OUTHERN COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY

OUR MISSION, OUR STUDENTS, OUR IMPACT

Established in Memphis in 1932, SCO is a nationally renowned, private, nonprofit educational institution offering a four-year post-baccalaureate program in optometry. With the Class of 2023 representing 32 different states and two other countries, SCO continues its tradition of recruiting and educating highly qualified students who now will enter the profession of optometry.

Doctors of optometry are independent primary health care providers who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eye and its associated structures, as well as the diagnosis of related systemic conditions. Optometrists use prescription glasses, contact lenses, vision therapy, low vision aids, and pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of ocular disease. Optometrists are the major providers of primary eye care in America, with approximately 38,000 of them nationwide.

As one of only two dozen U.S. graduate optometry programs, SCO takes pride in its academic excellence and extensive pre-graduation clinical experience for its students. The Eye Center at SCO provides care to thousands of patients each year in midtown Memphis. The college’s Clinical Programs also serve additional patients through a number of external programs throughout the community, including vision screenings for school children throughout Shelby County. The college’s nursing home program takes geriatric care to seniors.

External clinical care opportunities reach a variety of patient segments, including SCO’s University Eye Care, a full optometry practice located on the University of Memphis campus, and FocalPoint at Crosstown Concourse. SCO additionally operates a mobile vision exam program called MobilEyes. Using a large recreational vehicle retrofitted with two complete optometric exam lanes and an optical materials display, the unit’s capacity can provide comprehensive care to as many as 20 patients a day.

Graduates in the Class of 2023 finished their fourth year at SCO by serving on three clinical rotations at externship sites around the country in a variety of private practice and institutional settings. Many of today’s graduates will go on to complete a residency program to further their educational training. Today’s graduates were first-year students when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. They spent most of their optometry school experience navigating the complexities of this public health crisis. We salute their dedication and commitment to reaching today’s milestone in their journey to becoming ODs.

Today’s graduates will join distinguished alumni who serve in leadership roles throughout their profession and within thousands of communities across the nation. Fourteen SCO alumni have served as president of the American Optometric Association. The expertise that today’s graduates gained here in Memphis will impact the eye and vision health of the public across the nation as they join 7,000 fellow alumni who practice in all 50 states and abroad.

SCO welcomes this opportunity for friends and family to join us in celebrating the success of the Class of 2023. Today’s ceremony is being livestreamed and recorded for posterity via YouTube. You may share your photos and memories from today’s event by using the #SCOgrad2023 hashtag on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Today’s graduates thank you for your attendance and support through their time at Southern College of Optometry.