I’m about to take the plunge. I’ve decided to enroll in the ABO Advanced Certification exam. So begins my trek. This article will include my experiences leading up to my exam at the Vision Expo last month. I hope to impart some advice, confidence and reasons for taking the exam.

For the ABO Advanced Certification Exam, I will be using several resources including: Optical Formulas Tutorial 2nd Ed. by Ellen Stoner et al, System for Ophthalmic Dispensing 3rd Ed. by Brooks & Borish, and Management for Opticians 2nd Ed. by Thomas V. Appler et al, which are available at the NAO. The advanced certification exam is unique in that there is a business aspect to the exam. The exam covers numerous topics from dispensing to optics. 

In my particular case, the ABO certification is not required for licensure in New Jersey. I work in a licensed state where one takes a four part examination that consists of written, practical, neutralization and dispensing portions. One is also required to pass specified college course work before even sitting for the exam. Even though a college degree is not required to sit for the state board exams, I wanted to get a degree.

So why take the exam? As some of you may have read, Dr. Warren G. McDonald has been writing in the monthly issues of EyeCare Professional Magazine about the role of the American Optician. It’s no secret that Opticianry needs to move in a new direction. The education between Opticians across the nation needs to be uniform. As with nursing, respiratory therapy and other allied health fields, a two year college degree is standard. Credentials should more or less be the same. An Optician should be an Optician, regardless of residence. Since education and credentialing are not uniform, it behooves me to challenge myself. For me, I see the advanced certification as a step towards becoming an ABOM. By being an ABOM, I would have achieved the highest level of national recognition for Opticianry that isn’t contact lens related (FCLSA would fall under that designation). 

So what suggestions can I give to those aspiring to the same goal? With any test, avoid cramming. It just doesn’t work. Pace your studying; divide the amount of material by the time you have allocated. Make sure to study in bursts versus reading a hundred pages. The latter will be difficult to retain a single sentence out of the material you just studied. Try to develop an intuition about the subject, in this case, optics. Understanding a topic like vergence, intuitively, will help you understand how a vertex change or a bifocal affects vision. The answer has to make sense. Know your algebra. 

It is important to know how each formula is meant to be calculated. Algebra mistakes abound. Many are able to dissect the problem and plug the numbers into the formula appropriately, but fail to carry out the math properly. Practice makes perfect and it couldn’t be truer when dealing with mathematics.

As to the day of the exam, make sure you come prepared. Bring with you everything you need. Something to write with, an appropriate calculator etc... bring a sheet with all the formulas you have trouble remembering and quiz yourself. Flash cards will do the trick as well. If you’re like me, testing makes you nervous. I actually go blank for a solid five minutes as soon as I begin the exam. The important part is not to panic. If you have studied properly, the information is in your head.

After the exam, ignore the internal critic. Once the exam is done, it’s done! The worst that happens is you will have to take the exam over again. That really is the worst of it. One will accomplish more through perseverance than through natural talent. 

The future of Opticianry is at a crossroads and I feel that many of us are trying to establish a national identity. We are, each of us, ambassadors of our fields. By showing a high level of knowledge and professionalism, our industry will become an easier choice of career. Good luck to those of you taking the exam and feel free to download a study guide I wrote to help those taking the New Jersey state boards.

Study Guide: http://www.Opticiansfriend.com/articles/equations.html

Alvaro Cordova
ABOC/NCLC