Please ensure you read all of the information below carefully.
WHAT IS INVOLVED Jump to section
- Subject Areas
- Exemptions
- How to prepare
- Examination Format
HOW TO APPLY Jump to section
- Entry Requirements
- When and where do the Examinations take place
- How to book a place
- Submitting your porfolio
- If you have a disability
ON THE DAY Jump to section
- Arrival
- Proof of Identity
- Cheating and Misconduct
AFTER THE EXAMINATION Jump to section
- Results
- Complaints and Appeals
- Next Steps
WHAT IS INVOLVED (Back to top
)
)Subject areas
The College’s Higher Qualifications consist of certificates and diplomas in specialist subject areas. A diploma consists of two certificates.
We offer certificates in the following subject areas:
Contact Lenses Certificate A
Certificate B
Orthoptics Certificate A
Certificate B
Diabetes
Glaucoma Certificate A
Certificate B
Low Vision Certificate A
Certificate B
Diplomas are awarded on the award of two certificates in the following combinations:
Contact Lens Practice (DipCLP)
Contact Lenses Certificate A
Contact Lenses Certificate B
Orthoptics (DipOrth)
Orthoptics Certificate A
Orthoptics Certificate B
Ocular Conditions (DipOC)
Certificate in Glaucoma A
Certificate in Diabetes
Glaucoma (DipGlau)
Glaucoma Certificate A
Glaucoma Certificate B
Rehabilitation of Visual Impairment (DipRVI)
Low Vision Certificate A
Low Vision Certificate B
For the award of each diploma, you must achieve Certificate A before Certificate B. For the Diploma in Ocular Conditions, you may achieve certificates in either order.
You must complete both certificates within five years to be awarded the Diploma.
Exemptions
If you can demonstrate that you have successfully undertaken an assessment of comparable rigour covering a similar syllabus, you might be exempted from part or all of a College certificate. For further details on specific exemptions, please click here.
To apply for exemption or accreditation, write to the Examinations Co-ordinator at the College stating for which certificate you are claiming exemption and forwarding the following:
· Detailed syllabus including scope and content.
· Mode of assessment
· Results profile
· Copy of certificate
If you are applying for exemption in an element of a College certificate you must normally take the Certificate within five years of obtaining the original qualification upon which exemption is granted.
Institutions and other organisations offering courses at post-graduate level may seek exemption and accreditation status for their assessment on behalf of their candidates.
The College retains the right to remove or amend exemptions at its discretion.
To be awarded the College Diploma you cannot be exempt from more than 50% of the assessments.
How to prepare
We do not offer tuition for the certificates. You can, however, find the syllabus for each certificate, together with some guidance on how to prepare below:
(127Kb)Examination Format
General
Clinical Portfolio and Viva
The portfolio is to be submitted in duplicate. Mandatory content of the portfolio is given in the individual certificate details on the following pages. It is recommended that each ‘case record’ is submitted as a typed presentation of 500 to 1000 words outlining the salient details of the case. Each presentation should be accompanied by the relevant documentation e.g. correspondence, reports, results, photographs, plots etc. In addition, copies of the original patient records covering the duration of the case should be included. It is advised that candidates bind their presentations where possible.
General presentation must be consistent with a Higher Qualification examination and show:
- Clear indexing and summary
- All information with appropriate dates
- Sequence of case history to be presented in chronological order
- Observance of patient anonymity
- Key to abbreviations used
- Relevant supporting documentation
- Each sheet to have a patient number and candidate number
- Any copied documentation should be of good quality
The content of the portfolio must include evidence of a suitable range of cases presented together with:
- A clear statement of the presenting situation
- All investigations and evaluations and rationale for choice
- Relevant findings and their significance
- Diagnosis
- Treatment / management options including rationale for the choice made and surgical intervention where appropriate
- Follow up appointments where necessary
- Prognosis and future management options where appropriate
Two complete copies of the case records and all documentation should be submitted. All copies should be identical with case records and documentation in the same order.
You are not officially registered until the College is in receipt of the application form and fee. Registered candidates who subsequently fail to submit the portfolio by the advertised deadline will be deemed to have withdrawn from the examinations and will forfeit their fee.
The assessment of the portfolio will be in the form of a 1 hour viva examination with two examiners. Candidates are advised to bring a copy of the portfolio with them to the viva examination for reference. Candidates are reminded that while the main scope of the viva will focus on the previously submitted portfolio, candidates should expect the viva to explore all aspects of the syllabus at the examiners discretion. Please note that portfolios will not be returned to candidates once submitted.
Sample Clinical Case Records
In order to help you with the preparation of portfolios for the College Higher Qualifications you will find some sample clinical case records below. Please note that in each case these records only show the text that was submitted, other associated documents such as case notes, field plots and photographs have not been included.
