Interesting news:
On September 13, 2009, the BC College of Optometrists approved a policy that required the Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry (CSAO) for new registrants. The exception was for practitioners who had passed the examination administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) and been in active practice for more than a year. At a College Board meeting on December 6, 2009, the new policy was withdrawn. The Registration Committee and College will now accept the NBEO examination as equivalent to the CSAO for all applicants. In light of portability of licence in Canada, there is the potential that new applicants who have passed the NBEO examination will be able to seek licensure in all provinces without passing the CSAO. The matter will be a topic of discussion at the Optometric Leaders Forum on January 29-30, 2010. Stay tuned.
The "portability of license" they refer to is the AIT (agreement on internal trade).
In fact, the jurisdiction of Quebec doesn't even require the passing of any license to practice (you need to graduate from UMontreal or an equivalent school), meaning you could technically just graduate from an OD school then register in Quebec, then use that registration to enter another province to work.
So what this means is the CSAO will probably become a thing of the past, as either the NBEO (in BC), or nothing at all (Quebec), plus a bit of administration, will allow you to work anywhere in Canada.
On September 13, 2009, the BC College of Optometrists approved a policy that required the Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry (CSAO) for new registrants. The exception was for practitioners who had passed the examination administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) and been in active practice for more than a year. At a College Board meeting on December 6, 2009, the new policy was withdrawn. The Registration Committee and College will now accept the NBEO examination as equivalent to the CSAO for all applicants. In light of portability of licence in Canada, there is the potential that new applicants who have passed the NBEO examination will be able to seek licensure in all provinces without passing the CSAO. The matter will be a topic of discussion at the Optometric Leaders Forum on January 29-30, 2010. Stay tuned.
The "portability of license" they refer to is the AIT (agreement on internal trade).
In fact, the jurisdiction of Quebec doesn't even require the passing of any license to practice (you need to graduate from UMontreal or an equivalent school), meaning you could technically just graduate from an OD school then register in Quebec, then use that registration to enter another province to work.
So what this means is the CSAO will probably become a thing of the past, as either the NBEO (in BC), or nothing at all (Quebec), plus a bit of administration, will allow you to work anywhere in Canada.
. I think a qualifying exam is a good thing bit I think the CSAO should be scrapped and all Waterloo/Montreal students should have to pass the NBEO instead.
