School of Optometry

Dean: Kelly K. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD

Founded in 1969, The UAB School of Optometry (UABSO) earned the notable distinction of being the first optometry school to be located on an academic medical center campus. The School’s first Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degrees were awarded in 1973 and since that time, the School has grown to include graduate degrees in Vision Science, post-doctoral optometry residency education, and the highly-unique OD/MBA dual-degree program. With relatively small class sizes of less than 50 students, an integrated medical/professional program for 1^st year students, and an esteemed reputation in vision science research, UABSO continually remains positioned among the top optometry schools in the nation.