Assessing the Ophtho Claim that the MD > OD

[Optogal]

I wanted to highlight what I consider is an erroneous argument commonly made by the ophthos here against ODs.

The following statement was recently made in a current thread in the ophtho forum:

We are in the best profession available with an MD degree and that's awesome.

Without going into generalizations (e.g. commonly known statistics such as half of medical residents during their residency regret going into medicine), I'd like to bring up a specific.

There is a classmate of Eyefixer's (I won't mention his name to protect this person's anonymity) whose story is well known. This person grew up wanting to be an eye doctor and decided early on, he was going to attend medical school in order to become one. All his family and friends encouraged and supported his decision.

This person subsequently went through grade school and high school with stellar grades, eventually attending university as well as medical school - all the while working hard and keeping an eye on his dream - to become an eye doctor. Unfortunately, this person got tripped up on the USLMEs, and didn't interview particularly well. As such, though he got his MD, he didn't match into ophthalmology. He now spends his days being coughed on by AIDS patients and sticking his finger up men's rectums as a family physician.

He's an MD, but his dream of being an eye doctor was never fulfilled.

In fact, this story is common among a number of MDs who fail to match into the medical specialty of their choice. This is a matter of considerable heartbreak. Imagine growing up and spending all your life wanting to be a pediatrician. But what if you don't match? There are MDs who don't end up matching. And there isn't a lot that works as a particularly effective surrogate career, if your goal was to practice medicine for children. Or for that matter, ophthalmology.

In a subtle comparison, students who go into OD school end up as the optometrists they wanted to become.

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[Meibomian SxN]

I wanted to highlight what I consider is an erroneous argument commonly made by the ophthos here against ODs.

The following statement was recently made in a current thread in the ophtho forum:....

The oMDs that I personally know do not view themselves as god's, such as "eyefixer's" example. Many oMDs do not know the ability of ODs, and wrongfully assume we are "spin & grin wanna-be docs" who are only good for dealing glasses and contacts. The corporate environment and older non-progressive ODs do not help the matter much.

I recently read an editorial in Ophthalmology Management that said that this MD employs 1 PT oMD and 6 FT ODs. And he defended his practice position by saying that there are excellent ODs and inferior MDs, vice versa. I thin khis statement summed it up.

 

[RTM]

I will say this, OMDs have much better mentored training that we as ODs have access to. As far as the medical portion of their MD degree, it is only rarely applicable. One of my best friends is an OMD and he can't manage DM or HTN anymore. He also wouldn't touch a code. I'm not personally impressed with the general medical prowess of OMDs.
But, I'll say this again, they are WAY better trained in eyes than we are. They are at the end of the referral chain so they see everything. Three years of specialized mentored education will result in resounding competence with regularity. All OMDs are trained and honed to be astute clinicians. ODs get good education, but we fall short, IMHO, in mentored training. Stick ODs in a tertiary care setting after optometry school for three years and we would all be equal to OMDs in the clinic. Not bringing up surgery here. That's a whole other topic.

For anyone who has read my previous posts, the profession of optometry needs more mentored education. We need residencies. We need to push for hospital privledges. We need to get into the mainstream of health care. Sitting in a PP, seeing SCL patients, and managing an optical shop is not mainstream medicine. Sadly, it is mainstream optometry. And hence, the lack of mainstream credibility (or lack of awesome-ness) that the MD poster is eluding to.

Peace.

 

[bobbio]

Why was this dumb thread started? Who really cares? If the OP is insecure about which profession is more "superior" then optometry may not be for you.

 

[RTM]

Why was this dumb thread started? Who really cares? If the OP is insecure about which profession is more "superior" then optometry may not be for you.

Damnit, why didn't I think of that?

 

[Optogal]

I will say this, OMDs have much better mentored training that we as ODs have access to.

ODs get good education, but we fall short, IMHO, in mentored training.

You make good observations in this post. I think most who go through either OD or ophtho training will agree with your observations, but you spell them out quite clearly. Although I learned some stuff on my OD rotations, from a clinical perspective, I learned much more during my internships in ophthalmology environments.

 

[ICOnut]

One of the books on ocular pathology the OMD's use in their training is written by OD's. Next time I go by Loma Linda Med school, I will look at the title

 

[Eyefixer]

I am not sure what you think you know about me, but you are mistaken. I was the only one to apply to Ophthalmology field from my medical school class. And I matched without any problems, thank you very much. We had a few people who had a change of heart during residency, but that is not uncommon and does not mean anything. Ophthalmology (just like optometry) is not for everyone. Thankfully, if you were successful in Ophthalmology match, you will usually have no traoble switching specialities.

