One of the missions of the UAB School of Optometry is to produce graduates fully qualified to provide quality comprehensive eye care services to the public. To fulfill this mission, the School must ensure that students demonstrate satisfactory knowledge and skills in the provision of optometric care. The Admissions Committee, therefore, considers a candidate's capacity to function effectively in both 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 individual optometric institutions, is necessary for graduation from an optometric professional degree 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 motor coordination; 4) intellectual- conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities; and 5) behavioral and social attributes.
In any case where a student's abilities in one of these areas are compromised, he or she must demonstrate alternative means and/or abilities to meet the functional requirements. Upon receipt of appropriate documentation, the Functional Standards Advisory Committee of the School of Optometry will review the request, and will determine the feasibility and nature of the accommodation requested and possible alternatives, if any.