Most successful candidates spend 6–12 months preparing for the COE written exam, then transition to 3–9 months of clinical-skills focus before the in-person clinical examination in Melbourne. The plan below is a starting framework — adjust pace based on your existing experience, working hours, and study style.
Foundation review
Rebuild the basic and clinical science base that the written exam expects.
- Anatomy and physiology of the eye and visual pathway
- Geometric and physical optics, ophthalmic lenses, refractive theory
- Pharmacology: diagnostic agents (mydriatics, cycloplegics, anaesthetics, dyes) and common ocular drugs
- Binocular vision basics: phorias, vergence, accommodation, AC/A
- Begin reading core textbooks: Kanski, Borish/Benjamin, Grosvenor for refraction
Clinical content deep-dive
Move into clinical decision-making — the focus of Part 2 SAQs.
- Anterior segment disease (lids, conjunctiva, cornea, sclera)
- Posterior segment disease (retina, optic nerve, macula)
- Glaucoma: classification, diagnostics, management
- Diabetic retinopathy and AMD: classification and referral pathways
- Paediatric optometry, contact lenses, low vision, binocular vision anomalies
- Practise interpreting OCT, visual fields, fundus photographs, anterior segment images
Written exam intensive
Switch to active recall and timed practice — replicate exam conditions.
- Daily Question and Brain Teaser for spaced repetition
- Topic-mode practice on weak areas; review every wrong answer
- At least 2–3 full timed Mock Written Exams (3 hours, 144 MCQs)
- Weekly SAQ practice under timed conditions; self-mark against published rubrics
- Sit Cultural Safety Training in parallel — it is required before the clinical anyway
Bridge to clinical
After the written pass, shift focus to skills and patient examinations.
- Confirm Cultural Safety Training completion (≥80% on all assessments) — required before the clinical
- Practise the 12 skills with a partner or on a model — keep within the 30-minute station time
- Run full 70-minute mock patient examinations end-to-end
- Use the Clinical Simulator (skills + patient) on gdayoptom to rehearse
- Apply for limited registration if you want to work supervised in Australia in the meantime
Don't lose your written pass
The clinical examination must be passed within 3 years of passing the written. After that, you must re-sit the written. Plan your clinical attempts well within the window — bookings fill up and rescheduling is not always possible.
Build your plan with our tools
Start with the daily question to build a habit, then expand into topic practice and mock exams.
A general study guide. Validity period and exam structure verified against ocanz.org (April 2026). Adjust pace and resources to your circumstances.