Is the General Ophthalmologist Dead?

[JJMD]

How will the encroachment of optoms on general ophthalmology affect subspecialities and their push for accreditation? Is it a way to protect yourself?

Many residents subspecialize b/c they enjoy a subject, but some do it to get the surgical experience they didn't get in residency. If you graduate from a strong program and feel confident to do a wide range of surgeries (and don't wish to concentrate on an area at the expense of forgetting everything else), should you do a fellowship as insurance? To "buff" your CV?

Thoughts?

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[mjl34]

Many residents subspecialize b/c they enjoy a subject, but some do it to get the surgical experience they didn't get in residency. If you graduate from a strong program and feel confident to do a wide range of surgeries (and don't wish to concentrate on an area at the expense of forgetting everything else), should you do a fellowship as insurance? To "buff" your CV?
Thoughts?

I can't speak for anyone else, but I can't wait to get out there and be a general ophthalmologist. If you go to a program that gives you broad experience (clinically and surgically) then you'll be more comfortable handling stuff that others would refer to specialists. In addition, as long as your well trained, you can enjoy a greater variety of surgeries this way too.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

How will the encroachment of optoms on general ophthalmology affect subspecialities and their push for accreditation? Is it a way to protect yourself?

Many residents subspecialize b/c they enjoy a subject, but some do it to get the surgical experience they didn't get in residency. If you graduate from a strong program and feel confident to do a wide range of surgeries (and don't wish to concentrate on an area at the expense of forgetting everything else), should you do a fellowship as insurance? To "buff" your CV?

Thoughts?

I think most residents who graduate receive outstanding surgical training. There are some programs that lack the surgical experience in certain sub-specialties, and these physicians know to stay away from the surgeries they are less proficient. Others will do fellowship training as you stated above. Some attendings have expressed their concern about the necessity of doing fellowship training if optometry continues to gain more medical and surgical privileges.

At this point, if optometrists are not allowed to perform intraocular surgeries and laser surgeries, then the general ophthalmologist is not dead. If you love this field like I do, then get involved politically at the State level first and the Federal level second. Give $$$ to your PAC & the AAO and stand up for what you believe in.

 

[Yogi Bear]

I think most residents who graduate receive outstanding surgical training. There are some programs that lack the surgical experience in certain sub-specialties, and these physicians know to stay away from the surgeries they are less proficient. Others will do fellowship training as you stated above. Some attendings have expressed their concern about the necessity of doing fellowship training if optometry continues to gain more medical and surgical privileges.

At this point, if optometrists are not allowed to perform intraocular surgeries and laser surgeries, then the general ophthalmologist is not dead. If you love this field like I do, then get involved politically at the State level first and the Federal level second. Give $$$ to your PAC & the AAO and stand up for what you believe in.

well, you could take charge andrew and start the http://www.petitiononline.com version of your effort.
i checked and there didn't seem to be any opthalmology related stuff on there.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Better yet, just give money to the AMA and OPHTHPAC. They hire professionals to work for us!

Also, contact your congress members in your state. Let them know how you feel. It makes a difference!