There is a classmate of Eyefixer's (I won't mention his name to protect this person's anonymity) whose story is well known. This person grew up wanting to be an eye doctor and decided early on, he was going to attend medical school in order to become one. All his family and friends encouraged and supported his decision.

US Medical School Senior match rate is around 87%. You friend probably was not as stellar as you think.

In fact, this story is common among a number of MDs who fail to match into the medical specialty of their choice. This is a matter of considerable heartbreak. Imagine growing up and spending all your life wanting to be a pediatrician. But what if you don't match? There are MDs who don't end up matching. And there isn't a lot that works as a particularly effective surrogate career, if your goal was to practice medicine for children. Or for that matter, ophthalmology.

Kudos! We should open more optometry schools!

In a subtle comparison, students who go into OD school end up as the optometrists they wanted to become.

 

[IndianaOD]

Kudos! We should open more optometry schools!

Don't make me slap you!

More OD schools is not good for anyone. Not patients, not optometrists, not ophthalmologists. Ok, maybe its good for wally mart.

 

[serenmoon]

Optogal, let's put it like this. Average ophthalmologist salary where I live is like $700,000 a year only based on government billings (not any private work). I doubt those people give two seconds thought about how they compare to an esteemed eye doctor like yourself, do you?

I saw a job advertisement the other day from an agency wanting to hire family doctors to do vision exams. Not the way I would want to use my training if I was a FP, sounds boring to me, but as you imply it beats waiting for someone like yourself to come into my office coughing on me and wanting a pelvic or rectal...lol.

 

[Eyefixer]

Don't make me slap you!

More OD schools is not good for anyone. Not patients, not optometrists, not ophthalmologists. Ok, maybe its good for wally mart.

you couldn't tell I was being sarcastic???

I do agree with you on that.

 

[Eyefixer]

Optogal, let's put it like this. Average ophthalmologist salary where I live is like $700,000 a year only based on government billings (not any private work). I doubt those people give two seconds thought about how they compare to an esteemed eye doctor like yourself, do you?

I saw a job advertisement the other day from an agency wanting to hire family doctors to do vision exams. Not the way I would want to use my training if I was a FP, sounds boring to me, but as you imply it beats waiting for someone like yourself to come into my office coughing on me and wanting a pelvic or rectal...lol.

Where do you live????? I would like to move there.

A general ophthalmologist probably makes 250-300K at best on average where I live.

 

[serenmoon]

Where do you live????? I would like to move there.

A general ophthalmologist probably makes 250-300K at best on average where I live.

Well, I am in a different country, Canada. Opthos make great money here. Even more if they do private work like Lasik obviously.

 

[Optogal]

This statement is not directed towards the optometric profession, whatsoever. The comment was directed towards other medical professions that require an MD degree, certainly not optometry, for we require an OD degree.

I'm not really sure you have the authority to claim to know the intended meaning. Your interpretation of the quote is different than my interpretation of the quote. We would have to ask Eyefixer what he actually meant, but his comment was made in what turned out to be an OD-bashing thread - so there is some context that needs to be considered.

I personally feel Eyefixer was saying OMDs > ODs. He was not trashing the other medical specialties. So I disagree with you.

US Medical School Senior match rate is around 87%. You friend probably was not as stellar as you think.

Please define this. Are you saying 87% of folks who want to match into ophthalmology, succeed in this match?

I do mention there is a level of self-selection that goes on, as ophthalmology is known as one of the more competitive matches.

However, if matching ophthalmology is as "easy" as you imply (87% success rate), then you being accepted isn't anything to write home about, and wouldn't necessarily imply anything particularly stellar about you.

Heck, even OD school has a lower acceptance rate.

 

[bobbio]

However, if matching ophthalmology is as "easy" as you imply (87% success rate), then you being accepted isn't anything to write home about, and wouldn't necessarily imply anything particularly stellar about you.

Heck, even OD school has a lower acceptance rate.

But medical school probably has a lower acceptance rate than OD school.

 

[Optogal]

I'm just taking his arguments to an illogical conclusion.

 

[Optogal]

Personally, I think you're an idiot.

And that quote shows how intelligent you are.

All you do when faced with a reasonable argument, is to call names.

You have no intellect.

 

[qwopty99]

Can't we all just get along?

 

[LionSight]

Personally, I think you're an idiot. To add, this thread should have never been created in the first place.

