How to become a VT Optometrist

[ikarichan]

Hi Everyone! I'm currently applying to optometry school this year and several of the schools I'm applying to do not have a strong VT clinic. To help with my decision to optometry school, I was hoping you guys could provide some of your experience to the necessity of having a particular specialty if that's what you want to specialize in. My question is, How necessary is it to go to a school with a specific VT clinic if I'm planning on doing a residency in VT? Would I be more competitive as an applicant for residency in the future if I choose a school with a VT clinic? Will a school with a Binocular Vision/Pediatric clinic be sufficient?

I'd really like your thoughts and answers to my questions. And just a little background, I've been working as a vision therapist which is how I became introduced to developmental optometry. If I continue developmental optometry, I know for a fact I want to gain a residency in VT before I start practicing. I applied to a lot of schools so I feel lucky that I have choices, but now comes the hard part for me. Choosing!

thanks everyone!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Rain Clouds]

Any school with a Peds/BV clinic should be doing VT in that clinic. Other than that, the most important thing you can do to be competitive as a resident is do well in your coursework in general. Start looking for and going to meetings in the specialty - COVD, OEP, just go to whoever teaches BV or VT at the school you end up going to, and asking what meetings there are to go to. Go to the AAO meeting or other national meetings, too, with binocular vision sections. Make sure you know the VT doctors in the area around your school (easy introduction... I'm an optometry student interested in VT). If you've been working as a vision therapist, I'm sure you're a good candidate for a residency anyway as long as you keep up in school! Best of luck.