A Week in the Life of an Optometry Student
Class Time

You attend lectures, participate in case-based learning assignments, have small group discussions of case studies, and take exams and quizzes. You will also learn about interprofessional interactions and participate in community-based service learning projects.

Lab Time

Your lab time focuses on providing a foundation for understanding concepts in the basic and biomedical sciences as well as improving clinical skills.

Studying

Professors provide you with electronic copies of the lectures, so studying often consists of reviewing these handouts along with class notes, reviewing case studies, studying in groups, and reading assigned chapters in textbooks. Patient care may also require time for preparation or looking up information.

Clinic

You will start working with patients beginning your very first semester. The amount of patient contact will gradually increase to approximately 12 hours per week in your third year.

Non-Academic Time

For long weekends or during spring and winter breaks, you can go home to see your family, ski, or maybe take a trip to Las Vegas. There are many cultural and recreational things to do when you live in Southern California, so our students try to take advantage of them when they can.

Clinic

In the fourth year you will spend all your time in clinical rotations. You will rotate through a variety of clinical settings including hospitals, specialty care settings, and community clinics

First Three Years
Class Time

You attend lectures, participate in case-based learning assignments, have small group discussions of case studies, and take exams and quizzes. You will also learn about interprofessional interactions and participate in community-based service learning projects.

Lab Time

Your lab time focuses on providing a foundation for understanding concepts in the basic and biomedical sciences as well as improving clinical skills.

Studying

Professors provide you with electronic copies of the lectures, so studying often consists of reviewing these handouts along with class notes, reviewing case studies, studying in groups, and reading assigned chapters in textbooks. Patient care may also require time for preparation or looking up information.

Clinic

You will start working with patients beginning your very first semester. The amount of patient contact will gradually increase to approximately 12 hours per week in your third year.

Non-Academic Time

For long weekends or during spring and winter breaks, you can go home to see your family, ski, or maybe take a trip to Las Vegas. There are many cultural and recreational things to do when you live in Southern California, so our students try to take advantage of them when they can.

Fourth Year
Clinic

In the fourth year you will spend all your time in clinical rotations. You will rotate through a variety of clinical settings including hospitals, specialty care settings, and community clinics

First Two Years (75 hrs/wk)

  • Class Time (19 hrs/wk)
  • Studying 45 hr/wk
  • Lab Time 7 hr/wk
  • Clinic 4 hours/wk

Third Year (45 hrs/wk)

  • Class Time 9 hr/wk
  • Studying 21 hr/wk
  • Lab Time 3 hr/wk
  • Clinic 12 hr/wk

Fourth Year (40 hrs/wk)

  • Clinic 40 hr/wk