By the way, Eyefixer wasn't trashing anyone, not MDs and certainly not ODs, at least in the comment that you provided. He/she was talking about the medical profession (MD degree, specifically) that has nothing to do with the optometric profession.

It is not really your place to judge the legitimacy of a thread. She wanted to gain knowledge and hear opinions from colleages. If you don't want to participate, don't click on the link. I enjoy hearing the opinions of both sides as it allows me to grow and have a better understanding of the wide scope of feelings on the subject. Healthy positive debate is good for all of us.

 

[basupran]

US Medical School Senior match rate is around 87%. You friend probably was not as stellar as you think.

http://www.sfmatch.org/residency/ophthalmology/about_match/match_report.pdf

 

[362.04]

I got to say that this thread is sad. I would hope that the subforum members would focus on things you would want to learn from fellow sub forum members.

 

[Oculomotor]

Hey I really like optometry and understand what I am becoming--> A primary eye doctor who performs most of the primary eye care in this country (refraction, glasses, contacts, managing primary and secondary eye disease non-surgically with topical/oral meds, referring serious cases away). That said realistically guys, becoming an ophthalmologist taken in total is more difficult than becoming an optometrist. You have to be in the top 15-20% of your medical school class (MD that is, for DO's it's more like top 5%), score around 230 on USMLE step 1, and have some luck on your side as well. It is difficult when you take in the fact that you have to get into MD school, perform very well, match into ophthalmology, and then finish the 4 yrs to become an OMD. I don't care for the MD is better than OD arguement because it doesn't mean anything at is is just dumb. I am just glad that I will get to be an eye doctor and that is that.

 

[serenmoon]

Hey I really like optometry and understand what I am becoming--> A primary eye doctor who performs most of the primary eye care in this country (refraction, glasses, contacts, managing primary and secondary eye disease non-surgically with topical/oral meds, referring serious cases away). That said realistically guys, becoming an ophthalmologist taken in total is more difficult than becoming an optometrist. You have to be in the top 15-20% of your medical school class (MD that is, for DO's it's more like top 5%), score around 230 on USMLE step 1, and have some luck on your side as well. It is difficult when you take in the fact that you have to get into MD school, perform very well, match into ophthalmology, and then finish the 4 yrs to become an OMD. I don't care for the MD is better than OD arguement because it doesn't mean anything at is is just dumb. I am just glad that I will get to be an eye doctor and that is that.

Oculomotor, .

Best of luck to all on this board in pursuing their career goals, whether MD or OD. Scope of practice is certainly different. We all make different choices so ODs certainly don't need to come on SDN and try to make themselves out to be better than any other professional, eye or otherwise, in order to justify their own circumstances. Let's all learn from this post .

 

[ibalz]

Oculomotor, .

Best of luck to all on this board in pursuing their career goals, whether MD or OD. Scope of practice is certainly different. We all make different choices so ODs certainly don't need to come on SDN and try to make themselves out to be better than any other professional, eye or otherwise, in order to justify their own circumstances. Let's all learn from this post .

Why don't you just stick to the medical forums? Stop trolling the OD forums

 

[Mrseyedoctor]

agree Ibalz..hihi.. There are people who chose optometry because they like the eyes and hate blood, cook, perform rectal exam (eww) etc. It is not that they aren't as smart/intelligent as MD or other professionals. I don't know how anyone can become a doctor if one can't treat people with respect. It's the circle of life: chefs need doctors, doctors need lawyers, lawyers need assembly line workers to make your car. etc. No profession is more superior than the other. We need each other to survive. To those MD that keep looking down on other profession or people: good luck building your house without your engineer, architecture, etc.

TO SERONMOON:
I think it's more like MD claiming that OD can't do sh*$. I am pretty sure that OD and MD (ophthalmologist) know more about the eyes than General Physician that's why there's a school for OD only. OD just want to be able to practice whatever we have learned in OD school. Of course we don't want to go way off our ability and get sued by patients. OD will refer when necessary.

 

[bobbio]

Why don't you just stick to the medical forums? Stop trolling the OD forums

I sure hope this was a sarcastic statement.

 

[unsurem4]

What irks me the most about your initial post Optogal is your apparent disdain for the practice of family medicine. I'm not going to pretend that I know the intricacies of optometry and certainly am not going to argue that OMDs are better than ODs but your insinuation that people who aren't intelligent or who didn't do well on boards "end up in family medicine" is disrespectful. One of the students in the top 5% of my class went into family medicine because he likes helping those AIDS patients that you look down upon with apparent disgust.

