Rise up. At Pacific University, we have high expectations for all our students. Are you up to the challenge?
Our Hallmarks
Academic Leadership The College of Optometry educates you to be a comprehensive practitioner with expertise in all aspects of optometry, including contact lenses, low vision, ocular disease, pediatrics, sports vision and vision therapy. Our curriculum broadly encompasses the knowledge required for twenty-first-century primary healthcare providers. Academic strength pays off. You will graduate with qualifications to seek licensure to practice optometry anywhere in the nation.
Pacific University is a fully accredited member of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association.
Really Great People Students often equate their experience at Pacific University with being in a great family. Our faculty members are highly regarded teachers, clinicians, researchers and caring mentors. Their priority is your development and their policy is an open door.
And how do we describe your classmates? Their academic backgrounds and life experiences are as rich and varied as you can imagine. They are dedicated and diverse. And they have one thing in common: a passion for serving people through optometry.
4
YEARS
(Program Length)
2,000
The minimum number of clinic hours
students will have during the program
94
Students
(Average Class Size)
90%
Average first time
pass rate on NBEO exams
Perspective and Scope We believe that vision and eye health are foundational to people’s success and enjoyment of life. During your first semester, you will provide care and receive direct outreach experience with a diverse patient population. By the time you graduate, you will have rotated through multiple clinics, serving a wide range of patients. You may even travel with our Amigos EyeCare program to provide care and eyeglasses for underserved people around the world. Our interprofessional approach means that you will have opportunities to connect and collaborate with students from the College of Health Professions.
Innovation in Action First-time visitors are often impressed by the technical innovation in our program. We use almost every diagnostic tool available and we’re a leader in integrating electronic medical records into our clinical education. To keep you current with cutting-edge technology, we regularly add and replace instrumentation.
Innovation extends to teaching and research: 3D glasses for a lecture, anyone? Our faculty members use a range of teaching methods and styles to best suit the concepts and the material being covered. The College of Optometry also helps lead the way in computer vision research and sports vision advancement. Other progressive opportunities include electives such as contact lenses and nutritional optometry, and there’s even a course in Spanish for optometrists.
Life Outside the Classroom Your success in the classroom is linked to a balance of attributes outside the classroom. Our location gives you the best of both worlds. We are a private college of optometry with an undergraduate campus. This gives you instant access to intramural sports, student clubs, community service activities and all the benefits of college life.
Outside of class, take a deep breath and relax. Country roads are here for walking, running and biking, and Hagg Lake is close by for picnicking and water sports. Our on-campus Outdoor Pursuits Program arranges sea kayaking, whitewater rafting, backpacking and cross-country skiing excursions for students. And for the pleasures of northwest urban life, Portland is a quick 25 miles away.
Students are learning to use the OCT (ocular coherence tomography). This particular one is by Zeiss. We have several OCTs in our clinics and most of them have angiography capabilities.
We know you’ve got the smarts. But what about the other qualities that make an exceptional healthcare professional? Pacific students are passionate. They are empathetic. They are service-oriented. And they are fun. These innate interpersonal qualities are just as important to us as your academic profile.
