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Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
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2020-2021

Pre-Optometry (Advising Track)

VCU Student Success

 
Program description

Students interested in the pre-optometry advising track must obtain a bachelor’s degree and complete the necessary prerequisites for a Doctor of Optometry program. Those interested in pursuing optometry should consult with a pre-professional health adviser to learn about requirements that are specific to the program and/or school to which they hope to apply.

Admission to and completion of a pre-optometry advising track does not constitute or guarantee admission to an optometry school.

If interested in preparing for optometry school, students must declare an academic major and should declare and maintain their pre-optometry advising track. Students do not earn a pre-optometry degree. Those unsure of their academic majors initially should clarify their academic interests through regular conversations with their advisers. Pre-optometry students are encouraged to major in fields of greatest interest to them. To declare a pre-optometry advising track, please see the pre-professional health advising blog.

Optometry schools across the U.S. have different prerequisites for admission into their program. Students should discuss career plans with their pre-professional health adviser for additional guidance.


Career opportunities

Doctors of Optometry (O.D.s/optometrists) are the independent primary health care professionals for the eye.  Optometrists examine, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases, injuries, and disorders of the visual system, the eye, and associated structures as well as identify related systemic conditions affecting the eye. Doctors of Optometry prescribe medications, low vision rehabilitation, vision therapy, spectacle lenses, contact lenses, and perform certain surgical procedures. Optometrists counsel their patients regarding surgical and non-surgical options that meet their visual needs related to their occupations, avocations, and lifestyle.

Change of major requirements

As a student interested in a pre-professional health program, you must complete curriculum and professional development requirements listed on the Pre-Professional Health Advising Blog. 

Students interested in declaring a pre-optometry advising track must attend an “Interest in Optometry” workshop.  For workshop dates, times, and to RSVP, click here. 

Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin

    n/a

Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 200
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • A minimum GPA of 2.7 is required to apply to become a pre-professional health student and to stay on the pre-professional health advising track.

Contact information

Department name:
Pre-Professional Health Advising
Building/room location:
Hibbs Hall, First Floor
Phone:
804-827-8648
Email:
preprofadv@vcu.edu
https://rampages.us/preprofadv/
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
Major map compass icon
Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Familiarize yourself with the Office of Pre-Professional Health Advising (PPHA) blog.
  • A stellar GPA is vital to being a competitive student - attend SI sessions at least 6 times a semester per class and receive tutoring.
  • REQUIRED: Take BIOL/Z 101 in your first year.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Review the volunteer and shadowing opportunities on the PPHA blog to find non-healthcare volunteering.
  • Sign-up for the PPHA newsletter to start learning about opportunities to connect to your community.
  • Follow PPHA on Instagram (@VCUPreprofadv) to stay up-to-date on what’s going on in our office.
  • Subscribe to the VCU Preprofadv calendar so you always know when our events are happening.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend the Experiential Opportunities Fair in October.
  • Create a draft resume and meet with a career advisor in VCU Career Services to discuss it.
  • Review the volunteer and shadowing opportunities on the PPHA blog to find healthcare volunteering and information about shadowing.
  • Explore summer enrichment programs.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • REQUIRED: Schedule an appointment with your assigned pre-professional health advisor to start mapping your path towards successful application to professional programs.
  • Calculate your true GPA and count every course (include dual enrollment, historical repeats).
  • Review the Academic Requirements for Pre-Professional Health Advising Tracks.
  • Learn more about the core competencies for professional school in the VCU Libraries Pre-Professional Health guide.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • REQUIRED: Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal every semester!
  • Complete your Pre-Professional Health Self-Assessment Worksheet to assess your current competitiveness for application to professional schools.
  • Find healthcare experience that’s paid, volunteer or shadowing experience.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Begin researching professional schools of interest and map out their application requirements and deadlines.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as future letter of recommendation writers. For most programs you will need a minimum of three letters of recommendation. One must come from an optometrist, one from a professor, and a third letter from a person of choice.
  • Research required coursework and application cycles for your health profession to determine when you should apply.
  • Review resources on Optometry Students.Com for how to pay for professional school and begin to develop your own plan

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • REQUIRED: Schedule an appointment with your assigned pre-professional health advisor to review the pre-professional health appointment syllabus
  • Decide, with your pre-professional health advisor, whether you should apply this year or apply next year and take a gap year. (NOTE: If not taking a gap year, YEAR 4 of the major map must be completed prior to application)
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Consider being a mentor to 1st or 2nd year pre-optometry students and teach others what you’ve learned about the journey of preparing for professional school.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn how to navigate tough conversations with a variety of different people who depend on you.
  • Update your resume to include how you have developed your communication and interpersonal skills for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • REQUIRED: Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal every semester!
  • Explore paid healthcare positions that do and do not require certifications.
  • Look for opportunities at VCU, your place of employment and/or in your greater community that allows you to apply for a leadership role or assume greater responsibility. Focus on opportunities in areas that you are passionate about.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Build your personal brand. What makes you unique? Why should professional schools pick you to attend their school?
  • Research scholarship opportunities and application fee waivers at OptomCAS.
  • Review material and begin studying for the Optometry Admission Test (OAT). Plan to incorporate multiple study skills and techniques.
  • Understand the background check process for your profession. Talk with your pre-professional health advisor about any concerns.

