Saving money by going to Puerto Rico?

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I was wondering, compared to other schools, I would be able to save around $8k-10k if I choose to attend Puerto Rico College of Optometry.

Is that a big deal? over the course of 4 years that is basically between $32,000 -$40,000, in savings.

I am just scared that I won't receive a good education and will basically be stranded in Puerto Rico during semesters.

Originally Posted by jalapeno123

I was wondering, compared to other schools, I would be able to save around $8k-10k if I choose to attend Puerto Rico College of Optometry.

Is that a big deal? over the course of 4 years that is basically between $32,000 -$40,000, in savings.

I am just scared that I won't receive a good education and will basically be stranded in Puerto Rico during semesters.

If I had a choice, I would not go unless it was my only acceptance. Reason is because they are not allowed to treat any eye diseases with topicals or orals(someone correct if I'm wrong). You could supplement that with a residency or mentorship with an ophthalmologist after graduation.

Originally Posted by Meibomian SxN

If I had a choice, I would not go unless it was my only acceptance. Reason is because they are not allowed to treat any eye diseases with topicals or orals(someone correct if I'm wrong). You could supplement that with a residency or mentorship with an ophthalmologist after graduation.

I've heard this time and time again but if you go to this school, you will be able to do the same as anyone other OD from another school. If you were to stay in Puerto Rico as an optometrist after you graduated and practiced there, then yes you couldn't do that. The laws are trying to be changed at the moment though. However, if you went to work in the United States you would be perfectly fine. In fact, it's weird because as students we are able to use topicals and orals to treat but outside the school walls, optometrists living there can't!

As far as the education, it's honestly the same as any other school. After all, this is a doctoral program so you pretty much have to teach yourself everything. So it really is what you make of it. If you try hard, then you'll reap the benefits of the program, which has a curriculum that is really clinical based and was just implemented 2 years ago. At the end of the day, the school doesn't really matter when it comes to finding a job, from what I have heard. As long as you can pass the boards, you are just as employable! My roommate has had many job offers, with all of them starting in the six figure salary!

Originally Posted by Aacj1189

I've heard this time and time again but if you go to this school, you will be able to do the same as anyone other OD from another school. If you were to stay in Puerto Rico as an optometrist after you graduated and practiced there, then yes you couldn't do that. The laws are trying to be changed at the moment though. However, if you went to work in the United States you would be perfectly fine. In fact, it's weird because as students we are able to use topicals and orals to treat but outside the school walls, optometrists living there can't!

As far as the education, it's honestly the same as any other school. After all, this is a doctoral program so you pretty much have to teach yourself everything. So it really is what you make of it. If you try hard, then you'll reap the benefits of the program, which has a curriculum that is really clinical based and was just implemented 2 years ago. At the end of the day, the school doesn't really matter when it comes to finding a job, from what I have heard. As long as you can pass the boards, you are just as employable! My roommate has had many job offers, with all of them starting in the six figure salary!

Not trying to crap in anyone's cheerios, but I've worked with students from IAUPR and the've all been behind the curve on just about every level, except being more bilingual. You can tell yourself that the quality of the education is on par with the more established programs in the US, but it really isn't, in my experience. It goes way out beyond the limited practice act in PR. Granted, it's possible that I have just been exposed to an unusually poor sample quality that doesn't represent the norm there, but I think that's unlikely.

Originally Posted by Aacj1189

I've heard this time and time again but if you go to this school, you will be able to do the same as anyone other OD from another school. If you were to stay in Puerto Rico as an optometrist after you graduated and practiced there, then yes you couldn't do that. The laws are trying to be changed at the moment though. However, if you went to work in the United States you would be perfectly fine. In fact, it's weird because as students we are able to use topicals and orals to treat but outside the school walls, optometrists living there can't!

As far as the education, it's honestly the same as any other school. After all, this is a doctoral program so you pretty much have to teach yourself everything. So it really is what you make of it. If you try hard, then you'll reap the benefits of the program, which has a curriculum that is really clinical based and was just implemented 2 years ago. At the end of the day, the school doesn't really matter when it comes to finding a job, from what I have heard. As long as you can pass the boards, you are just as employable! My roommate has had many job offers, with all of them starting in the six figure salary!

You should not have to teach yourself everything in a doctorate program that you are paying a fortune to attend.

Originally Posted by nicmc

You should not have to teach yourself everything in a doctorate program that you are paying a fortune to attend.

What I meant by that was, your teachers will present material to you in class just like any class we have taken in undergrad. However, unless you have an eidetic memory, you're not going to remember the huge list of drugs and all their info during a pharmacology class. No matter where you go, you are going to have to put in most of the work outside of class. They do say you only retain about 10% of what you hear and 20% of what you see, so the rest comes from your own work. Sorry if I have misleading information =P

Originally Posted by Jason K

Not trying to crap in anyone's cheerios, but I've worked with students from IAUPR and the've all been behind the curve on just about every level, except being more bilingual. You can tell yourself that the quality of the education is on par with the more established programs in the US, but it really isn't, in my experience. It goes way out beyond the limited practice act in PR. Granted, it's possible that I have just been exposed to an unusually poor sample quality that doesn't represent the norm there, but I think that's unlikely.

Im surprised to hear this as I have heard the opposite from a lot of optometrists that ive had the change to talk to. But i will say this, recently the school underwent some curriculum changes here to actually improve the program here. Currently only first and second year students are part of this curriculum, so hopefully they have fixed all these issues.

Originally Posted by Jason K

Not trying to crap in anyone's cheerios, but I've worked with students from IAUPR and the've all been behind the curve on just about every level, except being more bilingual. You can tell yourself that the quality of the education is on par with the more established programs in the US, but it really isn't, in my experience. .

