Practicing Optometry Overseas

[ODra]

Is anyone considering practicing optometry overseas? I've been looking into this and it seems like in many countries an optometry degree basically translates into being an optician. Anyone know more about this?

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ppa93]

Is anyone considering practicing optometry overseas? I've been looking into this and it seems like in many countries an optometry degree basically translates into being an optician. Anyone know more about this?

Thanks!

you are right, thats why I am not gonna practice overseas. OD basically is an optician degree in most countries including UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc (except for Canada).
In France, you are nothing, not even optician. Therefore, stop thinking about working overseas.
OD is useless everywhere except US and Canada.
Why do u think the Optometry school is the least competitive Health care professional school? Why do u think there are only 17 Optometry schools , 19 including canadian school?

Even pharmacists are more recognized by most countries.
OD is actually lower than PharmD.

 

[Richard_Hom]

Is anyone considering practicing optometry overseas? I've been looking into this and it seems like in many countries an optometry degree basically translates into being an optician. Anyone know more about this?

Thanks!

All healthcare professions suffer from provincialism when trying to practice oveseas. For instance, in Mexico and Central America, it matters little if you're the most heralded physician in the US. That physician cannot practice medicine unless they have gone through that country's medical school.

Australia and New Zealand have pass legislation allowing for therapeutics and although 30 years behind the US, will likely expand their scope gradually as it is in the USA.

Some thing to think about. A US OD has to sit for the boards again if they want to practice in Canada. There is no licensure by endorsement. Likewise in Australia or New Zealand or the EU.

This is both a professioanl poltical and economic issue who want to protect the interal graduates.

Richard

 

[xmattODx]

Is anyone considering practicing optometry overseas? I've been looking into this and it seems like in many countries an optometry degree basically translates into being an optician. Anyone know more about this?

Thanks!

I know a woman who opened a practice in Honduras, so it is possible. I think the real quesiton comes down to what do you want to do overseas? Are you hoping to just earn a living or are you trying to serve mankind? I've heard of ODs being used in Ghana, Haiti, and other places. I've also seen advertisements for American ODs in New Zealand.

 

[file014]

When I go on rotation this summer, I will be working for a US doc in Mexico. Given its an extension clinic of my school, she is still doing all the stuff we do here (and I will be too). They've been doing it since about 1999. Ill try to find out more when I get there. I've seen "optometrists" in the town, maybe Ill visit and see what they do.

Oh, and IU is helping train optometrists in Thailand to have a wider scope like US optometrists. Doing DFE's and things like that.

 

[Summer_rouge]

OD's are very much respected in Singapore, especially if it's from US or Canada. If you want to work in Asia and be respected as an OD, u gotta work in a hospital setting and not so in private practice (optical chains). Sadly, ophthalmologists has taken all the roles of optometrists except for refractions, therefore most optometrists are hired mainly for refractions, cuz MD's simply can't refract for nuts. Asia's exposure to optometry is shallow, so we can't blame the public and the govt body for underestimating us, therefore we need more real optometrists not refractionists to show them what we got.

 

[Anubis84]

you are right, thats why I am not gonna practice overseas. OD basically is an optician degree in most countries including UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc (except for Canada).
In France, you are nothing, not even optician. Therefore, stop thinking about working overseas.
OD is useless everywhere except US and Canada.
Why do u think the Optometry school is the least competitive Health care professional school? Why do u think there are only 17 Optometry schools , 19 including canadian school?

Even pharmacists are more recognized by most countries.
OD is actually lower than PharmD.

As well it should be. I have much more respect for PharmDs.

 

[scraders]

I have much more respect for PharmDs.

why is that?

(be careful of what you say...i am aware of your comments on the ophthalmology forum...)

 

[rpie]

why is that?

(be careful of what you say...i am aware of your comments on the ophthalmology forum...)

Anubis84 and Brendang share similar views.

 

[sco1styear]

As well it should be. I have much more respect for PharmDs.

This comment just shows your lack of respect for mankind in general as well as being ill-informed about the subject matter (contrary to what your personal opinion may be).

 

[meb302]

As well it should be. I have much more respect for PharmDs.

Hey look everyone! It's another ignorant, ***** who doesn't deserve our attention! Where do these people come from?!?!?