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School of Optometry

Our Vision, Mission, Values and Goals

Our Vision

The UAB School of Optometry is committed to understanding, preserving, restoring, and enhancing vision, eye health, and quality of life.

Our Mission

The mission of the UAB School of Optometry is to educate optometry students, residents, and future vision scientists; discover and communicate new knowledge in eye care and vision research; translate these ideas into clinical practice; and provide care to the community with integrity and compassion.

Our Values

UAB and UABSO Shared Values: We C.A.R.E.*

Collaborate: Building relationships on the foundation of cooperation that fosters unity towards a common goal.

Act with integrity: Committing to honest, trustworthy, and ethical behavior.

Respect: Improving our community by investing our time and talents with compassion and respect towards all.

Excellence: Exhibiting high achievement in all that we do.

*UABSO Values are adapted from UABSO Values 2019-2023 and UAB Values 2024-2028.

Goal 1

To identify, train and cultivate highly competent and ethical Doctors of Optometry who possess the foundational knowledge, clinical skills, and commitment to patient care necessary to excel in the evolving field of optometry.

  • Objective 1

    Ensure all optometry students are qualified to achieve Core Competencies for entry level optometric care through the program’s didactic and clinical curriculum.

  • Objective 2

    Develop students' clinical skills through comprehensive didactic and practical experiences.

  • Objective 3

    Foster a strong commitment to ethical and compassionate patient care.

Goal 2

Involve faculty and students in evidence-based and interdisciplinary scholarship and research that contributes to innovation, discovery and communication of new knowledge in eye care and vision science.

  • Objective 1

    Encourage and facilitate faculty and student participation in the creation and communication of new knowledge.

  • Objective 2

    Provide facilities and resources for faculty and student research endeavors.

  • Objective 3

    Foster interdisciplinary and collaborative research activities and support through the Vision Science Research Center.

Goal 3

Engage the community through activities that involve students, faculty, and staff in teaching, service, and public education to increase awareness of ocular conditions, and how eye health reflects systemic health.

  • Objective 1

    Increase access to comprehensive eye health through community outreach.

  • Objective 2

    Increase awareness and knowledge of the value of eye care, and the role of optometry as a profession in the health care system.

  • Objective 3

    Develop and enrich new and existing partnerships within the UAB community that strategically support attainment of our community engagement goal.

  • Objective 4

    Deliver high quality and relevant continuing education programs.

Goal 4

Support faculty and staff to reach their full potential, leading to greater job satisfaction and an environment that emphasizes shared values.

  • Objective 1

    Foster an effective and welcoming work environment that supports a balanced work effort.

  • Objective 2

    Promote the use of UAB and outside teaching and leadership resources and programs to create an optimal teaching, training, and patient care environment.

  • Objective 3

    Ensure faculty and staff salaries remain competitive.

Goal 5

Maintain a successful Vision Science graduate program, optometric residency programs, and combined degree programs (OD/MS, OD/MBA, and OD/MPH) that provide development and learning opportunities.

  • Objective 1

    Support high quality accredited - optometric residency programs that enhance and extend optometric skills beyond entry-level optometry.

  • Objective 2

    Maintain a thriving Vision Science Graduate program for PhD and MS students within the School of Optometry.

  • Objective 3

    Maintain UAB combined degree programs (OD/MS, OD/MBA, and OD/MPH) and support optometry students within these programs.

Goal 6

Sustain a balanced budget and provide sufficient resources, including technology in the clinic, classroom, and research settings to cultivate an environment that supports excellence in learning, patient care, research, and service.

  • Objective 1

    Work with UAB leadership to ensure adequate support of facilities.

  • Objective 2

    Maintain operational efficiencies in the management of the budget and make recommendations for improvements in the budget review process.

  • Objective 3

    Review costs of tuition, fees, and equipment needs annually.