OD or MD

[UCundergrad]

Hello,

I am a pre-optometry student who has recently had some doubts about the profession. My main concern is that the field would not provide enough interesting cases for me. Initially, I was drawn to the field because it is clean, most patients leave happier, less stressful, and more family time. Lately, I have considered applying to medical school because I feel as it is a field that can keep me interested, specifically ophthalmology. Here are my pros and cons:

Opt pros: see above
Opt cons: the vast majority of work is very routine

Med pros: more interesting cases?
Med cons: less family time, my grades (3.2 at UCI)

I am looking for some insight into the lives of both OD's and MD's. Are the lives of MD's as time consuming as they say? Will doing an OD residency keep my career more interesting as an OD? I currently work at a private OD office. Would it be a wasted effort if I go the pre-med route now? Do I even have a chance of getting into any medical school this cycle or the next (<1 year research, no MCAT yet, not many other EC)?

I plan on shadowing an OMD/OD office soon, but any contribution is appreciated.

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[BadHorse]

Hello,

I am a pre-optometry student who has recently had some doubts about the profession. My main concern is that the field would not provide enough interesting cases for me. Initially, I was drawn to the field because it is clean, most patients leave happier, less stressful, and more family time. Lately, I have considered applying to medical school because I feel as it is a field that can keep me interested, specifically ophthalmology. Here are my pros and cons:

Opt pros: see above
Opt cons: the vast majority of work is very routine

Med pros: more interesting cases?
Med cons: less family time, my grades (3.2 at UCI)

I am looking for some insight into the lives of both OD's and MD's. Are the lives of MD's as time consuming as they say? Will doing an OD residency keep my career more interesting as an OD? I currently work at a private OD office. Would it be a wasted effort if I go the pre-med route now? Do I even have a chance of getting into any medical school this cycle or the next (<1 year research, no MCAT yet, not many other EC)?

I plan on shadowing an OMD/OD office soon, but any contribution is appreciated.

One thing to keep in mind: ophthalmology is a very competitive specialty. You should not go to medical school if you would be heartbroken in another field.

That's all I got, carry on.

 

[Mahliah]

:troll:

 

[startswithb]

Does your optometrist charge you $75 for a "contact lens fitting?" "Try on these contacts and tell me how they feel."

 

[NewEngland21]

One thing to keep in mind: ophthalmology is a very competitive specialty. You should not go to medical school if you would be heartbroken in another field.

That's all I got, carry on.

This

It seems like you're interested in the eye and diseases of the eye. Opt school is a sure bet, but if you go to MD or DO school and don't get into an ophthalmology residency and don't want to do anything else then you kind of waisted your time and a lot of money.

:troll:

 

[BJJ]

What's the consensus on the whole over saturation of the optometry field? I was Pre Opt which kind of got my foot in the door of professional schools. I went from opt to pharm and now I'm med. Some downsides I hear are that for eye diseases you can just go to an ophthalmologist or just for eyes glasses people can just go to an optician. Some have a hard time justifying more money for just eyeglasses.

 

[UCundergrad]

I appreciate the replies. I see what you guys are saying. However, I am also interested in sports medicine as well as infectious diseases. I suppose at this point I have a lot of shadowing to do. Are the hours really as bad as people say they are? Will my profession remain the main focus of my life after graduation/residency? Does the typical physician get to work on interesting cases or do things become routine?

Thanks again.

 

[UCundergrad]

What's the consensus on the whole over saturation of the optometry field? I was Pre Opt which kind of got my foot in the door of professional schools. I went from opt to pharm and now I'm med. Some downsides I hear are that for eye diseases you can just go to an ophthalmologist or just for eyes glasses people can just go to an optician. Some have a hard time justifying more money for just eyeglasses.

From what I have heard, there are some places in the US that are in need of optometrists. However, for the majority of the country, there is an over-saturation in the field. This was also another reason I am reconsidering optometry.

 

[Kekeirda]

Are the hours really as bad as people say they are? Will my profession remain the main focus of my life after graduation/residency? Does the typical physician get to work on interesting cases or do things become routine?

Thanks again.

The answer to all of these questions depend on what speciallity you go into. Dermatolagy has great hours and you won't take your work home with you... but is both boring and extremely competitive. General surgery is alot of fun and you see cool things but has horrible hours and you are always bringing your work home with you.

 

[UCundergrad]

The answer to all of these questions depend on what speciallity you go into. Dermatolagy has great hours and you won't take your work home with you... but is both boring and extremely competitive. General surgery is alot of fun and you see cool things but has horrible hours and you are always bringing your work home with you.

Ahh. I see. That makes a lot of sense. Which specialties are considered in-between? I want to be intrigued by my work, but I do not wish to sacrifice my time for my family.

Thanks a lot.

 

[FIREitUP]

Ahh. I see. That makes a lot of sense. Which specialties are considered in-between? I want to be intrigued by my work, but I do not wish to sacrifice my time for my family.

Thanks a lot.

There are several fields that are considered lifestyle fields (ROAD comes to mind), but bear in mind that the initial time commitment is great comparing to OD school.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Ahh. I see. That makes a lot of sense. Which specialties are considered in-between? I want to be intrigued by my work, but I do not wish to sacrifice my time for my family except for possibly having shockingly little time for family during 4-years of medical school, and surely having shockingly little time for family during 3-7 years of residency.

Thanks a lot.

There. Fixed that for you.

 

[NewEngland21]

The answer to all of these questions depend on what speciallity you go into. Dermatolagy has great hours and you won't take your work home with you... but is both boring and extremely competitive. General surgery is alot of fun and you see cool things but has horrible hours and you are always bringing your work home with you.

Something about this makes me LOL...

Also, not how you spell "dermatology."

 

[UCundergrad]

I realize that there is a huge commitment during school and residencies, but I am more concerned with what happens after. Would it be too narrow-minded to apply to medical school with just few specialties in mind? I am not really interested in RAD. How is pathology? Any suggestions for something with more pt contact?

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I realize that there is a huge commitment during school and residencies, but I am more concerned with what happens after. Would it be too narrow-minded to apply to medical school with just few specialties in mind? I am not really interested in RAD.

With your GPA, yes, that would be a mistake. IMO, you really should stick to OD. Just don't think you have the motivation for the pain of the MD process just to see some more-interesting cases, whatever that means.

 

[ACSurgeon]

I realize that there is a huge commitment during school and residencies, but I am more concerned with what happens after. Would it be too narrow-minded to apply to medical school with just few specialties in mind? I am not really interested in RAD. How is pathology? Any suggestions for something with more pt contact?

You have to be very committed to become a doctor. This includes life after residency. However, I don't really think it's as bad as SDNers make it seem (then again, maybe my definition of bad has shifted over the past 4 years).

Most internal medicine subspecialties have the potential for GREAT hours, interesting cases, and more money than an optometrist. If your spouse is a professional who also pulls in 6 figures, you can both work "part time" and bring home >150k a year.

Even general surgery has jobs/specialties that are flexible to allow for a better family life. Endocrine/breast/surgical hospitalist (or acute care surgery) come to mind.

So, options for those who want less demanding jobs (although these will still be demanding, as you are a professional, a doctor who is entrusted with people's lives):

1- Anesthesia
2- Radiology
3- Pathology
4- Many IM subspecialties (heme/onc, rheum, nephro, sports med, infectious disease, etc)
5- ENT/Ophtho
6- PM&R
7- neurology (non-stroke)
8- psychiatry

and the list can go on, and on.