ODs perform an incredibly valuable service, OMDs likewise. You look for respect from the MD community who look upon your profession with turned up noses and yet don't give those in the family medicine community the same respect.

 

[Optogal]

You make a valid observation, and the intent wasn't to put down family practice, although I see why you suggest I did.

The tone I used to criticize family practice is no "worse" than the tone OMDs sometimes use to disparage optometry. So I was simply using the same "tone", to try to show how some eye people (OD or OMD) could find themselves unhappy, had they been family practitioners (or obs/gyn, or radiologists, or whatever).

And it isn't about "looking down" on AIDS patients, but rather being an eye person (OD or OMD) and doing an examination you'd rather not be doing (the implication is that they would rather be doing an examination related to the eyes).

My apologies and I don't mind if this thread be closed.

 

[ibalz]

I sure hope this was a sarcastic statement.

No, I meant it.

 

[bobbio]

No, I meant it.

I don't think the statement by serenmoon was insulting - seemed to me as though the comment was written with good intentions. The idea of telling someone not to be in the forum because their status is not 'pre-opt' or 'optometry student' is absurd, especially considering the op was in the optho forums before starting this dumb thread.

 

[Meibomian SxN]

agree Ibalz..hihi.. There are people who chose optometry because they like the eyes and hate blood, cook, perform rectal exam (eww) etc. It is not that they aren't as smart/intelligent as MD or other professionals. I don't know how anyone can become a doctor if one can't treat people with respect. It's the circle of life: chefs need doctors, doctors need lawyers, lawyers need assembly line workers to make your car. etc. No profession is more superior than the other. We need each other to survive. To those MD that keep looking down on other profession or people: good luck building your house without your engineer, architecture, etc.

TO SERONMOON:
I think it's more like MD claiming that OD can't do sh*$. I am pretty sure that OD and MD (ophthalmologist) know more about the eyes than General Physician that's why there's a school for OD only. OD just want to be able to practice whatever we have learned in OD school. Of course we don't want to go way off our ability and get sued by patients. OD will refer when necessary.

Excellent response!

 

[SonofanOpt]

Hey I really like optometry and understand what I am becoming--> A primary eye doctor who performs most of the primary eye care in this country (refraction, glasses, contacts, managing primary and secondary eye disease non-surgically with topical/oral meds, referring serious cases away). That said realistically guys, becoming an ophthalmologist taken in total is more difficult than becoming an optometrist. You have to be in the top 15-20% of your medical school class (MD that is, for DO's it's more like top 5%), score around 230 on USMLE step 1, and have some luck on your side as well. It is difficult when you take in the fact that you have to get into MD school, perform very well, match into ophthalmology, and then finish the 4 yrs to become an OMD. I don't care for the MD is better than OD arguement because it doesn't mean anything at is is just dumb. I am just glad that I will get to be an eye doctor and that is that.

This post =


Basically every other post =

 

[UAB2014]

There is an oMD currently practicing in my home city as an optometrist. I shadowed her for a while when trying to make the big decision between OD and MD school. It was not until I went to visit a local OD that I became aware of just how much more personal, professional and knowledgable the OD's in that office were than the MD I shadowed.

In general I'd say that optometry is a "people lovers" career- for those with a personality-and oMD is for those who prefer to spend 70 hour weeks after their 4 year program looking at people who are practically unconscious. Also, their liability is outrageous!!

SO... all in all.... would you rather make 250K a year, spend 10 years of school+residency-and live in a world of "what if I mess up!?"... ORRR would you rather laugh, smile, vacation, play a little golf in the afternoons and take your 100K and be HAPPY!!!??

Besides-with Obamination Care-the oMD's (250+)are gonna be paying for our 3rd world immigrant friends, slum lords and modern octomoms to get the exams, care and service that they truly deserve for spending those LONG days watching Oprah and Court TV shows thru rabbit ear topped tv tubes!!

hehe, so choose wisely!!

 

[bobbio]

There is an oMD currently practicing in my home city as an optometrist. I shadowed her for a while when trying to make the big decision between OD and MD school. It was not until I went to visit a local OD that I became aware of just how much more personal, professional and knowledgable the OD's in that office were than the MD I shadowed.

In general I'd say that optometry is a "people lovers" career- for those with a personality-and oMD is for those who prefer to spend 70 hour weeks after their 4 year program looking at people who are practically unconscious. Also, their liability is outrageous!!

