Prizes and awards
UNSW School of Optometry & Vision Science annually awards prizes to recognise achievement by UNSW, Sydney students and graduates in the areas of Academic Excellence, Global Impact and Social Engagement.
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Best Performance in Stage 1 Optics
- Stage awarded: First year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: Transitions Optical (now Essilor)
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 1 Optics. This addresses academic excellence
- Selection criteria: Best performance in VISN1111 and VISN1221
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Best Performance in Stage 2 Clinical Optometry
- Stage awarded: Second year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: BOC
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 2 Clinical Optometry. This addresses academic excellence
- Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM2133 and OPTM2233
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Best Performance in Stage 3 Ocular Diseases
- Stage awarded: Third year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: Essilor
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 3 Ocular Diseases.
- Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM3105 and OPTM3205
Best Performance in Stage 3 Environmental Optometry and Dispensing
- Stage awarded: Third year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: UVEX
- Purpose: This prize addresses academic excellence in environmental optometry and dispensing, for students in their 3rd year of the Bachelor of Optometry/Bachelor of Vision Science program
- Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM2233 and dispensing assignment in OPTM3233
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Optometry Australia NSW/ACT Prize in Ocular Therapeutics
(Master of Clinical Optometry, Stage 1)
- Stage awarded: Fourth year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: Optometry Australia NSW/ACT
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Ocular Therapeutics. This addresses academic excellence
- Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM6413 and OPTM6423
CooperVision Prize in Contact Lenses
(Master of Clinical Optometry, Stage 1)
- Stage awarded: Fourth year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: CooperVision
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Contact Lenses. This addresses academic excellence
- Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM6411
Mivision Prize in Recognition of Social Engagement (also available for stage 5)
- Stage awarded: First or final year of the Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: Mivision
- Purpose: To recognise students that have demonstrated excellence in communication, advocacy or in promoting eyecare to the community or other professions
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Dr Andrew Whatham Prize for Stage 5 CFEH Clinical Excellence
- Stage awarded: Final year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: Mrs Whatham and Centre for Eye Health
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 5 Centre for Eye Health Clinical Placement. This addresses academic excellence
- Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM8513 and OPTM8523 Centre for Eye Health clinical placement.
The recipient/s during their time at CFEH demonstrated the highest levels of the following:
1. Academic performance: Score based on performance in the entry test.
2. Clinic service: Score based on overall performance during clinical rotation at CFEH as judged by clinical staff.
3. Growth of knowledge: Score based on attendance and participation in CFEH tutorials.
4. Research/evidence-based practice: Score based on presentation of research paper at CFEH journal club.
CFEH will develop a scoring system for components #2,3,4 that incorporates staff involved in the three components. The academic performance (#1) provides a ranking system for all students.
In addition to clinical and academic excellence, the selection criteria will include professional criteria such as punctuality, interaction with patients, staff and other students.
If a student is removed from CFEH clinical rotations, they would automatically be excluded from receiving the award
Research Project Prize in Master of Clinical Optometry
- Stage awarded: Final year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: Optometric Vision Research Foundation
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 5 Research Project. This addresses academic excellence
- Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM8514
The ACBO Prize in Binocular and Children’s Vision for the best overall performance throughout the Master of Clinical Optometry program in Binocular and Children’s Vision
- Stage awarded: Final year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: ACBO
- Purpose: To reward an undergraduate the best performance in the Stage 5 in Binocular and Children's Vision. This addresses academic excellence
- Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM8511 and OPTM6421 Binocular Vision strand
The Specsavers Prize for Overall Excellence in the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry program
- Stage awarded: Final year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: SpecSavers
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry program. This addresses academic excellence.
- Selection criteria: Student with the best overall WAM
The Designs for Vision Prize
- Stage awarded: Final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsors: Designs for Vision
- Purpose: For the best overall performance throughout the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry program in Primary Care Optometry
The Specsavers Prize for Excellence in Patient Management
- Stage awarded: Final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: Specsavers
- Purpose: For excellence in patient management by a student in the final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry program
- Selection Process: Awarded to final year Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry student for excellence in patient management
The Luxottica Prize for the Best Performance in Clinical Ocular Therapeutics (Master of Clinical Optometry, Stage 2)
- Stage awarded: Final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: Luxottica
- Purpose: For the best performance in OPTM8513 Clinical Ocular Therapy 5A and OPTM8523 Clinical Ocular Therapy 5B
The Australian College of Optometry (ACO) Prize
- Stage awarded: Final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
- Sponsor: ACO
- Purpose: For the academic excellence in primary care optometry, specifically in the ACO placement
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Best Performance in the Postgraduate Ocular Therapeutics
- Stage awarded: Postgraduate Coursework
- Sponsor: Luxottica
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in postgraduate therapeutics. This addresses academic excellence.
- Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM7436 who completed the program, regardless of the commencement date.
The Brian Kirby Prize for the Best PhD Thesis
- Stage awarded: Postgraduate Research
- Sponsor: Brian Kirby Foundation
- Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in their PhD thesis. This addresses academic excellence.
- Selection criteria: Best thesis as judged by the comments of the thesis examiners for a thesis whose examiner reports have been received between January and December of the previous year.