Introducing the New Student Candidate Program

It is with great excitement that ABO announces a new Student Candidate program! Beginning in January 2025, third- and fourth-year optometry students can apply to become a Student Candidate in the American Board of Optometry. As an organization dedicated to lifelong learning and self-improvement, we have put considerable effort into developing a program that will offer students an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to providing competent, knowledgeable patient care throughout their future career.

In 2023, ABO launched an initiative to better connect with students, residents and younger ODs. While board certification and maintenance of certification are standards in medicine and other healthcare professions, it is a credential often overlooked in the early years of optometry practice.

After visiting almost half of all US-based optometry schools and speaking with both students and faculty, we were encouraged by the interest and enthusiasm for designing a program to introduce students to the value of board certification. Incorporating feedback from our conversations and design elements from our maintenance of certification modules, we developed a Student Candidate track for board certification that promotes clinical competence through a structured path for continued learning. The program is engaging, educational and flexible, while also offering students a reduced application fee and an opportunity to earn early points toward eligibility to sit for the board certification exam.

The future of optometry lies with the next generation of optometrists. A generation that understands and values the need for continuous learning and the benefit of self-assessment for improved knowledge and skill. Involving students early on, during their first patient care experiences, sets the stage for a prepared and competent workforce.

Additional information on the new Student Candidate program will be available on the ABO website in mid-December.