Optometry: Requirements and Continuing Education
Definitions
“NBEO” means the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.
“NBEO Part I” refers to the NBEO Basic Science Exam.
“NBEO Part II” refers to the NBEO Clinical Science Exam.
“NBEO Part III” refers to the NBEO Patient Care Exam which consists of PMP's (Patient Management); VRICS (Visual Recognition and Interpretation of Clinical Signs); and Clinical Skills.
“The TMOD” means the NBEO Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease Exam.
Examination Requirements
As of January 15, 1995, all candidates for licensure are required to take the Board's licensing examination.
As of January 15, 1995, all candidates, except those who have met the qualification requirements set forth in Subsections A and B of 16.16.4.8 NMAC and have been approved as candidates for licensure by endorsement, shall be required to pass Part I, Part II, Part III, and the TMOD of the NBEO national standards examination as a prerequisite to sitting for the Board’s licensing examination.
Application Requirements
In accordance with Section 61-2-8 NMSA 1978, and those qualifications set forth therein, candidates for examination must submit to the board office, at least sixty-five (65) days prior to the announced examination date, a letter of intent applying for the next regularly scheduled board examination accompanied by the required application processing fee. In addition to a completed, board-approved application form, the following documents must be received by the board office no later than forty (40) days prior to the requested examination.
- A copy of the applicant’s birth certificate certified by a notary public to be a true and correct copy of the original.
- Letters of reference from two currently licensed optometrists actively engaged in the practice of optometry, and not related to the applicant, written on their letterhead stationery.
- Official pre-optometry transcript(s) sent directly to the board office by each college or university attended by the applicant.
- A complete official optometry transcript showing the applicant's graduation sent directly to the board by a college of optometry as approved by the American optometric association's council of optometric education.
- An applicant expecting to graduate in the spring or summer prior to the board's examination who does not expect completed transcripts to be available before the documentation deadline, must make arrangements for the school to send a letter directly to the board regarding the applicant's expected graduation.
- The letter must be postmarked before the forty-day documentation deadline.
- The completed, official transcript must be received by the board before the scheduled examination date or the application will be considered incomplete, and the applicant will be denied entrance into the examination.
- A statement and copy of other state license(s) held by the applicant.
- A recent, passport-type photograph of the applicant. The applicant must sign the back of the photograph in the presence of the notary who is also witnessing the applicant's signature on the board-approved exam application form.
- An affidavit from the applicant that the applicant has not engaged in any optometry practice of an illegal or unethical nature as defined in the New Mexico Optometry Act, NMSA 1978, Sections 61-2-1 to 61-21-18 (1995 Repl. Pamp.).
- Copy of current certification attesting to completion of CPR course.
- A complete professional resume' or curriculum vitae.
- A verification from an accredited optometry school of successful completion of one hundred (100) or more post-graduate clock hours of ocular therapeutics pharmacology, as provided in Subsection A of 16.16.7.10 NMAC, and a minimum of twenty (20) post-graduate clock hours in clinical pharmacology as provided in Subsection B of 16.16.7.11 NMAC.
- Verification directly from the national board of examiners in optometry (NBEO) that the applicant has successfully passed part I, part II, part III, and the TMOD of the NBEO as provided in Subsection B of 16.16.3.8 NMAC.
- If NBEO examination results will not be released by the NBEO prior to the documentation deadline, the applicant must submit to the board a copy of the NBEO letter scheduling the applicant for the NBEO exam(s).
- Upon receipt of verification of successful completion of the required NBEO exam(s), and upon having met all other requirements stipulated in this regulation, the approved candidate will be scheduled for the next regularly scheduled board examination.
- A list of the names of any New Mexico licensed optometrist(s) with whom the applicant is acquainted; with whom the applicant has a professional or personal affiliation; or that the applicant would feel uncomfortable being examined by, in the event that one of those optometrists is a board member or a clinical examiner for the board. Failure to provide this information prior to the examination deadline may disqualify the candidate from the exam.
- Each approved exam candidate will be required to bring his/her copy of the board’s exam policy and procedures document to the clinical exam and to sign it in the presence of the board’s representative in attestation that the candidate has read the document; and a copy of the document will become a part of the candidate’s examination records.
Application Approval
Upon Board review and approval of the above listed documentation, each approved candidate will be scheduled by letter to sit for the board’s examination.
- Candidates will not be allowed entrance into the examination without this schedule notification letter.
- At least one form of picture identification will be required for entrance into the examination.
- Each candidate will be assigned an identification number that will be the sole means of candidate identification throughout the administration and scoring of the examination.
Ineligibility For Licensure
Any applicant for licensure who desires to take the Board examination and who has had a license either suspended or revoked in any jurisdiction shall be ineligible to take the examination until that license is reinstated.
