The mission statement of the ACVO William Magrane Basic Science Course in Veterinary and Comparative Ophthalmology is: "To provide ophthalmology residents and Diplomates, and vision scientists with high quality, intensive instruction in the basic sciences as a foundation for the study and practice of veterinary and comparative ophthalmology."

The 2022 Basic Science Course is tentatively scheduled for June 20-July 8 at UC Davis. Enrollment is open to residents in veterinary ophthalmology training programs, graduate students in the vision sciences, specialists in veterinary and comparative ophthalmology, university faculty teaching veterinary ophthalmology, and veterinarians with a strong interest in veterinary ophthalmology.

The course includes instruction in core basic sciences of anatomy, embryology, genetics, physiology, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology, and pathology. In addition, the course covers certain clinical and research topics less frequently encountered in a residency program including neuro-ophthalmology, retinoscopy, advanced imaging, phacodynamics and principles of microsurgery, and laboratory animal ophthalmology. The instruction and content of the course will be directed to the principal audience of ABVO and ECVO residents.

The ACVO Basic Science Course is not a degree-, certificate-, or diploma-granting agency. Likewise, it is not a stand-alone credential that should suggest to the public that an attendee is more highly trained in veterinary ophthalmology than someone who has not attended the course. The course is not intended to introduce or train veterinarians in clinical skills of veterinary ophthalmology, and is in no way equivalent to residency training, rather it is supplemental to it.