Did you know...?

Berkeley Optometry students are enrolled in preclinical training laboratories in years 1-2, perform their first primary care exams in the spring semester of year 2, and move on to full-time clinical training and direct patient care during the summer before year 3. On average, each student will have experienced more than 2,500 patient encounters by the time of graduation.
Our students receive, on average, a total of 440 preclinical training hours.
At the Meredith Morgan and Tang Eye Centers on the Berkeley Campus alone, there are more than 75,000 patient visits each year, during which second- and third-year students, fourth-year students who are on internal rotations, and faculty members provide complete vision care. The total number of patients cared for by Berkeley Optometry students is significantly increased as a result of their experiences during the three or four (typically 10-week) external rotations they complete during the fourth year.
We offer our students a number of sites that vary in location and vision care emphasis from which to choose their externships. The majority of our externships are located in the State of California; however, we also affiliate with sites on the East Coast and elsewhere on the West Coast. In order to balance the fourth-year educational experience, students select two externships in the areas of ocular disease and primary care. Their third externship may be at a site that emphasizes a unique specialty service.