The Forecast of Clinical Performance in Optometry School

Preoptometry grades and personality measures were evaluated as predictors of clinical performance in optometry school. Preoptometry grades were somewhat negatively related to clinical performance. Certain personality factors, on the other hand, forecast performance very well; four‐variable regression equations developed with the scales of the California Psychological Inventory forecast performance with a mean multiple R of 0.63. In composite, the personality of the highly rated student in optometry clinic is marked by self‐confidence, intellectual efficiency, and social responsibility. The findings support the hypothesis that performance in optometry, as in other professions and higher education in general, is fat more related to certain personal qualities than to pre‐professional academic achievement. Implications of the findings for optometry school admissions are discussed.