As long as they can refract & refer then that's all the profession will amount to in the next 10yrs anyways. Plus they'll know Spanish coming out of IAUPR so actually I change my mind and say nice choice of school lol.

Originally Posted by jalapeno123

I was wondering, compared to other schools, I would be able to save around $8k-10k if I choose to attend Puerto Rico College of Optometry.

Is that a big deal? over the course of 4 years that is basically between $32,000 -$40,000, in savings.

I am just scared that I won't receive a good education and will basically be stranded in Puerto Rico during semesters.

Speaking as an alumni, I would not go to PR to save money. Things there are just as expensive if not more. Also think about the flights to and from PR. That will quickly add up. You will get an adequate education. A lot of my classmates are currently working for ophthalmologist including myself. Some in my class did residencies and fellowships. With several schools popping up everywhere...being a bilingual optometrist might not be a bad idea.

Good Luck!

Originally Posted by jalapeno123

I was wondering, compared to other schools, I would be able to save around $8k-10k if I choose to attend Puerto Rico College of Optometry.

Is that a big deal? over the course of 4 years that is basically between $32,000 -$40,000, in savings.

I am just scared that I won't receive a good education and will basically be stranded in Puerto Rico during semesters.

do you speak fluent spanish?

Originally Posted by Jason K

Not trying to crap in anyone's cheerios, but I've worked with students from IAUPR and the've all been behind the curve on just about every level, except being more bilingual. You can tell yourself that the quality of the education is on par with the more established programs in the US, but it really isn't, in my experience. It goes way out beyond the limited practice act in PR. Granted, it's possible that I have just been exposed to an unusually poor sample quality that doesn't represent the norm there, but I think that's unlikely.

which may not reflect the training there vs other opto schools, but may just reflect the fact that the average student there is much weaker than the average student at some other opto schools upon entry.

The medical students from PCOM appear less capable compared to the medical students across town at Penn, but I don't know that such a thing reflects all that poorly on the training at pcom.

Originally Posted by vistaril

which may not reflect the training there vs other opto schools, but may just reflect the fact that the average student there is much weaker than the average student at some other opto schools upon entry.

The medical students from PCOM appear less capable compared to the medical students across town at Penn, but I don't know that such a thing reflects all that poorly on the training at pcom.

Originally Posted by vistaril

which may not reflect the training there vs other opto schools, but may just reflect the fact that the average student there is much weaker than the average student at some other opto schools upon entry.

The medical students from PCOM appear less capable compared to the medical students across town at Penn, but I don't know that such a thing reflects all that poorly on the training at pcom.

or maybe the training from the institution is sub-par. how long can that argument hold water? Its been 30 some odd years...maybe it isn't the student afterall

I graduated with honors from IAUPR. An undergraduate from the local college here shadowed me this last week.. She was looking for some advice on what optometry school to go to. I told her to consider mine. I had fond memories of it.

I was looking on the internet for some good facts to share with this student that could somehow give my alma mater some credit - how somehow my school had improved or something. thats when i stumbled onto this site....looks pretty bleak if you ask me. My school was okay but for sure better than its portrayed.

either my school has worsened, or it has improved and no one writes about it...because it looks like there are only "negative nancys" on here that talk bad about my school, but yet have never been a student there, or even been to puerto rico for that matter. I say if anyone has the right to talk good or bad about MY school its someone who has actually been through it, like me... or my fellow students. I take offense to that...when you say the students...you are implying me, or my classmates. I don't like that. We weren't dumb and were still not dumb imagine that. We've been competitive with our peers all along.

My school wasn't terrible by any means...yeah it may not have been the best in my time, but for sure it wasn't the worst, Then again, i'm sure there's not a single perfect school out there. They all have their good and they all have their bad. These same negative people that talk bad about my school, after having never been there, mind you, seem to be the same ones talking badly about the profession as well. Some of them talk bad and aren't even a part of our profession!!!

Let me tell you something...the profession of optometry is awesome! There is plenty room for those who want to excel in it..maybe not as much room for those mediocre doctors that spend their time being dumb on this forum, and there is even less room for piss-poor ODs...but then again the prospective patients have a way of weeding out the bad. In my own opinion...The ones that are so negative on here are the ones that are butt-hurt that they are being weeded out by their own patients. Word of mouth can be a powerful tool for the good doctors but devastating for the ones that can't cut it.

In the end, it doesn't matter where you went to school. If you're going to be successful you will be regardless of what you studied in undergrad or where you studied your OD.

however....back to the original poster that I quoted. maybe its not so much the student as it is the institution. if taught correctly, a 10 year old could probably do my job with some skill. The facts however don't support your clause....how could it somehow be completely the students year after year since 1981? it doesn't add up...like i said....if anyone can talk good or bad about my school, it would be someone who has been there..ha!....

Originally Posted by cvod

Speaking as an alumni, I would not go to PR to save money. Things there are just as expensive if not more. Also think about the flights to and from PR. That will quickly add up. You will get an adequate education. A lot of my classmates are currently working for ophthalmologist including myself. Some in my class did residencies and fellowships. With several schools popping up everywhere...being a bilingual optometrist might not be a bad idea.

Good Luck!

yeah....tuition is about average
cost of living can be a little expensive at times
then there's always the stress of getting a car, or shipping one down.
don't come to PR because of the cost it evens out to the cost of other schools when all is said and done.

Come down here because you want an adventure
and because you want to be able to offer your future employers/partner/patients etc a little something extra with the cultural experience you've gained

how many people can say they've lived on a tropical island in the Caribbean ?
how many people save up for years to be able to visit places like this? how many people want to but are never able to?