Pre-reg year: Making sure you qualify

The College of Optometrists pre-reg scheme is a well-structured programme with a continuing assessment element that depends upon each pre-reg gaining sufficient experience to be competent in a wide range of optometric skills, including record-keeping and communication.

There are many milestones to be reached along the way and opportunities to identify concerns so that things stay on track during the pre-reg year. This article will look at the overall year and highlight some important things to think about to get the most from the experience.

Supervisors

Establishing a good rapport with your supervisor is essential to success. They will be able to ensure you are progressing adequately, achieving all the requisite experience, check your work, discuss your evidence before you present it to assessors, and be on hand at each assessment to agree to any action plan implemented by the assessor. If all goes to plan, you will form a long lasting friendship – some of my past pre-regs are still regularly in touch with me.