Incomplete Applications Purged
Incomplete applications for licensure will be kept on file for two years from the date the first item of documentation was received and board staff created a file.
Examination Requirements
- Prior to January 15, 1995, the board administered its own ten-part written examination in the following areas: Practical Optometry, Theoretical Optometry, Pharmacology, Contact Lenses, Geometrical Optics, Perimetry (Visual Fields), Ocular Pathology, Ocular Anatomy, Physiological Optics, and Orthoptics.
- Prior to January 15, 1995, qualified endorsement candidates were waived the requirement of sitting for these ten sections of the board's written examination if the state of original licensure could verify that the applicant was examined in these areas in a state exam, and that the applicant passed each section with a seventy-five percent (75%) passing score or higher.
- Prior to January 15, 1995, qualified endorsement candidates were required to sit only for the board's practical examination and were required to pass it with 75% or higher.
- As of January 15, 1995, in order to qualify for licensure by endorsement, an applicant licensed in other states prior to January 15, 1995, must provide verification from the other state licensing board that the applicant successfully passed a written state examination in the areas examined in New Mexico prior to January 15, 1995, and that the applicant passed the exams with a 75% or higher.
- Applicants licensed as optometrists in other states prior to January 15, 1995, who have not successfully passed a written state examination with a 75% or higher in the areas examined in New Mexico prior to January 15, 1995, must present proof of having successfully passed Part I, Part II, Part III, and the TMOD of the NBEO exam as a prerequisite to sitting for the board's examination.
- As of January 15, 1995, the board's written exam no longer consists of the ten areas listed in Subsection A of 16.16.4.8 NMAC. The board now accepts Part I, Part II, Part III, and the TMOD of the NBEO exam instead. Applicants licensed in other states after January 15, 1995 must provide verification of having successfully passed Part 1, Part II, Part III, and the TMOD of the NBEO in order to sit for the board's exam.
- As of January 15, 1995, endorsement candidates are required to take all of the board's licensing examination and to pass each section with a 75% or better in order to qualify for licensure.
Application Requirements
At least sixty-five (65) days prior to the next scheduled examination every applicant for licensure by endorsement must submit to the board office the required application-processing fee with a letter of intent stating the date of examination for which he/she wishes to be scheduled. The following items must be received by the board office at least forty (40) days prior to the regularly scheduled board examination for which the applicant wishes to be scheduled.
- A copy of the applicant's birth certificate certified by a notary public to be a true and correct copy of the original.
- An affidavit that the applicant has not at any time preceding application been engaged in any optometric practice of an illegal or unethical nature as defined in the Optometry Act.
- Copy(ies) of any other state license(s) held by the applicant.
- Official pre-optometry transcript(s) sent directly to the board office by each college or university attended by the applicant.
- A complete, official optometry transcript showing the applicant's graduation sent directly to the board office by a college of optometry as approved by the American optometric association's council on optometric education.
- Letters of reference from two currently licensed optometrists in the endorsing state of licensure.
- Verification of successful completion of one hundred (100) or more post-graduate clock hours of ocular therapeutics pharmacology from an accredited institution.
- A complete professional resume or curriculum vitae' to date.
- Copy of current certification attesting to completion of CPR.
- A completed, signed, and notarized board-approved exam application form.
- The required application and examination fees (16.16.2.8 NMAC and 16.16.2.9 NMAC).
- A recent, passport-type photograph of the applicant which the applicant has signed on the back in the presence of the notary public who is also witnessing the applicant's signature on the application form.
- Verifications of licensure status sent directly to the board from all state licensing boards where the applicant is or has ever been licensed. Endorsement candidates will require the following information:
- verification that the applicant has been actively engaged in the practice of optometry in the state of licensure or in federal service for seven consecutive years immediately prior to the year in which application is made to the board office;
- verification that the applicant has completed fourteen (14) days, or one hundred twelve (112) hours of continuing education during the immediate seven years prior to the application, providing that at least twenty-two (22) of those hours were completed within the immediate prior year; and
- verification of examination requirements which the applicant met to be licensed to practice in that state (See 16.16.4.8 NMAC).
- Verification must be provided for pre-1994-1995 academic year optometry school graduates of successful completion of a minimum twenty (20) hour course in clinical pharmacology as set forth in Subsection B of 16.16.7.11 NMAC.
- A list of the names of any New Mexico licensed optometrist(s) with whom the applicant is acquainted; with whom the applicant has a professional or personal affiliation; or that the applicant would feel uncomfortable being examined by, in the event that one of those optometrists is a board member or a clinical examiner for the board. Failure to provide this information prior to the examination may disqualify the candidate from the exam.
