. Many of the books may also be purchased in person or online through the University of Waterloo book store http://www.bookstore.uwaterloo.ca/home.html How do I send my documents? • Applications and documents may be sent by mail, courier service or delivered in person. Faxed applications are not accepted. If you wish to know that your application and documents were received, please send them by Registered Mail, Canada Express Post or a courier service that gives you confirmation. You will receive a confirmation email from the administrative coordinator once ALL documents have arrived. Where do I send my documents? • International Optometric Bridging Program School of Optometry, University of Waterloo 200 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 Canada Susan Cooper, O.D. FAAO Director, International Optometric Bridging Program Who do I contact if I have any questions about the program or application process? • Deb Nahlik Administrative Coordinator, International Optometric Bridging Program 519-888-4567 Ext. 37882 (please call this number for inquiries or to book an appointment) iobp@optometry.uwaterloo.ca

RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR THE PLA OF CSAO

1. Visual Perception (Schwartz) 2. Will’s Eye Manual 3. Berkeley Guide 4. Optometry Examination Review (Casser, Linda) – 1000 Multiple

Choice Q’s 5. Biochemistry of the Eye (Whikehart) 6. Basic Concepts in Pharmacology: A Student’s Survival Guide

(Stringer, Janet) Please Note: Many of these books are available in Medical Libraries, you don’t need to go out and buy them all!

International Optometric Bridging Programs

Bridging One - 8 week program $5000.00* Bridging Two – one year $30,000.00*

Why are Bridging One & Bridging Two so expensive? • The courses are based on a cost recovery principle. The profession of optometry is clinically based and this program requires a significant number of clinical instruction hours, with a 2:1 student/faculty ratio. Clinical instruction is significantly more expensive to provide than lectures. What are the dates for the Bridging One Program? • Dates are subject change. The Bridging One program will be offered up to twice per year. What is my next step after successfully completing all steps in the Optometric Credential Assessment? • Once you have successfully completed the program including the exit exam, we will send a confirmation letter to the provincial regulatory college of your choice. You may then apply to write the CSAO exams Part 4: Bridging Programs The results of the credential assessment and PLA will determine as to whether you qualify

for one of the two bridging programs listed below OR if the educational gap cannot be

addressed within the bridging programs. Candidates in Bridging One or Bridging Two must

successfully complete the program in order to move forward

There are two bridging programs available to meet the needs of International Optometric Graduates: Bridging One and Bridging Two. Both Bridging One and Bridging Two offer classroom lectures, clinical instruction and externship rotations. The clinic teaching facility at the University is state of the art, offering 24 fully equipped examination rooms as well as a teaching area with direct video feed allowing demonstration of clinical techniques to an entire class.

In addition, candidates in Bridging Two will have the opportunity to work in the patient clinic

at UWSO, a healthcare facility that operates as a clinic seeing members of the public who

are seeking optometric services. These services are provided under the supervision of an

optometrist registered in Ontario.

Bridging One – Eight Week Program The short bridging program will provide 130 hours of lectures and clinical instruction over the course of the program: 82 hours in the Classroom will include: o case analysis and case presentation

o ocular therapeutics and disease review

o profession-specific language skills

o communication skills for optometric practice

o cultural expectations in professional practice in Ontario

o exam preparation (test-taking strategies, study skills, etc.)

48 hours of clinical instruction will include: o instruction and workshops in various clinical techniques

o use of ophthalmic equipment that is standard in Ontario

o clinical instruction will be reinforced by the use of interactive CDs on various optometric

topics and procedures

Externship placement o candidates in Bridging One will have the opportunity to take

advantage of an externship in professional practice. This consists of a four week rotation of

supervised patient care to expose the individual to Canadian optometric practices, instrumentation

and expectations.

Bridging Two Bridging Two will be approximately 48 weeks long and will encompass approximately 22 weeks of lectures and clinical instruction and 26 weeks of practical experience as a clinical extern. Candidates will alternate between classroom instruction and extern experience. Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status must be established to participate in this program. Please refer to www.cic.gc.ca for more information. The following is a tentative outline of the program:

3 weeks English Language Program:

o integrated language skills that are profession specific

o disease description

o written documentation

o collegial consultation

o academic reading strategies

15-16 weeks Lectures and clinical instruction in the following areas:

o learning strategies and exam-taking skills

o communication skills for optometric practice

o Canadian healthcare system jurisprudence

o ocular therapeutics and pharmacology

o ophthalmic and geometric optics

o ocular pathology/disease

o binocular vision

o problem-based case analysis and case management

o optometric procedures

o anatomy and physiology

o neurophysiology

o systemic disease

o contact lenses

o practice management

o low vision

o pediatrics

o interactive CD’s

4-5 weeks in School of Optometry Clinic: o five weeks of specialty clinics in the areas of pediatrics, low vision, contact lenses,

binocular vision and geriatrics at the School of Optometry patient clinic.

7-8 week Primary Care Externship Rotation: o 7 weeks of supervised primary care patient contact with practicing optometrists, providing

candidates with exposure to optometric private practice in Canada.

14 week Ocular Disease and Therapeutic Externship Rotation: o 14 weeks of supervised patient care focusing on ocular therapeutics and disease o

provide students with the opportunity to observe the diagnosis, treatment and management of ocular disease and ocular manifestations of systemic disease in an optometric/ophthalmologic clinical setting 2-3 weeks Review and Examinationso review and examinations throughout the program