Just Two Questions

[flexor]

Hello everyone I want to give a little background on myself before I ask my questions. I am a High Senior this year and was planning to go into law enforcement. Though after taking a Human Anatomy and Physiology course and doing a lot of soul searching I have decided to peruse a career in either Optometry or Ophthalmology. This is because found the eye dissection and eye in general fascinating. Right now I find myself with a small issue instead of Chemistry, I took Environmental as my third science. What will I need to do to prepare myself college level Chemistry. I am not bad at science by any means and love biology with a keen interest microbiology and immunology.


Keeping my last statement in mind and after doing a good deal of research. I would really like to focus on the pathology of the eye. I know there is a subspecialty within the ophthalmic community that deals with this. What about optometry is it possible to have your practice focus on the pathology of the eye?


I know that these are two completely separate questions, but I would be very thankful for any guidance.


Cheers!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[docB]

It's hard to "prepare" yourself for chemistry. The basic chem classes are usually just that, basic. Just show up ready to work and study hard.

Your second question is a little harder to address. Let me start by saying that the term "pathology" is used to denote a disease process. So any diseased eye has pathology. Both ophthalmology and optometry deal with eye pathology. Eye pathology isn't a subspecialty of ophtho, it's the whole specialty.

I suggest doing some research on ophtho and opto individually to see what each field does.

 

[Kahr]

If you had had the chance, AP Chemistry would've probably been your best bet. I myself slept through the regular chem class in high school, had no interest in healthcare/hard sciences, etc. When I finally (7 years post-HS) took General Chemistry at a University, I found that what made me successful in the course, was what docB said (hard work): coming to class, and studying my butt off, doing all the practice problems, and always coming to lab and getting the reports done (easy way to help or hurt your grade).

There is some math involved, so knowing your algebra will be to your advantage.

As for your other question(s), can't help you there, I'd try posting in the optometry/ophthalmology forums if you haven't already.