The College of Optometrists

how can one prepare for this examination?? Your help will be appreciated, thanks.

You will be presented with 6 patient records which you will then discuss in a viva format with 2 examiners. The Competencies covered in the CDM assessment are noted on the College website in the Exam Regulations, but you will also have been sent the most up-to-date copy of the Regulations for inclusion in your handbook in April 2006. You'll be asked questions about the 6 scenarios (patient records)which relate to the competency areas being tested. A good way to prep would be for your supervisor to choose some patient records from the practice and viva you on the salient points, together with your management of each patient. You need to ensure that you have revisted all of the competency statements included in this assessmnet as aprt of your revision

Ruth Brough, Lead Assessor, Scheme for Registration

You will have one hour to prepare the six case scenarios in the CDM exam. They will consist of all the data from a patient examination H&S, refraction, BV exam etc. plus images of the anterior and posterior segment, field test results and colour vision test results (i.e. Ishihara scores and City scores). In the one hour oral that follows with two examiners, you will be expected to pick out the salient points for every record and explain your management for each patient. This might include referral (you need to specify urgency in hours/days/weeks), dispensing, BV exercises etc.

Practice looking through scenarios with your supervisor as Ruth suggests, additionally make sure you can identify colour defects from Ishihara and City results and interpret a variety of field plot results.