Can I attend an international optometry school?

[mcgovener95]

So I'm going to be a junior this upcoming fall and am planning on declaring a bio major and then applying to optometry school (SUNY and ICO are my top two). I was wondering if I could go to an international school after I get my bachelor's, or would I have to attend a US school to be qualified to practice in America? I have dual citizenship in Ireland and the UK through my parents so I think I could be qualified to pay EU citizen's tuition which would make it a lot cheaper than going to a school here.

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[Laurac]

So I'm going to be a junior this upcoming fall and am planning on declaring a bio major and then applying to optometry school (SUNY and ICO are my top two). I was wondering if I could go to an international school after I get my bachelor's, or would I have to attend a US school to be qualified to practice in America? I have dual citizenship in Ireland and the UK through my parents so I think I could be qualified to pay EU citizen's tuition which would make it a lot cheaper than going to a school here.

 

[Laurac]

Only Canada, U.S. And Puerto Rica (classes in Spanish) programs are accepted. I believe India may have a program, but the National Boards has never passed a foreign trained applicant. I took 2nd year boards with a poor fellow from India who was taking it for the 5th time. He did not have the optics training to pass. That is why the 2nd year boards are the hardest. You are a glorified optician in all other countries.

 

[thisboy]

I think Australia's degrees are also good if you taking a Canadian bridging program at Waterloo

 

[Loptometriste]

Only Canada, U.S. And Puerto Rica (classes in Spanish) programs are accepted.

I'd like to inform you that Puerto Rico's optometry school offers all courses in English. There is a Spanish as a second language course to help learn conversational and optometric Spanish in first year. The majority of the patients on screenings and in the schools clinic speak Spanish; therefore, it is a great way to become fluent in examination Spanish.

 

[anonymous2020]

N/a

 

[Weirdy]

Hi everyone,

Do you think I have a good chance of getting in somewhere without a bachelor's? I am currently studying accounting. I plan to apply to the optometry schools in Puerto Rico, Missouri, Illinois, the new one in Kentucky, and the one in San Antonio. Any other recommendations?

I have a 3.88 GPA. I have not finished all the pre-requisites yet. I plan to take the second semester of the science ones in the spring and I am taking the first semester science ones now (fall 2016) and I took one in the summer. I plan to take the OAT late this month or early October. I have already shadowed an optometrist. I took the ADA practice optometry test and these were my scores:
Biology: 310
Chemistry: 330
Organic Chemistry: 300
RC: 310
Physics: 240
QR: 400

I am practicing with the OAT Achiever to bring up the scores. I have already taken calculus 1, general chemistry 1, statistics, and psychology. I am currently taking physics and biology. Do you think it would be possible to get in with a 310 or 320 OAT?

If you keep your 3.88 GPA and finish with it, a 320 will be fine to get in.

Do you have any research experience?

How many hours have you shadowed? Have you considered working at an optometry office instead of shadowing?

 

[anonymous2020]

N/a

 

[Weirdy]

Thank you for answering! I've shadowed 15 hours and had a fantastic experience.

Good. Keep shadowing.

It is very important that you finish with a crazy high GPA and do solid on the OAT.

You understand?

 

[anonymous2020]

N/a