SO... all in all.... would you rather make 250K a year, spend 10 years of school+residency-and live in a world of "what if I mess up!?"... ORRR would you rather laugh, smile, vacation, play a little golf in the afternoons and take your 100K and be HAPPY!!!??

I'm sure OMDs get to play golf, laugh, smile and be happy....maybe even more so than an optometrist. Especially one that is stuck working at Walmart or some other commerical joint on the weekend.
I think it's quite a stretch to say that optometry is a "peoples-lover" career and that ophthamology isn't.
It's great that you're enthusiastic about optometry since you're an optometry student but to make generalized statements about OMDs is ridiculous. Maybe you'll find this out one day in the near future when an OMD becomes your colleague.

 

[UAB2014]

You know what... You are right!!

Ok golf tourny right now- oMD's vs. the ODs Bring it!! ha

 

[jabreal00]

I saw a job advertisement the other day from an agency wanting to hire family doctors to do vision exams. Not the way I would want to use my training if I was a FP, sounds boring to me, but as you imply it beats waiting for someone like yourself to come into my office coughing on me and wanting a pelvic or rectal...lol.

I can't really contribute much to the oMD vs OD debate. I guess FP or primary care gets no love from anybody?

As a Gastroenterologist I see nothing wrong with doing rectals. After all GI is one of the best medical specialties and pays decently

 

[Meibomian SxN]

I can't really contribute much to the oMD vs OD debate. I guess FP or primary care gets no love from anybody?

As a Gastroenterologist I see nothing wrong with doing rectals. After all GI is one of the best medical specialties and pays decently

I would think it has alot to do with nurse practitioners having a scope of practice that overlaps FP & PCPs; with the nurse practitioners having better attitudes at times...

Couple that with a shortage of FPs & PCPs and an increase in baby boomers, NPs get propped up to the FP & PCP level...

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

I would think it has alot to do with nurse practitioners having a scope of practice that overlaps FP & PCPs; with the nurse practitioners having better attitudes at times...

Couple that with a shortage of FPs & PCPs and an increase in baby boomers, NPs get propped up to the FP & PCP level...

Granted I've only worked in offices that had both MDs and NPs, but they've all been very similar so I don't think I'm making any dangerous generalizations.

Everywhere I've been had the NPs doing minor acute care and basic chronic disease management (HTN, hypothyroid, stable diabetes, high cholesterol). The MDs did more of the heart failure, uncontrolled DM, patients with multiple issues (the good old HTN, DM, high cholesterol, obesity picture), and procedures.

In any case, I'm not worried on it too much. I view them somewhat like you guys view opticians - handy to have around to do the stuff that doesn't truly need a doctor.

 

[venon11]

This is a bit random but is it possible for an optometrist to become an opthamologist without going through med school? I read somewhere that only the top 15% of the med school students are accepted into the optho. program and that only the top 5% of the optometry students? I didnt think that was an option.?.

 

[362.04]

This is a bit random but is it possible for an optometrist to become an opthamologist without going through med school? I read somewhere that only the top 15% of the med school students are accepted into the optho. program and that only the top 5% of the optometry students? I didnt think that was an option.?.

At this time, there is no US program that does that. You're correct.

 

[bobbio]

This is a bit random but is it possible for an optometrist to become an opthamologist without going through med school? I read somewhere that only the top 15% of the med school students are accepted into the optho. program and that only the top 5% of the optometry students? I didnt think that was an option.?.

Where'd you hear this? Maybe in other countries but certainly not in US...otherwise there would probably be a lot of optometrists that would be interested because of the discrepancy in salary.
I don't think this will ever happen since the education between med school and optometry school is different.

 

[Meibomian SxN]

This is a bit random but is it possible for an optometrist to become an opthamologist without going through med school? I read somewhere that only the top 15% of the med school students are accepted into the optho. program and that only the top 5% of the optometry students? I didnt think that was an option.?.

To put on a spin on this conversation, I was recently thinking about maybe applying to Texas Tech Medical school's new 3yr MD program, and practice as a PCP & OD...

I could then perform minor laser procedures that I am trained to handle and also not worry about getting underpaid as an OD by the insurance companies...

Just a thought...

 

[opto2be]

This is a bit random but is it possible for an optometrist to become an opthamologist without going through med school? I read somewhere that only the top 15% of the med school students are accepted into the optho. program and that only the top 5% of the optometry students? I didnt think that was an option.?.

