Instructors, Training Requirements, and Continuing Education

All subjects of education must be directly related to optometry. The New Mexico Board of Optometry approves the following programs for continuing education credit:

1. Any convention of the American Optometric Association (AOA).

1. Any meeting of an AOA-affiliated state or regional association meeting, or meeting of the Armed Forces Optometric Society (AFOS).

1. Any session of the Optometric Extension Program Congress (OEPC).

1. Any state seminar of the graduate clinic foundation of the optometric extension program.

1. Courses sponsored by or given by accredited optometry schools.

1. Courses sponsored by the following organizations:
   • Optometric councils: Great Western (GWCO), North Central States (NCSOC), Southern (SECO).
   • Optometric contact lens societies: Contact Lens Society of American (CLSA), Scleral Lens Education Society (SLS)
   • Optometric congresses: Heart of America Eye Care Congress (HOAECC)
   • Courses sponsored by the American Academy of Optometry.
   • Courses approved by the Council on Optometric Practice Education (COPE) or courses approved by the New Mexico Optometric Association (NMOA).

16. The certificates of attendance required by Subsection C of 16.16.13.8 NMAC shall be signed by the presiding officer or designee of the organization conducting or sponsoring the program and shall identify the therapeutic pharmaceutical agent (TPA) courses.

1. Certificates of attendance for courses approved by COPE must have the COPE trademark and approval number.

1. A maximum of 6 hours of internet-type course offerings, approved by COPE or any other board-approved sponsor, will be allowed for each annual renewal.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CONTINUING EDUCATION, CLICK ON THE LINK “RULES AND LAWS” 16.16.13 NMAC – CONTINUING EDUCATION

The Clinical Practicum takes place on Saturday and, if necessary, Sunday. A maximum of 12 candidates can be examined each day, with scheduling done randomly. To have an application considered complete, all required documentation and examination fees must be submitted by the specified deadline.

After the examination schedule has been finalized, each APPROVED candidate will be notified by mail of the exact Clinical Practicum session they have scheduled. 

• Candidates will NOT be permitted entrance into the Clinical Practicum examination without the notification letter from the Board.
• Candidates must also present a picture ID at the time of registration for the opportunity to sit for the clinical/practicum exams.
• At registration, candidates will be assigned an identification number.
• The assigned I.D. number will be the sole means of candidate identification throughout the administration and scoring of the examination.
• Candidates should be present thirty (30) minutes prior to their scheduled examination time.
• Candidates should bring their own writing utensils.

All of the equipment and instruments necessary to take the Clinical Practicum examination will be furnished to the candidate. However, the candidate will be permitted to use personal binocular indirect ophthalmoscope and condensing lenses, provided that the ophthalmoscope is equipped with a teaching mirror.

There will be a single examination station.

• The maximum time allowed for examination of the candidate will be forty (40) minutes.
• The station will be utilized for all procedures.

Four scenarios will be presented at each station for a total of 12. The scenarios presented will include patients with ocular disease, ocular degenerations and dystrophies, neuro-ocular disease, ocular manifestations of systemic disease, ocular side effects of systemic medication, systemic manifestations of ocular disease, trauma, post-operative management, and ocular irritations.

As in a real-life setting, the candidate will be expected to work through each case as if the patient were presenting in their office. Case presentations and findings will be given in a straightforward manner by the clinical examiners. However, it will be the candidate’s responsibility to ask for necessary or additional information, findings, or clarification (as would occur in a real-life setting) in order to arrive at the proper diagnosis and treatment.

The candidate’s patient presentation, evaluation, and questions will follow the S.O.A.P. (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan) format. The candidate’s performance will be evaluated in each part of the S.O.A.P.

The candidate should be mindful, however, that there are 4 scenarios to be presented within each 32-minute time frame, and the exam must move forward as the schedule demands. It is to the candidate’s advantage not to linger too long in an area (scenario) where they may be having difficulty. One member of the examiner team will keep track of the time and move the exam forward to the next scenario when each 8-minute period is up.

When the 8 minutes are up for a scenario, it is the candidate’s responsibility to inform the clinical examiners that they are ready to move on to the next question. If time permits, the clinical examiners will allow the candidate to return to any of the candidate’s problematic areas in order to allow opportunities for improvement.

A personalized, blank sheet of paper will be provided to each candidate upon entering the exam station. This sheet, which includes their ID number and scheduled time, may be used for any necessary notetaking during the clinical examiners’ setup process. Candidates are required to leave these notes with the examiners before leaving the examination station.

NMSA 1978 § 61-2-6.D. (7) states, “The board shall certify as passing each applicant who obtains a grade of at least a 75% on each subject upon which he is examined.” Subsection D of Part 5 of 16.16.5.9 NMAC (the board’s rules and regulations) states, “A score of 75% or better is required on each section of the board’s exam.” The board has some discretion as to what it can consider a “subject” or “section” of the board exam. At its discretion, the board has determined, for purposes of FINAL scoring, to break down the exam into two subjects: the Jurisprudence Exam and the Clinical Practicum Examination.

The Clinical Practicum examination will be scored based upon an average of the total score for the four (4) procedures:

The 4 standalone procedures within the station, and

• The three (3) clinical categories presented.
• In order to pass the Clinical Practicum examination, an applicant must obtain a minimum overall average of 75% in the Clinical Practicum and a 75% or better in the Jurisprudence.

Provided, however, that any applicant who has received a grade of less than 60% on any part of the Clinical Practicum examination will not be considered eligible for licensure even though the overall Clinical Practicum grade may average 75%.