Written Examination
The written section of each certificate will be a 1.5 hour paper consisting of 30 short answer questions covering any aspect of the syllabus.
Station Examination
The station examination for each certificate will be of between 1 to 1 ½ hours duration dependent on subject. The examination will consist of various tasks, as detailed in the following pages, and may include demonstrating practical skills, evaluation of clinical data and visual recognition and identification of clinical signs. Candidates are advised that the examiner may enter into discussion as appropriate during the examination. Further details for each certificate practical examination are detailed at the end of each section.
Details of the examinations for each certificate can be found below:
HOW TO APPLY (Back to top
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)Entry Requirements
You must have been on the GOC Register of Optometrists for at least one year and be a current Member or Fellow of the College of Optometrists.
When and where do the Examinations take place?
The times of year that each examination is held are on the Examinations Calendar. Specific dates and places are added as soon as these are known.
How to book a place
You can book a place by completing and returning the application form, together with the appropriate fee. The current fees can be found on the Schedule of Fees.
The closing date for applications will be 12 weeks before the examination takes place. Exact dates will be set out in the Examinations Calendar.
Submitting your Portfolio
You will have to submit your portfolio eight weeks before the examination takes place. We recommend that you keep a copy of your portfolio for your records. Details about the portfolio can be found here.
If you have a disability
If you have a disability, we may be able to make reasonable adjustments to the assessment. We will not make adjustments to the standard of the assessment but may be able to adjust the arrangements if you have physical, mental or sensory impairments covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. You may find it helpful to contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission at http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/Pages/default.aspx. If you would like us to consider making reasonable adjustments, please inform the College as soon as possible. If you do not let us know in sufficient time, we may not be able to make the reasonable adjustments in time for the date of your assessment. Please contact us via email at education.help@college-optometrists.org.
You can find details about the process for reasonable adjustments in the Regulations.
In submitting a request for reasonable adjustments you agree that we may store the personal information you provide in connection with your request, share it with the GOC where necessary, and use it to process your request and make reasonable adjustments to enable you to attempt the assessments and to compile statistics and undertake research.
Reasonable adjustments will not be made on the basis of temporary circumstances that may affect your performance in the assessments, such as illness, pregnancy or bereavement. We would expect you to cancel and reschedule a place at a later date.
If you are taken unwell on the day of the examination, you must decide whether to take the examination or to cancel and book a place in the next available assessment. If you decide to take the assessment, you will be marked as normal.
ON THE DAY (Back to top
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)Arrival
You will be told the time of your examination when we confirm your place. Please arrive at the centre in good time. If you are late, you may have to defer until the examination is held again.
Proof of Identity
You will be required to bring a passport or photo card driving licence so that we can check your identity. If you do not have either of these documents, please contact us in advance so we can discuss how you might prove your identity in another way.
Cheating and Misconduct
You must not falsify the evidence you provide in your portfolio by altering any paperwork or using the work of others in any other way. Nor must you permit others to copy or use your work. At the examination, you will be provided with all the materials you need other than those pieces of equipment you are asked to provide (see para 50 in Regulations) and each certificate's examination document. You must not use or refer to any other materials or try to communicate with other candidates during the examination. All books, papers, mobile phones and other electronic equipment must be stored away when you begin. You must not take any examination materials out of the centre, you must not write down the details of the examinations to take out and you must not obtain information about the examination from any source including other candidates.
You must not behave unprofessionally in any way. If you do any of the above, you will be reported to the College. If you are found to have given or received help, your examination attempt may be declared invalid and your name may be reported to the Registrar of the GOC. Please refer to the Regulations for further information.
AFTER THE EXAMINATION (Back to top
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)Results
The results are issued shortly after the examination. You will be given the exact date when your place is confirmed.
Complaints and Appeals
Complaints
If you want to complain about the examination, you should submit a detailed written report to the Education Co-ordinator at the College or email: education.help@college-optometrists.org within 28 days of the date of your Examination. Please include your name, address, telephone number, email address and candidate number. We will investigate and aim to respond within 10 working days. A complaint is not the same as an appeal and cannot affect your result. If the service we have provided has been unacceptable, however, we would welcome the chance to investigate and put it right.
Appeals
You can appeal against the result of your Examination if you believe that there were irregularities in the administrative procedures and conduct of the examination, which were of such a nature as to cause reasonable doubt about whether the examiners would have reached the same conclusions had the irregularities not occurred.
Appeals should be submitted to the Education Department, College of Optometrists, 42 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NG within 28 days following the date of your Assessment. The fee for submitting an appeal can be found in the Schedule of Fees. Please refer to the Regulations for further information.
Next Steps
If you pass, you will receive a certificate.
A College Diploma will be awarded to candidates who achieve two Certificates as set out here. Award of a diploma will entitle the recipient to the use of the appropriate affix as listed here.
If you fail, you may resit the examination when you are ready.