Pennsylvania College of Optometry

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The Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) is one of the oldest optometry schools and throughout most of the 20th century has been a leader in both training and research. It was the first school in the United States to confer the Doctor of Optometry degree after a four-year educational program. It was the first of all the optometry schools to receive regional accreditation and the first to offer courses in contact lenses. PCO was the first to offer inter-disciplinary clinical training and have off-campus externship programs. It was also the first independent college of optometry to develop graduate programs in vision rehabilitation and affiliate with a medical school. It was also the first to revise its curriculum to integrate basic and clinical courses using a module approach; introducing clinical concepts, skills, and student’s presence early in the educational program rather than as an additional training after completion of basic studies.

The Eye Institute (TEI) is the main clinical facility of PCO. TEI, from its inception to the present day, is a world renowned clinical facility that includes adult primary care, pediatric, vision rehabilitation, laser procedures, sub-specialty optometry services, and sub-specialty ophthalmology services. This premier training facility is open on a 24 hour basis and all graduates spend time in this facility beginning early in their studies.

Within the Eye Institute is the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center. The center is concerned with low vision and receives patients from around the world. It remains today the leading low vision research center in the world.

Besides two other clinical facilities in the Philadelphia area, PCO administers one of the country’s largest extern program, where doctors-in-training rotate through private practices, clinics, government facilities; veteran’s hospitals, Department of the Interior indian reservation clinics, and other clinical settings to afford their graduates the widest range of experience.