Optometry Curriculum Patterns in Europe

The education and training of optometrists‐more appropriately, ophthalmic opticians ‐in the western countries of the European continent differ in content and amount from that found in English‐speaking countries, particularly the U. S. Current curriculum patterns for 12 European countries are presented. Formalized basic education before professional training averages 9.4 academic years; formalized course work, identified with curricula of schools of optics and optometry, averages 2.8 academic years; and required apprenticeship time averages about 2 years.