The top 15% is for MD students and top 5% is for DO students. It seems you're getting confused between DO and OD based on what was written in the following post:

That said realistically guys, becoming an ophthalmologist taken in total is more difficult than becoming an optometrist. You have to be in the top 15-20% of your medical school class (MD that is, for DO's it's more like top 5%), score around 230 on USMLE step 1, and have some luck on your side as well. It is difficult when you take in the fact that you have to get into MD school, perform very well, match into ophthalmology, and then finish the 4 yrs to become an OMD.

 

[bobbio]

To put on a spin on this conversation, I was recently thinking about maybe applying to Texas Tech Medical school's new 3yr MD program, and practice as a PCP & OD...

I could then perform minor laser procedures that I am trained to handle and also not worry about getting underpaid as an OD by the insurance companies...

Just a thought...

Would you also have to do a residency for that MD program? What would that add - 3 or 4 years? So really it's 6 to 7 years total, or does the 3 years include residency?

 

[venon11]

your correct! I probably forgot how to read lol and got confused oops! that would make much more sense!

 

[Meibomian SxN]

Would you also have to do a residency for that MD program? What would that add - 3 or 4 years? So really it's 6 to 7 years total, or does the 3 years include residency?

Not really because I am already an OD. I would need a residency to learn more invasive surgeries and to call myself an ophthalmologist. As long as you have the MD degree, you can perform LASIK and other laser procedures.

Hospitals may require the residency but most laser procedures can be performed in an outpatient ambulatory center if I decide not to buy the lasers myself.

I'm starting to seriously think about the investment, especially with the current affairs of optometry

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Not really because I am already an OD. I would need a residency to learn more invasive surgeries and to call myself an ophthalmologist. As long as you have the MD degree, you can perform LASIK and other laser procedures.

Hospitals may require the residency but most laser procedures can be performed in an outpatient ambulatory center if I decide not to buy the lasers myself.

I'm starting to seriously think about the investment, especially with the current affairs of optometry

I would love to see you try that. You might be able to do LASIK as its cash only so there's no insurance involved, although with just an MD and no post-grad training I would think you might have issue getting a laser in the first place. I can't see you having much luck doing any non-elective laser work though, as it is very hard for a non-residency trained MD to get on insurance plans.

 

[KHE]

Not really because I am already an OD. I would need a residency to learn more invasive surgeries and to call myself an ophthalmologist. As long as you have the MD degree, you can perform LASIK and other laser procedures.

Hospitals may require the residency but most laser procedures can be performed in an outpatient ambulatory center if I decide not to buy the lasers myself.

I'm starting to seriously think about the investment, especially with the current affairs of optometry

Almost for sure not going to work.

Most insurance companies make their CPT codes provider specific.

If you are listed as a primary care doctor in their directory, and you try to bill for say a foreign body removal, or an OCT, or even a 92004, you're probably going to get denied.

As far as doing elective surgeries like LASIK, you are probably correct in that it wouldn't technically be "illegal" from a licensure stand point, you would almost surely not meet any sort of standard of care. The first time you get sued, and you will doing LASIK, you'll be so far up the creek once people find out that you have no actual surgical training, or that your "surgical" training is limited to punctal plugs and foreign body removals. In fact, I'd be shocked that any insurer would insure you.

 

[dontlikephysics]

MD, OD, whatever you are, hopefully you get a little sick at this. Especially the part where the ER refused to let her back in.

http://www.healthnewsflorida.org/index.cfm/go/public.articleView/article/16297

Oh and this statement
Optometrists simply aren't trained to understand the interactions of the drugs," Fouraker said. "They are trained in the eye, not in the rest of the body."

Hmm. I had to actually take Anatomy and Physiology as a prerequiste to optometry school and I have yet to see an optometry school where its not part of the curriculum. Interesting.

 

[bobbio]

MD, OD, whatever you are, hopefully you get a little sick at this. Especially the part where the ER refused to let her back in.

http://www.healthnewsflorida.org/index.cfm/go/public.articleView/article/16297

Oh and this statement
Optometrists simply aren’t trained to understand the interactions of the drugs,” Fouraker said. “They are trained in the eye, not in the rest of the body.”

Hmm. I had to actually take Anatomy and Physiology as a prerequiste to optometry school and I have yet to see an optometry school where its not part of the curriculum. Interesting.

I thought the statement was referring to drugs for systemic diseases and their interaction with the rest of the body, which if that is what it's referring to is somewhat true. I don't think optometry schools focus very much on drugs for systemic diseases (at least from what I have experienced). There is only a broad overview of drugs for the body, nothing really specific. Ophthalmic drugs on the other hand is obviously more detailed.