Advice Please :-)

[Carolinaboy]

Hey everyone. I just found this site via google.

I'm very interested in the medical profession. I've read that ophthalmology was a "life-style profesion". I realize that everyone wants that, and that no medical profession is really a "life-style" thing. I've been to the eye doctor numerous times, and he is an ophthalmologist. I've interned with him..., and I've enjoyed it. I like the way the equipment looks, and i know its nerdy, but its so cool. However I also like a little surgery everyone in a while. However, more important, i like clinical stuff like sitting w/ a patient and examining them..

My questions are:

1.) Can ophthalmology provide me with plenty of "examining" time, a little surgery, and a reliable lifestyle.

2.) Do you rely more on expierence or theory?

3.) Can you guys make your kid's athletic events?

4.) Does it stay interesting?

Thanks in advance
-A Small town boy, born and raised in south Franklin County...

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[MacularStar]

Hey everyone. I just found this site via google.

I'm very interested in the medical profession. I've read that ophthalmology was a "life-style profesion". I realize that everyone wants that, and that no medical profession is really a "life-style" thing. I've been to the eye doctor numerous times, and he is an ophthalmologist. I've interned with him..., and I've enjoyed it. I like the way the equipment looks, and i know its nerdy, but its so cool. However I also like a little surgery everyone in a while. However, more important, i like clinical stuff like sitting w/ a patient and examining them..

My questions are:

1.) Can ophthalmology provide me with plenty of "examining" time, a little surgery, and a reliable lifestyle.

2.) Do you rely more on expierence or theory?

3.) Can you guys make your kid's athletic events?

4.) Does it stay interesting?

Thanks in advance
-A Small town boy, born and raised in south Franklin County...

Okay... I will bite. My advice... before you go any further would be to reconsider your desire to be a medical physician. It sounds like what attracts you to ophthalmology:
1) Lifestyle
2) the way the equipment looks
3) sitting with patients while examining them

are things that would be WAY easier to achieve by pursuing a different career and avoiding 4 yrs college, 4 yrs med school, and 4 yrs residency. BTW neither med school nor residency are lifestyle friendly and compared to many professions (ie. nursing, teaching, dentistry) ophthalmologists do not have a great lifestyle.

To answer your questions:

1) You can do a little surgery, have plenty of examining time, and a reliable lifestyle... but you may have a hard time paying off your student loans... these days ophthalmologist have to see a lot of patients which means efficient, quick examinations. Most ophthalmologists do surgery once or twice a week. Lifestyle depends on what subspecialty you choose if any, where you work, etc.

2) Whether you rely on experience or theory depends on you and your training. Most physicians use both... the ratio is personal I think.

3) Yes, but I know physicians in many different fields who do.

4) Whether or not it stays interesting depends on you no matter what you do.

Anyone else disagree or have any other thoughts...?

 

[Carolinaboy]

You're probaly right. but ive always loved science, and wanted to be a doctor of some sort.

However, i agree with what your saying and will "re-think".., but my next question is:

You said a dentist has a better lifestyle? I've always thought they had about the same lifestyle....

I've thought about denistry as well, and i e-mail with my dentist. I've looked into it, but not as in depth as i did ophthalmology. So any links about stuff, please post :-D!!!

 

[minterr]

have you thought about optometry?

 

[Carolinaboy]

Kinda. Not really. I've looked on the internet, and I havent found a single optometry school in NC. I have 2 sick grandparents, and my parents are pretty stressed. I'd kinda like the stay in state, and spend time with them while I can. If you know of any optometry schools in the NC area. please let me know.

 

[MacularStar]

Kinda. Not really. I've looked on the internet, and I havent found a single optometry school in NC. I have 2 sick grandparents, and my parents are pretty stressed. I'd kinda like the stay in state, and spend time with them while I can. If you know of any optometry schools in the NC area. please let me know.

There are a couple pre-optometry programs in Virginia
Lynchburg College, Pre-Optometry - Lynchburg | (434) 544-8100
Virginia Commonwealth University, Pre-optometry Program - Richmond | (804) 828-0100.\

You could go be close to home for next few years and then travel farther away for optometry training.

I would check out the other forums on SDN. There are ones for dentistry and optometry and those people will be able to tell you more about their specialty if you are interested.