Optometrist Certification Explained: Steps To Achieve Board Certification

If you’re considering a career in eye care, pursuing optometry certification can lead to strong job growth and high earning potential. This field is expected to grow by 9% from 2023 to 2033, and optometrists earn a very comfortable average salary of $131,860 per year.

Before you can open your practice, though, you’ll need to make it through optometry school and gain your optometrist certification. This guide will teach you everything you need to know to complete your education and earn certification.

What Is Optometrist Certification and Why Is It Important?

Board certification for optometrists is a credential that showcases one’s commitment to lifelong learning and providing top-notch patient care. Although this certification is voluntary, meaning it’s not required, many optometrists choose to get certified regardless. As a board-certified optometrist, you’ll have more job opportunities and a higher salary potential than you would without certification.

It’s important to know that optometry certification isn’t the same as a license. Your state requires a license to become an optometrist, whereas certifications are not.

Steps To Achieve Optometrist Certification

Wondering how to become an optometrist? You’ll need to complete your college education, pass the NBEO exams, and earn your license. We’ll go over each of these steps in more detail next.

Educational Requirements

First, you’ll need to earn an undergraduate degree from an accredited college. You can earn your degree in anything you like, although many would-be optometrists focus on science courses. Regardless of your major, shoot for a high GPA, as you’ll need it to get into optometry school.

Next, you’ll need to score well on the Optometry Admission Test, which tests your reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking skills. Once you’ve passed your exam, apply for entry into a four-year college of optometry that’s recognized by the American Board of Optometry. You’ll learn about physiology and anatomy in your first two years of medical school and gain firsthand experience in a clinical setting in your third and fourth years.

During your schooling, you’ll have to either complete a one-year residency program or submit 150 qualifying points. You can earn qualifying points through advanced patient care, years in practice, and/or continuing education coursework.

Upon completion of your optometry program, you’ll earn your Doctor of Optometry degree.

National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) Exams

In addition to your Doctor of Optometry degree, you’ll need to obtain a license. To do that, you’ll need to pass all parts of the NBEO exams. Part I tests applied basic science, while Part II tests patient assessment and management. Part III focuses on patient encounters and performance skills (PEPS). The Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease (TMOD) section is embedded in Part II of the test.

The national boards are rigorous, so consider enrolling in a training program to ensure you’re ready for test day.

State Licensure Requirements

You’ve passed your NBEO optometry exam, but you’re not done yet. You’ll also need to obtain state-specific licensure that enables you to practice optometry where you live. Requirements for licensure vary by state. In some states, for example, you may need to complete a certain number of hours of continuing education and clinical training annually to get and maintain your license. Check out your state’s optometry board website to learn the specific requirements you’ll need to meet.

Benefits of Obtaining Optometrist Certification

Is becoming board-certified necessary after completing your optometric education? It’s not required to practice, but plenty of optometrists choose to gain certification regardless. If you go this route, the benefits include:

• You’ll enjoy more credibility and trust with patients in your private practice.
• You’ll have better career opportunities and higher earning potential. Without certification, your only options might be entry-level jobs that don’t pay as much as you’d like.
• You can specialize in a particular area of interest, such as eye diseases, vision science, contact lenses, pediatric optometry, or geriatric optometry.

Maintaining Your Certification: Continuing Education and Renewal

Your education isn’t finished once you’ve earned your Doctor of Optometry degree, completed your vision tests, and opened your optometric practice. You’ll also need to renew your license (renewal is usually required every 10 years).

To keep your certification and license up to date, you’ll need to participate in regular continuing education in optometry. Some CE courses for optometrists are online, while others are offered in person.

Exactly how many CE credits licensed optometrists need varies by state. In California, for example, a board-certified optometrist needs 40 to 50 CEs, while one in Alabama must earn just 12 to 20 CEs.

Tips for Success: Preparing for Optometry Board Exams

Medical optometry experts recommend that you start seriously preparing for national board exams six months in advance. During this time, get plenty of hands-on practice and go over clinical case reviews. If you have access to labs at your optometry school, use them to practice clinical procedures.

You can also find several timed practice tests online. These tests help you review everything you need to know for the exam, including optometry terms, the treatment of common vision problems, and vision therapy techniques for patients.

You might also find it helpful to join a study group with fellow optometrists. If you can’t make it to one in person, you may be able to find a group online.

The American Board of Optometry is a go-to source for optometrists. On its website, you’ll find sample test questions, an exam outline, and information about what to expect on test day.

See How Weave Grows With Your Optometry Practice

Board certification is an important stepping stone that’ll help you advance your career as an optometrist. By graduating from an accredited college and becoming certified, you’ll enjoy more trust with patients, better job opportunities, and higher pay.

Once you’ve achieved optometrist certification, we invite you to check out Weave. Our software includes everything general practitioners of optometry need to grow their practices, including online scheduling, automated reminders for patients, and robust communication tools.

Interested in optimizing your practice management? Get a demo of Weave today.

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