So I'm colorblind...

[Haxx]

...and I have an acceptance for the class of 2018. I'm curious as to how large of a role distinguishing colors has in the medical school curriculum, and medical practice in general. (I'm thinking histo is going to be a struggle?) I'm totally up for finding alternate methods as I'm sure I'll need to, but I'm wondering if any current students could enlighten me as to what I'm going to be working with. For some background, my colorblindness is not necessarily severe, but I do have troubles with similar shades. (i.e. red/brown, blue/purple, lime-green/yellow, etc.) Thanks!

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[TSSVR4]

I struggle with the same exact issue. I predictably did terrible in histology during my SMP - I would get all the multiple choice questions correct and would get half of the image identification questions wrong.

My opinion is that unless you're going into pathology nothing in medicine will truly require precise differentiation between the type of shades you and I have trouble with. There are enough other differentiating visual clues to make up for it.

Even in histology the shapes should have been enough.

 

[docterjew]

...and I have an acceptance for the class of 2018. I'm curious as to how large of a role distinguishing colors has in the medical school curriculum, and medical practice in general. (I'm thinking histo is going to be a struggle?) I'm totally up for finding alternate methods as I'm sure I'll need to, but I'm wondering if any current students could enlighten me as to what I'm going to be working with. For some background, my colorblindness is not necessarily severe, but I do have troubles with similar shades. (i.e. red/brown, blue/purple, lime-green/yellow, etc.) Thanks!

I'm colorblind too but haven't taken histo yet. I will say that during the anatomy lab practicals I had a lot of trouble finding the green pins for identification.

 

[GlowInTheDark]

Notify faculty members ahead of time, they will accommodate you. If you can't distinguish something on test, approach the proctor if there is one.

I've never missed a question due to my partial color-blindness.

 

[Mad Jack]

Anesthesia might be a little more difficult, as the easiest way to tell meds apart quickly in an emergency is by the cap color. You'd have to read them, which really only takes a couple more seconds and is safer anyway. There was a case recently at a nearby hospital where an older CRNA had forgotten her glasses but was too proud to own up to it and mixed up the orange and yellow vial topped meds in OB, resulting in her administering lidocaine instead of whatever she was trying to give. Resulted in two healthy pregnant women coding, and the CRNAs license going right into the trash for negligence.

 

[Haxx]

Thanks, guys. Fortunately, anesthesia and path are nowhere on my radar. I appreciate the info!

 

[dudeliness]

http://wearecolorblind.com/article/oxy-iso-glasses-review/

 

[MerickManual]

Thanks, guys. Fortunately, anesthesia and path are nowhere on my radar. I appreciate the info!

Also opthalmology will need to be added to the radar. They have specific requirements to get into optho residency, including stereo vision and no colorblindness.

In my histology class they had a special computer in class to be used by anyone who had any color-impairment. Maybe your school will have the same?

 

[RadixLuminogen]

Also opthalmology will need to be added to the radar. They have specific requirements to get into optho residency, including stereo vision and no colorblindness.

In my histology class they had a special computer in class to be used by anyone who had any color-impairment. Maybe your school will have the same?

Only a minority of ophthalmology residencies ask for an eye exam currently. But will probably increase in the future.

 

[MerickManual]

Only a minority of ophthalmology residencies ask for an eye exam currently. But will probably increase in the future.

I stand corrected, my mistake.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

I don't know if you care about ortho but one of our interns is color-blind...he doesn't seem to have a problem.

 

[TXKnight]

Is Anesthesia really a no-go for colorblind people? I don't see why just because of the cap color on those bottles one would forgo anesthesia, as poster above suggested.

 

[bleeker10]

Being partly colorblind didn't hinder me in med school. Histo was such a small aspect of pre-clinicals that I didn't put a lot of focus into it. I'm am ortho intern and it hasn't affected my performance during cases.

 

[HopefulSpartan]

A close relative of mine is colorblind and it hasn't hindered his practice (EM for a while, now a pp internist).

 

[Goro]

If they've accepted you, and this becomes an issue, they have to accomodate you. I trust you were up-front with them?

...and I have an acceptance for the class of 2018. I'm curious as to how large of a role distinguishing colors has in the medical school curriculum, and medical practice in general. (I'm thinking histo is going to be a struggle?) I'm totally up for finding alternate methods as I'm sure I'll need to, but I'm wondering if any current students could enlighten me as to what I'm going to be working with. For some background, my colorblindness is not necessarily severe, but I do have troubles with similar shades. (i.e. red/brown, blue/purple, lime-green/yellow, etc.) Thanks!

 

[Haxx]

If they've accepted you, and this becomes an issue, they have to accomodate you. I trust you were up-front with them?

I sure was! My physical from my acceptance forms has it on there.

 

[Goro]

I think you're set. I know of at least two BLIND students who made it into med school (both became psychiatrists, I believe).

I sure was! My physical from my acceptance forms has it on there.

 

[Haxx]

I think you're set.

Thanks for the peace of mind, goro!

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

Im not color blind and I suck at histology. Its amazing how much of that crap is in orthoapedics (ortho onc).

Regardless, one of my junior residents is color blind. He doesn't seem to have many issues

 

[DarthFiid]

I have the same issue and I was thinking about going into either neurosurgery or orthopedic surgery.

Will this disqualify me from either of these?