Entering Class of 2007

[pippistrellodaq]

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Hi there,
I'm new to this board. First of all, I'd like to congratulate everybody who is entering this fall! I read many of your posts and must say that I'm even more excited now. I've only been considering optometry for a few weeks (I was pre-med) and think I've decided on it. I'd really like to network and get involved in these posts, especially with the entering class of 2007. If any of you are out there, I'd like to hear from you. Also, for anybody else, I find myself occasionally defending my decision to go the optometry route (better work hours, no residency, etc.) Has anybody else switched from pre-med so late in their undergraduate years and put up with family/friends constant questioning?

 

[OperaticPreOD]

Hello, pippistrellodaq. I also am planning on applying next fall for admission to opt. schools. So yes, there are more of us out there. In addition, I also played around with the idea of Pre-med before going the Pre-op route. I found that I enjoyed learning the material much more as a pre-op than a pre-med. I performed better in my classes and was less stressed out. As for the career, I find the most important aspect of it is that you can be an important health care provider but still have time on the side for hobbies, family, etc. This is a very attractive attribute to me, as it probably is with many other undergrads.

 

[gsinccom]

I was in the same boat you are in. I am applying for Fall 2007 as well. Don't be too quick to generalize though and think the OD profession is all roses; I would say the average OD doesn't do a residency and has better work hours once in practice than the average MD but this isn't always the case...i.e, retail Optometry (which is what many new grads go into now and may choose to stay in cause of the security it gives) has frequent weekend hours and evening hours. And many ODs do choose to do a 1 year residency just as many Pharmacists and Dentists choose to do so; but from the research I've done these residencies aren't as insane time-wise as primary-care MD/DO residencies and certainly 1 year is better than 3-6 years. There are challenges with a career in optometry as there are in any career you choose. All I am saying is be sure you do all your research so you can defend your own personal constant questioning and not so much so as to defend the questioning of others; there will always be those who don't understand but you must understand what you are choosing and why you are choosing it. This is a positive thing but it also involves facing up to the realities that currently face the profession.

 

[pippistrellodaq]

Thanks for the advice. I agree with what both of you said. Hopefully we'll keep in touch, and it's nice to hear that there are others in a similar position to mine.