ABO attempts to dispel myths about certification exam

The American Board of Optometry has provided a new resource that compiles the most common deterrents for optometrists considering whether the certification exam is worth taking and provided counterarguments against those deterrents, according to a board press release.

The top deterrent listed by the American Board of Optometry (ABO) is the speculation that a practicing optometrist’s knowledge comes from years of practice and that he or she would be too far removed from school and textbooks to know where to start, according to the release.

To this point, the ABO argued that the examination topics were derived from a thorough job analysis survey of the profession, a process that assures that the examination “truly reflects and then evaluates what optometrists do in practice every day and is critical to the accreditation process,” the release said.

There are also resources available that describe what to expect from the exam, including a candidate guide and a detailed content outline, according to the release.

Other deterrents include the time needed for the exam being overwhelming, the lack of a sample test, the lack of time optometrists have to devote to studying and concerns about how the certification can build their practices, the release said.

To these points, the ABO reassured optometrists that the time allotted for the exam is to ensure that slow test-takers have enough time to finish and that most finish early; that a sample test is in the works; and that awareness of the exam and its prestige is growing. The certification is becoming a more valuable asset to practices and, therefore, worth taking the time to pursue, the release said.

As of April 30, experience in active clinical practice and fellowship in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development will no longer be accepted as part of the qualification.

For more information, go to http://www.americanboardofoptometry.org/.