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Review your true cumulative GPA, science GPA, non-science GPA, grade trend and semester course difficulty to see a full picture of your academic profile.
  • REQUIRED: Schedule an appointment with your assigned pre-professional health advisor to assess your progress through the application process and discuss gap year options.
  • Schedule an appointment with your major academic advisor a semester before your anticipated graduation to ensure all graduation requirements will be met. 
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Reflect on your own cultural competency, and be prepared to answer interview questions that outline how you have worked with diverse populations based on the Community Connection Competencies in the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • REQUIRED: Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal every semester!
  • Reflect on the experiential learning you have engaged in thus far, and discuss with current or potential mentors (peers, faculty, advisers, alumni, professionals).
  • If taking a gap year, talk with a financial aid counselor about tuition repayment plans.
  • Do a mock interview at VCU Career Services. 
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Review test day information, sign up for and take the OAT. Meet with your pre-professional health advisor to review your OAT score and how it impacts your application competitiveness.
  • If accepted to a professional healthcare program, make sure to understand the process of acceptance to a school, including tuition deposits, background check, and traffic rules.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Pre-Optometry (Advising Track)

VCU Student Success

Concentration(s):
No concentration
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Familiarize yourself with the Office of Pre-Professional Health Advising (PPHA) blog.
  • A stellar GPA is vital to being a competitive student - attend SI sessions at least 6 times a semester per class and receive tutoring.
  • REQUIRED: Take BIOL/Z 101 in your first year.
  • Review the volunteer and shadowing opportunities on the PPHA blog to find non-healthcare volunteering.
  • Sign-up for the PPHA newsletter to start learning about opportunities to connect to your community.
  • Follow PPHA on Instagram (@VCUPreprofadv) to stay up-to-date on what’s going on in our office.
  • Subscribe to the VCU Preprofadv calendar so you always know when our events are happening.
  • Attend the Experiential Opportunities Fair in October.
  • Create a draft resume and meet with a career advisor in VCU Career Services to discuss it.
  • Review the volunteer and shadowing opportunities on the PPHA blog to find healthcare volunteering and information about shadowing.
  • Explore summer enrichment programs.
Experience Year 2
  • REQUIRED: Schedule an appointment with your assigned pre-professional health advisor to start mapping your path towards successful application to professional programs.
  • Calculate your true GPA and count every course (include dual enrollment, historical repeats).
  • Review the Academic Requirements for Pre-Professional Health Advising Tracks.
  • Learn more about the core competencies for professional school in the VCU Libraries Pre-Professional Health guide.
  • REQUIRED: Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal every semester!
  • Complete your Pre-Professional Health Self-Assessment Worksheet to assess your current competitiveness for application to professional schools.
  • Find healthcare experience that’s paid, volunteer or shadowing experience.
  • Begin researching professional schools of interest and map out their application requirements and deadlines.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as future letter of recommendation writers. For most programs you will need a minimum of three letters of recommendation. One must come from an optometrist, one from a professor, and a third letter from a person of choice.
  • Research required coursework and application cycles for your health profession to determine when you should apply.
  • Review resources on Optometry Students.Com for how to pay for professional school and begin to develop your own plan
Year 3
  • REQUIRED: Schedule an appointment with your assigned pre-professional health advisor to review the pre-professional health appointment syllabus
  • Decide, with your pre-professional health advisor, whether you should apply this year or apply next year and take a gap year. (NOTE: If not taking a gap year, YEAR 4 of the major map must be completed prior to application)
  • Consider being a mentor to 1st or 2nd year pre-optometry students and teach others what you’ve learned about the journey of preparing for professional school.
  • Learn how to navigate tough conversations with a variety of different people who depend on you.
  • Update your resume to include how you have developed your communication and interpersonal skills for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
  • REQUIRED: Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal every semester!
  • Explore paid healthcare positions that do and do not require certifications.
  • Look for opportunities at VCU, your place of employment and/or in your greater community that allows you to apply for a leadership role or assume greater responsibility. Focus on opportunities in areas that you are passionate about.
  • Build your personal brand. What makes you unique? Why should professional schools pick you to attend their school?
  • Research scholarship opportunities and application fee waivers at OptomCAS.
  • Review material and begin studying for the Optometry Admission Test (OAT). Plan to incorporate multiple study skills and techniques.
  • Understand the background check process for your profession. Talk with your pre-professional health advisor about any concerns.
Excel Year 4
  • Review your true cumulative GPA, science GPA, non-science GPA, grade trend and semester course difficulty to see a full picture of your academic profile.
  • REQUIRED: Schedule an appointment with your assigned pre-professional health advisor to assess your progress through the application process and discuss gap year options.
  • Schedule an appointment with your major academic advisor a semester before your anticipated graduation to ensure all graduation requirements will be met. 
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Reflect on your own cultural competency, and be prepared to answer interview questions that outline how you have worked with diverse populations based on the Community Connection Competencies in the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal.
  • REQUIRED: Collect and reflect on your experiences using the Pre-Professional Healthcare Journal every semester!
  • Reflect on the experiential learning you have engaged in thus far, and discuss with current or potential mentors (peers, faculty, advisers, alumni, professionals).
  • If taking a gap year, talk with a financial aid counselor about tuition repayment plans.
  • Do a mock interview at VCU Career Services. 
  • Review test day information, sign up for and take the OAT. Meet with your pre-professional health advisor to review your OAT score and how it impacts your application competitiveness.
  • If accepted to a professional healthcare program, make sure to understand the process of acceptance to a school, including tuition deposits, background check, and traffic rules.