First International Cohort Graduates from UAB’s Advanced International Optometry Degree Program

First International Cohort Graduates from UAB’s
Advanced International Optometry Degree Program

The first cohort of the Advanced International Optometry Degree Program (AIODP) graduated from the UAB School of Optometry in May. This program is a new offering in Optometry that provides international students who hold an optometry degree from an international university with the certification they need to practice optometry in the United States. 

“At the UAB School of Optometry, we are always looking to diversify our portfolio and expand upon the course offerings available to our students,” said Gerald Simon, OD, associate dean for Student Affairs in the UAB School of Optometry. “This new program has provided our students from abroad the opportunity to practice evidence-based care right here in the U.S. should they choose to do so after graduation.”

Prior to the program, each applicant held a doctoral, master’s, or bachelor’s degree in optometry from an accredited or recognized international optometric college or university. Through the UAB School of Optometry’s program, they earned a Doctor of Optometry degree in 29 months. UAB is one of three schools in the United States and the first school in the Southeast to offer a program like this. The program is open to individuals living in the United States as well as to those living abroad. 

The AIODP began back in 2022 with three internationally trained students who are graduating this month: Shankari Garcia, Shivali Sharma, and Keyur Savla. Prior to the program, Garcia, from the United States, held a Bachelor of Optometry degree from Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom and a master’s degree in clinical optometry from Salus University. Sharma, a native of Canada, held a Bachelor of Optometry degree from Ashton University in Birmingham, England. Savla, from India, held a Bachelor of Optometry degree from the Lotus College of Optometry in Mumbai and is also pursuing a doctorate in vision science from UAB.

Throughout the seven-semester program, each of the students experienced both didactic and clinical studies, which exposed them to a variety of teachings. The program covered the skills needed to perform a comprehensive eye exam, included a review of skills they already knew and provided the opportunity to learn new skills. 

“We are really proud of our first international cohort of students completing this program,” Simon said. “They have all worked hard to get to this point in their careers. Their futures are bright, and I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for each of these students.”