Path to becoming an Ophthalmologist

[nmu preopt]

I am a 3rd year undergrad student thinking about going into the eye feild. I was thinking about becoming an optometrist and researched the field to see what it consisted of. I dont know much about, but have been recently interested in ophthalmology. My question is: what is the traditional path an ophthalmologist would take from where I am at until becoming a lisenced and practicing doc?

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[EYESURG]

I am a 3rd year undergrad student thinking about going into the eye feild. I was thinking about becoming an optometrist and researched the field to see what it consisted of. I dont know much about, but have been recently interested in ophthalmology. My question is: what is the traditional path an ophthalmologist would take from where I am at until becoming a lisenced and practicing doc?

Have you checked the FAQ section on this forum?

 

[odieoh]

I am a 3rd year undergrad student thinking about going into the eye feild. I was thinking about becoming an optometrist and researched the field to see what it consisted of. I dont know much about, but have been recently interested in ophthalmology. My question is: what is the traditional path an ophthalmologist would take from where I am at until becoming a lisenced and practicing doc?

1. Get into med school
2. Finish med school scoring well on boards and getting excellent clinical grades (4 years)
3. Get into Ophthalmology residency
4. Complete intern year (1 year)
5. Complete Ophthalmology residency (3 years)

You would then be able to practice comprehensive Ophthalmology. You could also specialize even further in areas such as Retina, glaucoma, pediatric ophtho, neuro-opth, cornea, plastics, etc. Most of these fellowships are one year, but some are two.

 

[Visioncam]

If you go into optometry school, you will experience a ceiling in the amount of care that you can provide (until future legislation passes to allow optometrists to do surgery and breast implants-not a joke), a limit of the quality of training, and become limited to doing one thing.

This is not to say optometrists are dumb or poorly trained. Their expertise is refraction and contact lenses. Their training is not as good for eye diseases or eye manifestations of systemic disease much as many ophthalmologists' contact lens training is not as good in most residency programs.

If you go to medical school, you will have much leeway to change your mind and do plastic surgery, ENT, orthopedics, ophthalmology, etc.

 

[nmu preopt]

If you go to medical school, you will have much leeway to change your mind and do plastic surgery, ENT, orthopedics, ophthalmology, etc.

ok that makes good sense. now my fear is my 3.2 from a state school wont be good enough for med school. also another question how hard is it to get into ophtho from med school. i heard its competitive...does that mean top quarter of your class?

 

[rubensan]

ok that makes good sense. now my fear is my 3.2 from a state school wont be good enough for med school. also another question how hard is it to get into ophtho from med school. i heard its competitive...does that mean top quarter of your class?

competitive, but not impossible. top quarter-top third describes most matched applicants.

Ruben