Message from the President
A tradition of leadership and excellence marks the 88-year history of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. From its establishment in 1919 through today, the College has maintained and continually expanded its focus on academics. Our commitment to preparing highly skilled professionals ensures that the College consistently provides the highest level of education, placing PCO graduates at the forefront of their professions.
The College has a distinguished record of firsts, particularly in optometry. PCO was the first in the nation to grant a legislature-approved Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree, and we were the first independent health professions school of any discipline recognized by a regional accrediting body.
The College was the first to establish a major interdisciplinary optometric facility, The Eye Institute, on its campus. PCO was a leader in the movement for passage of the first state laws permitting optometrists to use diagnostic and therapeutic drugs. The College became a multi-purposed institution in 1983, with the inauguration of our Graduate Studies in Vision Impairment programs. In 2000, PCO was the first professional school to offer a Doctor of Audiology degree. Continuing that tradition of leadership, the Physician Assistant program at PCO welcomed its first class in August 2007.
The College’s international initiatives reflect a commitment to advancing vision care on a global level. We regularly provide training to practitioners from around the world, both on our campus and within international academic settings.
The future of the health professions is dynamic. Advancements in technology, unimaginable in the past, become standard practice today. Changes in our health care delivery system are significantly altering every facet of the medical field. The mission of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry concentrates not only on keeping pace with these rapidly expanding areas, but more importantly, keeping ahead of them.
Student education at the College speaks to the many aspects of the burgeoning professions. Through our innovative curricula, the College offers a broad-based, interdisciplinary clinical education, presenting students with a wide range of primary care opportunities. The institution is renowned for its excellent clinical education and our commitment to earlier clinical training has provided an advantage for our students. Research at the College plays an integral role in the future advancement of the optometric and audiological professions as well as student education. In combination, these educational components provide PCO students with skills well suited for the health care delivery system of the future.
The state-of-the-art Elkins Park Campus houses all academic and administrative functions. It allows us to customize our training with the latest technologies and creates many avenues for program growth. Incorporating interactive, telecommunications technologies into our curriculum allows us to offer our students greater resources while they train, as well as when they enter their field.
The Eye Institute is the College’s unrivaled eye care clinical facility, located on our Oak Lane campus, a few miles from Elkins Park. It offers education for our students while providing patient care for the communities of the Delaware Valley. The Eye Institute utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to eye care. Optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians, optometric technicians, students, and other health care professionals work collaboratively, providing total vision care for the more than 50,000 patients seen annually at The Eye Institute.
Our success as an institution comes from combining bright, motivated students with outstanding faculty, excellent facilities, and creative and diverse learning opportunities. Your interest in the College indicates a desire to enter a profession currently experiencing unprecedented growth and development. I encourage you to join the PCO family. The challenges will be great - but the rewards will be many.