I felt the school did a great job of making sure we had the basic clinical skills mastered...externs prepared me well for private practice and enhanced my business skills. - Class of 2015 graduate
After Graduation
SCO also monitors the success of its students after graduation. Beginning in 2013, SCO instituted a systematic approach to monitoring the career modalities and satisfaction of its graduates. Using this data as benchmarks and based on those graduates and alumni who respond to the surveys, SCO’s goals are that 60% of graduating 4th year students report having a position by graduation and 80% of alumni report having a position within 6 months of graduation.
Career Placement Rates
SCO provides career planning services through the Hayes Center for Practice Excellence to students beginning as early as their first professional year. SCO defines positive placement as a position in optometry through a variety of settings such as the military, private practice, and hospital settings; residencies to expand their clinical skills; and further graduate education. The results below include the graduates who chose residencies (see below for a description) as their first year of employment.
Graduate Survey conducted annually prior to graduation
| Class |
Number/Percent
accepted
position |
Number/Percent
in negotiations
for position |
Number/Percent
still seeking
position |
| |
|
|
|
2015
(Response rate: 83%) |
69.4% |
13.9% |
16.7% |
| |
|
|
|
2016
(Response rate: 90%) |
76% |
18% |
6% |
| |
|
|
|
2017
(Response rate: 97%) |
71% |
23% |
6% |
| |
|
|
|
2018
(Response rate: 89%) |
69% |
23% |
8% |
| |
|
|
|
2019
(Response rate: 92%) |
73% |
18% |
9% |
Alumni Surveys conducted annually one year after graduation
| Class |
Accepted position
by graduation |
Accepted position within
3 months of graduation |
Accepted position within
6 months of graduation |
Total accepted within
6 months of graduation |
Met or
exceeded goal |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
2014
(Response rate: 54%) |
82.9% |
12.2% |
4.9% |
100% |
✓ |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
2015
(Response rate: 51%) |
75.8% |
21.2% |
3.0% |
100% |
✓ |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
2016
(Response rate: 61%) |
69.0% |
11.3% |
8.5% |
88.8% |
✓ |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
2017
(Response rate: 54%) |
69.2% |
9.2% |
15.4% |
93.8% |
✓ |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
2018
(Response rate: 45%) |
70.8% |
18.8% |
6.3% |
95.9% |
✓ |
Residency Program Rates by Graduation
The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) defines an optometric residency program as a planned program of post-O.D. clinical education that is designed to advance significantly the optometric graduate’s preparation as a provider of patient care services beyond entry level practice. Graduates who are interested in clinical faculty positions, Veterans Health Administration employment, or opportunities with ophthalmology, or in multi-disciplinary practice settings will benefit from residency training. Southern College of Optometry’s goal for residencies is that at least 20% of the graduating class applies for residency programs. SCO is proud of the number of its graduates who have chosen to further their optometric education.
| Year |
Number of
Graduates |
Percentage of Graduates
Applied to Residency Programs |
Percentage of Graduates
Accepted to Residency Programs |
Met or
exceeded goal |
| |
|
|
|
|
| 2015 |
130 |
27% |
18% |
✓ |
| 2016 |
126 |
29% |
22% |
✓ |
| 2017 |
129 |
25% |
22% |
✓ |
| 2018 |
124 |
31% |
24% |
✓ |
| 2019 |
130 |
28% |
24% |
✓ |