- Each approved exam candidate will be required to bring his/her copy of the board’s exam policy and procedures document to the clinical exam and to sign it in the presence of the board’s representative in attestation that the candidate has read the document; and a copy of the document will become a part of the candidate’s examination records.
Application Approval
When the candidate has met all the requirements stipulated in this regulation, and upon board review and approval of the above documentation, each approved candidate will be scheduled by letter to sit for the board's examination. Candidates will not be allowed entrance into the examination without this schedule notification letter.
Candidate Identification. Each candidate will be assigned an identification number that will be the sole means of candidate identification throughout the administration and scoring of the examination.
At least one form of picture identification will be required for entrance into the examination.
Ineligibility For Licensure
Any applicant for licensure who desires to take the board examination and who has had a license either suspended or revoked in any jurisdiction shall be ineligible to take the examination until that license is reinstated by the other licensing jurisdiction.
Continuing Education Requirements
A minimum of twenty-two (22) clock hours of optometry related, board approved continuing education or postgraduate programs are required for license renewal each year beginning July 1, 2009.
Ocular therapeutics requirement. For optometrists holding certificates in ocular therapeutics, at least ten (10) of the twenty-two (22) hours of continuing education must be in a board approved program in ocular therapeutic pharmacology.
Time requirements within renewal period. The continuing education must have been taken within the preceding renewal period (i.e. July 2 of one year through June 30 of the next).
Certificates of attendance. Licensees are required to submit copies of certificates of attendance for the required continuing education.
Certificate submission with renewal. The copies of the certificates of attendance must accompany the completed and signed renewal application form and renewal fee.
License expiration due to non-renewal for failure to meet the continuing education requirement. Failure of the licensee to meet the continuing education requirements for renewal the expiration date shall be grounds for expiration of the license on the grounds that the renewal application was not duly and properly made as required by board regulations.
Reactivation of license expired due to non-renewal for failure to meet the continuing education requirement. The licensee may apply for license reactivation in the same manner as provided in Part 11 of 16.16 NMAC. The continuing education and fees will be calculated based on the number of years the license was expired due to non-renewal for failure to meet the continuing education requirement.
Newly licensed optometrists who graduated from optometry school within the same year of licensure may submit the completed curriculum of their last year of optometry school to meet their continuing education requirement the first year of renewal.
Approved Continuing Education
All subjects of education must be directly related to optometry. The New Mexico board of examiners in optometry approves the following programs for continuing education credit.
- Any convention of the American optometric association (AOA).
- Any meeting of an American optometric association affiliated state or regional association meeting, or meeting of the armed forces optometric society (AFOS).
- Any session of the optometric extension program congress (OEPC).
- Any state seminar of the graduate clinic foundation of the optometric extension program.
- Courses sponsored by or given by accredited optometry schools.
- Courses sponsored by the following organizations.
- Optometric councils: mid-west, mountain west, southern, New England, southwest (SWCO).
- Optometric contact lens societies: southwest, southern, heart of America.
- Optometric congresses: southern, mountain states.
- 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).
- 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.
- Certificates of attendance for courses approved by COPE must have the COPE trademark and approval number.
- A maximum of two (2) hours of internet-type course offerings, approved by COPE or any other board-approved sponsor, will be allowed for each annual renewal.
Requests For Approval Of Other Continuing Education Programs
All requests for approval of courses not covered by 16.16.13.9 NMAC shall be submitted to the board in writing by the individual optometrist before the program is attended. The request shall be addressed to the board office and directed to the continuing education committee. Information such as the following will be required:
- The number of education hours to be completed.
- The organization sponsoring the program.
- The location and dates of the continuing education program.
- The names of the courses and the names of the instructors.
- Any other information deemed necessary.
Approval will be determined by the continuing education committee chairman. If the continuing education committee chairman is uncertain of course qualification, approval or disapproval will be determined by the continuing education committee. The continuing education committee will make this determination in a timely manner, creating no hardships or delay to the requesting optometrist. If time does not permit, the approval or disapproval may be given verbally, but must always be followed by a written approval from the board. The board's written approval must accompany the licensee's renewal documentation at the time of renewal.
Extenuating Circumstances - Deferral or Waiver Continuing Education Requirement.
A licensee has twelve (12) months to complete the twenty-two (22) hours of continuing education required to renew a license.
A licensee may request in writing, at least thirty (30) days prior to the license’s expiration, an emergency deferral or waiver of the continuing education requirement should any of the following occur:
- licensee experiences prolonged debilitating illness; or
- one of licensee’s immediate family members suffers prolonged debilitating illness; or
- licensee is called to active duty by the national guard, any branch of the United States armed forces, or other recognized public service.
The written request for deferral or waiver shall contain an explanation of the underlying circumstance and shall include documentation in support of the request. At its discretion, the board may grant the request.