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Pre-Optometry Path

Optometrists (O.D.) examine, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases of the eye and vision.

For more information, see the Optometry section at this link.

Information about Oswego's cooperative program with SUNY Optometry can be found here.

Starting with your first semester of college, you are accumulating the credentials to apply to optometry schools. Applicants are expected to have:

  • Completed a bachelor's degree in any major
  • Completed medical school course requirements (see below)
  • Earn excellent grades; overall and science GPAs should be at least a 3.5
  • Earn a good score on the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT), at least a score of 290
  • Obtain a HPAC Recommendation Letter
  • Involve yourself in health-related shadowing, volunteering, and research experience

Course Requirements

These are the courses at SUNY Oswego that are recommended you complete to prepare for nursing school requirements (note, there is some variation in course requirements for nursing programs, so be sure to check the requirements of the programs you plan on applying to):

One Year of Biology

  • Bio 120 and either Bio 340 or Bio 370
  • Notes:
    • All courses offered every semester
    • Bio 120 is the prerequisite to Bio 340 and 370
    • If not a Biology or Zoology major, you will need permission to register from the Biological Sciences Chair

One year of General (Inorganic) Chemistry

  • Che 111 (113 lab) and Che 212 (214 lab)
  • Notes:
    • All courses offered every semester

One year of Organic Chemistry

  • Che 331 (333 lab) and Che 332 (334 lab)
  • Notes:
    • Che 331 is Fall only
    • Che 332 is Spring only

One year of Physics

  • Phy 111 and 212 or Phy 112 and 213
  • Notes:
    • Phy 111/212 is algebra-based
    • Phy 112/213 is calculus-based
    • All courses are offered every semester

One Year of English

  • Eng 102 and either Eng 203, 204, 302, or 304
  • Notes:
    • Eng 102 offered every semester, others vary

One semester of Microbiology

  • Bio 310
  • Notes:
    • Not required by all optometry schools
    • Offered every semester
    • Che 212 prerequisite

One year of Psychology

  • Psy 100 and 320

One year of Math

  • Mat 158 or Mat 179, and Mat 210

One year of Social Sciences

  • Notes:
    • Not required by all optometry schools