Are ophthalmologists respected among other doctors?

[Melenema]

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Probably a question best suited for those in residency and beyond. I was told that ophthalmologists often lose a lot of their general medical knowledge over time since the eye is such an isolated structure within the body. I was wondering if

(1) is this true? do ophthalmologists really have a poor understanding of medicine 10+ years down the line? If someone asked for a doc on an airplane could you confidently volunteer yourself? And do you ever feel like you're missing out on a lot because you're never really managing cardio/pulm/renal/GI etc systems?

(2) Does this make ophthalmologists less respected among their fellow doctors (outside of ophthalmology)? Or do you feel like you're treated just like any other doctor out there? I've often heard surgeons saying "ophtho isn't real surgery" and internists saying "ophtho is so different from the rest of medicine.. I have no clue how to w/u an ophtho CC"

I know it's a lot of questions, thanks for reading!

Note: the answers to these questions will in no way affect my decision to pursue ophtho. I was just curious and wanted some honest answers.

 

[JMK2005]

Ophthalmologists are well respected.

Other fields are lost when treating eye complaints and we help then immensely when consulted. We deal with vision. doctors and patients take vision loss seriously and we are respected because we have answers their symptoms.

There's usually a nurse that jumps up first on planes. Best that they check vitals and stabilize the patients anyways.

When discussing mutual pt with other specialties, I can hold my own.

 

[ophthope]

I am in no way an attending yet, but I have seen Ophthalmology attendings specifically discuss detailed cardiology, neurology, infectious disease, GI, and renal pathology with other physicians. They are in no way less knowledgeable than other specialists in these areas.

(1) is this true? do ophthalmologists really have a poor understanding of medicine 10+ years down the line? If someone asked for a doc on an airplane could you confidently volunteer yourself?

I had a conversation with a personal friend who is a subspecialty trained orthopedic surgeon about 15 years outside of residency who told me if someone coded in their office they wouldn't know what to do for them anymore. This is true for any number of specialties or generalists. If you don't manage trauma or emergent conditions regularly, you aren't going to be able to 'confidently volunteer' any more than any other physician. Would you step up and see if you could help? Yes, of course - you probably can deal with it better than anyone else on the plane. If a cardiologist or EM doc was on the plane would you jump out of the way to let him see the guy who's clutching his chest instead? Absolutely.

And do you ever feel like you're missing out on a lot because you're never really managing cardio/pulm/renal/GI etc systems?

I cannot wait for the day when I have to no longer manage GI and renal complaints. I'm sure everyone thinks their own crap doesn't stink though - I bet the GI folks hate to see eye complaints as much as I don't want to manage UC patients.

 

[mycatishuge]

Maybe you should ask this question in a non-ophth forum and see what people say. Asking it here is like asking WWE 'wrestlers' if they think of themselves as actual sportsmen.

 

[rocketbooster]

I would say yes. Everytime I tell any dr I wanna do ophtho they are instantly impressed. I get the same response in front ortho, ENT, and urology. Even though ophtho is not any more competitive than those fields, everyone in those fields always say it is. Doesn't make sense but I'll take it haha.

 

[kwel]

I would say yes. Everytime I tell any dr I wanna do ophtho they are instantly impressed. I get the same response in front ortho, ENT, and urology. Even though ophtho is not any more competitive than those fields, everyone in those fields always say it is. Doesn't make sense but I'll take it haha.

Interesting. I told my gen surg resident I'm interested in ophtho and he said "oh, so you want to drive a Mercedes." As much as I would love to drive a Mercedes, I hope ophthalmologists (or those applying) aren't perceived that way.

 

[doctortom]

Interesting. I told my gen surg resident I'm interested in ophtho and he said "oh, so you want to drive a Mercedes." As much as I would love to drive a Mercedes, I hope ophthalmologists (or those applying) aren't perceived that way.

Pretty typical... Most doctors feel that other subspecialties are the ones cashing it in

 

[90 diopter]

Probably a question best suited for those in residency and beyond. I was told that ophthalmologists often lose a lot of their general medical knowledge over time since the eye is such an isolated structure within the body. I was wondering if

(1) is this true? do ophthalmologists really have a poor understanding of medicine 10+ years down the line? If someone asked for a doc on an airplane could you confidently volunteer yourself? And do you ever feel like you're missing out on a lot because you're never really managing cardio/pulm/renal/GI etc systems?

(2) Does this make ophthalmologists less respected among their fellow doctors (outside of ophthalmology)? Or do you feel like you're treated just like any other doctor out there? I don't mean to throw other fields under the bus but everyone always derides psych for these types of reasons, and I've often heard surgeons saying "ophtho isn't real surgery" and internists saying "ophtho is so different from the rest of medicine.. I have no clue how to w/u an ophtho CC"

I know it's a lot of questions, thanks for reading!

Note: the answers to these questions will in no way affect my decision to pursue ophtho. I was just curious and wanted some honest answers.

1) It depends. There are many, many general medical issues that affect the eye, and since I see these on a routine basis, I doubt I will ever get rusty. In the handful of years I've been in practice, I've been the first to diagnose several brain tumors, blocked carotid arteries, strokes, a few cases of HIV, and a bunch of other random things.

Now, if you asked me to manage a patient with an acute MI or someone who's been stabbed in the chest 20 times, I'm probably not going to be the go-to guy. But I'm perfectly okay with that. No one can be adept at everything.

2) Depends on the ophthalmologist. I've gotten some pats on the back from my local general practitioners, cardiologists, and neurosurgeons for being the first to spot major health problems with my patients, so I think the level of respect I get from my fellow physicians is decent. But if you suck, which unfortunately some do, then you won't get respect even from within your own specialty.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Ophthalmologists are well respected.

Other fields are lost when treating eye complaints and we help then immensely when consulted. We deal with vision. doctors and patients take vision loss seriously and we are respected because we have answers their symptoms.

Agreed. Ophtho is somewhat unique in medicine in that I can't even duplicate your exams, much less your treatments.