Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University is one of just two optometric training institutions in the nation to have a 100 percent ultimate pass rate on their national licensing exams for the 2022-23 academic year, which leaders say reflects the quality of instruction, helping graduates immediately start their careers in a growing field.

The National Board of Examiners in Optometry oversees a slate of three exams students need to pass to be fully licensed to practice in the United States and Ontario, Canada.

Only Ferris State and Midwest University’s Chicago College of Optometry saw every 2022-23 graduate from their programs pass all three exams prior to graduation.

“Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University provides students with a world-class level of training and clinical experiences, and that’s reflected on their performance on the exams,” MCO Dean Daniel Taylor said. “No place in the world does a better job of preparing students to be fully practicing optometrists. We’re proud of that.”

Students take the NBEO’s Applied Basic Science exam during the third year of their studies, and the Patient Assessment and Management and Clinical Skills exams in their final year. For the 2022-23 period, Ferris State students’ first-time pass rates exceeded the national average on each of the three exams.

The NBEO “protects the public by developing, administering, scoring, and reporting results of valid examinations that assess competency in optometry.” The NBEO is operated by the optometric profession and works with state boards of optometry to ensure an excellent quality of patient care provided by optometrists.

Passing the NBEO exams allows students to quickly apply their in-demand skills into the growing field of optometry.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of optometrists is projected to grow 9 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 1,700 openings for optometrists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

The bureau said the 2022 media pay for optometrists was $125,590 per year.

Ferris State’s MCO is the only optometry college in Michigan and delivers personalized instruction that emphasizes practical experience. The program prepares doctoral and post-doctoral students for careers as optometric health care providers serving patients and society through its research, scholarly activity, evidence-based clinical education, and patient-centered care.

Service is a key part of the MCO mission. The on-site University Eye Center gives students early opportunities for practical experience in a busy health care setting. The University Eye Center is a full-service clinic serving university employees, students, and the surrounding community. In addition to providing comprehensive care, the UEC has specialty clinics in ocular disease, pre- and post-surgical care, specialty contact lenses, pediatrics, low vision rehabilitation, and binocular vision and vision therapy.

Additional information about Michigan College of Optometry programs is available here.