Develop talent to meet the eye health and vision challenges of a complex future.
Objectives
- Deliver an evidence-informed curriculum that anticipates changes in health systems, technologies and scope of practice; facilitates best-practice pedagogy and technology-enabled learning; offers a roadmap for learning aligned with accreditation processes; and incorporates continuous review and evaluation processes.
- Promote a positive, student-centred environment where students are supported and engaged and wellness is prioritized.
- Develop expanded opportunities for clinical education, work-integrated learning and advanced training, including exploring ways to offer clinical experiences in the first and second years; adding an additional term between the second and third years; further developing the fourth-year clerkship program; and expanding accredited residency training opportunities for the development of advanced competencies.
- Establish centres of excellence in patient care in Western and Eastern Canada to support regional clerkship programs with the goal of evolving them to include specialty care, residency training and, where feasible, the establishment of satellite campuses for optometric education, patient care and research.
- Enhance graduate and postdoctoral studies by strengthening graduate student support, growing graduate work-integrated learning, increasing external research partnerships including with industry, and exploring pathways for the formation of graduate programs, e.g. OD/PhD.
- Be the leading national resource for continuing optometric education and professional development, including through identifying growth opportunities in professional development and working with partners to establish national-level standards for professional development and specialty certification for optometrists.
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Goal 2: Accomplishments
Student success
Student success rates have remained roughly steady over the last several years, with nearly all students graduating and ultimately qualifying to practice as optometrists.
Student graduation rates
*Advanced Standing Optometry Preparatory Program students are qualified internationally trained optometrists who enter the OD program in third year. The first ASOPP graduating year was 2024.
**Attrition for any reason.
Board exam pass rates
OEBC: Optometry Examining Board of Canada
NBEO: National Board of Examiners in Optometry (U.S.)
Student engagement
Many student engagement initiatives take place throughout the year, some organized by faculty and staff and others by student groups or clubs. Some highlights of 2024-25:
June 2024: Convocation and graduation celebration.
September 2024: Orientation for Class of 2028; orientation to clinic for Class of 2026.
October 2024: Student reception at School hosted by Canadian Association of Optometrists
November 2024: White coat ceremony.
November 2024: Fall awards ceremony.
January 2025: Corneal cup hockey tournament.
March 2025: Pi Day.
March 2025: Skit night.
March 2025: Eye Ball.
Entering students
Applicants for 2024
Students admitted
Provinces represented, class of 2028
Average OAT score, admitted students
Average OAT Science score, admitted students
OD students received awards and scholarships, 2024
Clerkships
The fourth year of the OD program consists of three four-month clinical placements across North America (mostly Canada) over 12 consecutive months. In 2024-25, there was a significant increase in number of clerkship sites available to students for the 2025-26 year, with a total of 96 sites available.
Optometrists across the country have embraced offering clinical teaching at their practices, resulting in an increase of approximately 65 percent more sites over the last five years, with six new sites in Atlantic Canada added this past year alone.
Going forward, we are working to increase clerkship sites outside Ontario, particularly in Western Canada, with a focus on offering placements in rural and underserved communities.
| Province | Urban | Rural |
|---|---|---|
| BC | 5 | 3 |
| AB | 7 | 6 |
| SK | 4 | 4 |
| MB | 2 | 3 |
| ON | 41 | 3 |
| NB | 4 | 2 |
| NS | 6 | 1 |
| NL | 1 | 1 |
USA: FL (2), OK (1)
Total: 96 sites (93 Canada)
Continuing professional development
Our continuing professional development team continued to provide high-quality, evidence-informed continuing education (CE) to practicing optometrists.
Office-Based Laser and Minor Surgical Procedures for Optometrists
The Office-Based Laser and Minor Surgical Procedures for Optometrists course (renamed in 2025, formerly Advanced Procedures), consists of online self-directed modules beginning in February, virtual live lectures in April/May, hands-on lab-based workshops and a review session in Waterloo in May, and a certification exam. The 2024 course had 41 participants, while the 2025 course had 29 participants in Waterloo. We took the course on the road for the first time by offering it to 47 optometrists in Saskatchewan in May 2025. We’re grateful for the partnership with SAO and the opportunity to continue the mantra of “education before legislation” in support of scope modernization efforts.
Alumni Weekend
Our June 2024 Alumni Weekend (renamed CE Weekend & Alumni Reunion in 2025) welcomed 86 optometrists, optometric staff and students for two days of COPE-accredited continuing education, connection and celebration, including a tabletop trade show.
Waterloo Eye Institute Fall Conference & Trade Show
The School’s flagship CE event takes place in Markham, Ontario, over three days and is put on in alliance with the Ontario Association of Optometrists. In November 2024, 163 optometrists, 44 optometric staff and eight sponsored students participated. We also had 37 vendors and organizations participating in the trade show. The Woodruff Distinguished Lecture was given by Dr. Etty Bitton and the Bobier Distinguished Lecture was given by Dr. Donald Hood.
Oral Therapeutic Prescribing Agents, Lab Testing and Glaucoma Certification Modules
In 2024-25, we planned changes to this online offering, last run as a single course in 2023. In 2025, we are splitting the course to provide flexibility for those looking for certification in only one of the areas. Also, the certification exam will be optional, to support those interested in simply refreshing their knowledge.
Optometry 5in5
Optometry 5in5 was created to meet the need for quick hits of CE that are both evidence based and convenient. An online platform, it checks basic knowledge and makes optometrists think through tricky cases, providing quick feedback. After the success of two pilot projects, the platform expanded with a three-year contract with the Alberta College of Optometrists. The third module was launched in August 2024 and there are plans to launch more in 2025 and 2026.
Goal 4: In progress
Curriculum renewal
An internal committee has been working on a curriculum review and renewal project that is proposing the addition of an additional term between years 2 and 3 (spring term).
Adding an extra academic term provides the increased contact time to build upon and expand the clinical skills established in the second year. The extra term will accelerate the development, efficiency and effectiveness of clinical skills. There will also be more space to introduce and delve deeper into emerging trends, advanced techniques and a broader scope of optometric practice.
The proposal will need to be approved externally by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), and internally by the Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo Senate Undergraduate Council, and Senate. The target implementation date is September 2026.
Establishing new optometry schools
In 2024-25, the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science signed memoranda of understanding with both Mount Royal University in Calgary and the University of New Brunswick’s Saint John campus. The purpose is to partner to explore the establishment of new schools of optometry in Western and Atlantic Canada respectively.
Both memoranda emphasize the goal of increasing the number of practising optometrists particularly to rural and Indigenous communities. As part of that goal, the partners aim to improve access to optometric education for qualified applicants from these communities.
Both partnerships are supported by the associations and colleges of optometrists in their provinces. They are currently in the exploratory phase to assess feasibility and develop solid business cases. No timeline has yet been established for the opening of new schools of optometry.
Mount Royal University
University of New Brunswick, Saint John campus