Optometry
Doctor of Optometry Clinical Rotations
The University of Western Australia (UWA) Doctor of Optometry (OD) was established in 2021. At the heart of the program are our values of innovation, evidence-based practice and a genuine commitment to connect to the eye-care industry.
The goal of the UWA OD is to produce optometry graduates that:
- will improve the eye health of Australians particularly Indigenous Australians and those living in regional areas
- practise with respect to the social, legal and ethical responsibilities of optometrists
- are highly sought-after and work-ready with high standards of clinical competence
- have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide care effectively in a competitive commercial environment
- have developed enduring behaviours for continuous self-directed learning and professional development
The Clinical Rotations occupies the final six months of the Doctor of Optometry degree, during which each student is placed in various optometry practices. While students will remain connected with the University, for all intents and purposes, they become members of their host practices.
By the time students reach this component of the Doctor of Optometry, they will have developed the skills and knowledge that are fundamental to the practice of optometry. The study period prior
We are seeking support from optometry practices to host our students and provide them with an opportunity to work in an environment where they will be exposed to patients, eye care professionals and the community.
As a clinical supervisor you will have the student ‘working’ in your practice for four days per week. Before you become a clinical supervisor you will need to complete an online training program. This training will help you to transfer your skills and knowledge to our student during their placement. In addition, we have developed a supervisor’s manual and a support service to assist you.
The student undertaking their Clinical Rotations learns through a combination of self-directed, guided and serendipitous opportunities. We encourage both the student and their supervisor to experiment with what works best, using a suggested framework that we provide in our Supervisor Manual. This ensures adequate exposure to the range of issues dealt with in optometry.
Before our students commence the program, they will have provided comprehensive services to at least 20 patients and will have passed both their didactic and clinical skills assessments across eight semesters at the University. They will have the basic skills in a range of clinical, professional and optical activities and will be able to deliver a full eye examination within one hour.
If you have registered and been approved to be a clinical placements supervisor for UWA Optometry, then you can access the Supervisor Manual
How it works
- When does the clinical placement and or clinical rotations program take place?
- How many hours of supervision and tuition do I need to provide?
- Will I supervise a student every year?
- Do I have to take a student for the full 26 weeks during Clinical Rotations?
- How do I exit from the program?
- Do I get paid for supervising a student?
- Can I claim Medicare?
- Does the student get paid?
- Do I need to pay WorkCover?
- Do I need to have therapeutic endorsement?
- Do I need to provide accommodation or a travel allowance to the student?
- Can I share the supervisory role with others in the practice?
- Can I organise a student placement with another practice?
- What happens when I go on holiday?
- Will the student be registered with the optometrists’ board of Australia (OBA)?
- What information about the student will I receive in advance?
Our students
Before students join a practice for their Clinical Rotations in third year, they will have attained specific competencies relating to theoretical and clinical skills.
Students will have completed 50 ophthalmic and retail dispensing sessions, over 300 hours of clinical skills sessions at UWA, as well as over 150 hours in the UWA pre-clinical facility at the UWA campus and the UWA Optometry Clinic. They will have had undertaken 60 hours of clinical observations and 50 hours of direct patient consultations in the Lions Optics Teaching Clinic, UWA Optometry and other community clinics.
Students will have the ability to complete an eye examination within one hour and perform several consultations per day. The student will arrive knowledgeable, willing, enthusiastic and able in areas covered by the following core competencies:
• Communication and patient management
• Business of optometry
• History taking
• Preliminary ocular assessments
• Refraction
• External ocular assessment • Internal ocular assessment
• Supplementary investigations
• Ocular therapeutics
• Optical appliances
• Contact lens practice
• Paediatric practice
• Vision rehabilitation
Hear about our Doctor
of Optometry course
Find out what it's like to study Doctor of Optometry UWA. Hear about our new course, hands-on learning, state-of-the-art facilities, practical experience and what you can expect to prepare you for a career in a range of areas.
Eye Health Centre of Western Australia
The Eye Health Centre of Western Australia (EHCWA) is a state-of-the-art, public-facing and teaching optometry clinic operated by The University of Western Australia's Doctor of Optometry team. We provide eye care service to the public, train Doctor of Optometry students and conduct clinical research that guides best practices.
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Closing the Gap for Aboriginal Health
Hear from Indigenous Doctor of Optometry students Shahnaz and Katrina on their motivation, studies and student experience.
Benefits
- Recruitment and succession planning opportunities
- Remaining at ‘the cutting edge’
- Satisfaction and recognition
- Practice accreditation and teaching practice status
- UWA alumnus benefits
Your role
What is the role of a supervisor?

A supervising optometrist (either you or another optometrist in your practice who has registered to be a supervisor) must be present in the practice when the student is there. In addition to supervising the practice and patient-related activities of your student, you must also agree to provide the student with one hour per week for feedback, support and assessment. We will provide you with a template to guide you in this regard.
Register your interest
To ensure UWA’s ongoing high standards we accredit all clinical residential placement practices and their associated optometrists who wish to be a primary or secondary supervisor of a student.
Based on information that you supply in your application you may be provisionally-accredited to become a UWA Optometry supervisor. Full accreditation is attained once the online supervisor training modules have been completed. Re-accreditation takes place every four years.
If you have registered and been approved to be a clinical placements supervisor for UWA Optometry, then you can access the Supervisor Manual

If you have any questions relating to participation in the UWA Optometry Clinical Rotations or the accreditation process contact: schoolops-sah@uwa.edu.au
For all other enquiries please contact School Operations at schoolops-sah@uwa.edu.au