A personality profile of "Gold Retinoscope" winners: 1961-1975

Fifteen Gold Retinoscope winners, each judged the most outstanding student in his/her graduating class of the School of Optometry, University of California at Berkeley, were compared with samples of optometry students, Academy Fellows, and non-Academy optometrists. Although most Gold Retinoscope winners had entered optometry school with low to average grades, their grades and clinical performance in optometry school were outstanding. When compared with other optometry students and optometrists in practice, these outstanding students were distinguished by greater self-confidence, initiative, and motivation to achieve. It is suggested that these personality traits were important contributors to their superior achievement.