2012 Delaware Code
Title 24 - Professions and Occupations
CHAPTER 21. OPTOMETRY
§ 2110. Internship requirements; temporary licenses.

Every applicant, except those applicants who qualify for licensure by reciprocity, shall be required to complete a Board-approved 6-month internship in optometry. The internship shall be completed after the applicant has passed all parts of the national, written, standardized examination in optometry, which is approved by the Division, including the examination on the treatment and management of ocular disease (TMOD), approved by the Division.

All newly licensed optometrists shall be required to be therapeutically certified. Their 6-month internship should be done with a therapeutically certified optometrist, M.D. or D.O.. However, if a therapeutically certified optometrist, M.D. or D.O. is not available, the intern may do an internship with a nontherapeutically certified optometrist provided, the intern complete an additional l00 hours of clinical experience in the treatment and management of ocular disease, supervised by a therapeutically certified optometrist, M.D. or D.O. during their internship and pass a nationally recognized standardized test on diagnosis, treatment and management of ocular disease that is approved by the Division of Professional Regulation. A therapeutically certified optometrist is not to be held to any lesser standard of care than is applicable to a physician prescribing the same therapeutic agents. In any case where the prescribing of therapeutic drugs is an issue, the testimony of an ophthalmologist practicing in Delaware shall be admissible.

The Board may grant temporary licenses to any candidate successfully passing the written examinations. The temporary license shall be issued only for the duration of the internship.

Code 1935, c. 31; 47 Del. Laws, c. 106, § 5; 24 Del. C. 1953, § 2110; 50 Del. Laws, c. 482, § 2; 66 Del. Laws, c. 1, § 1; 67 Del. Laws, c. 200, § 2; 69 Del. Laws, c. 288, § 5; 70 Del. Laws, c. 546, §§ 17-19, 36.;