study in the US practice in Canada?

[shirin]

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Can an optometrist studied in the US practice in Canada?
Are there any specific exams they have to take?

 

[chrissystar]

Can an optometrist studied in the US practice in Canada?
Are there any specific exams they have to take?

Yes - as far as Im concerned, Canadians have to write the Canadian boards to get back into Canada.

 

[Squint]

There were 60 U.S. educated students writing the Canadian Boards this year or 42% of the total. Go to the following web site to see their results vs. Canadian students and to get further information.

http://www.ceo-eco.org/csao_results_2006.asp

 

[chrissystar]

There were 60 U.S. educated students writing the Canadian Boards this year or 42% of the total. Go to the following web site to see their results vs. Canadian students and to get further information.

http://www.ceo-eco.org/csao_results_2006.asp

wow!!!! this is really helpful - now if only they had one of these for american schools!

 

[Squint]

Yes , that would be helpful - but this is really all that is relevent for a Canadian student planning to return to Canada to practise. You can see the areas where U.S. students are weaker and plan steps to compensate. It is not that Waterloo is a better school - it's just tougher to get into.

 

[chrissystar]

Yes , that would be helpful - but this is really all that is relevent for a Canadian student planning to return to Canada to practise. You can see the areas where U.S. students are weaker and plan steps to compensate. It is not that Waterloo is a better school - it's just tougher to get into.

Why do you think most Canadians choose ICO, NECO and PCO?

 

[Squint]

State (public) schols are funded by U.s. taxpayers and restrict foreign students for obvious reasons. To the private schools - money is money - and they take more Canadians if they have the marks and are competitive.

 

[xmattODx]

It is not that Waterloo is a better school - it's just tougher to get into.

And teaches directly to the CSAO. You'd be surprised at some of the strange clinical procedures that they had us do. I'd never heard of them so had to remember to do somethings differently than I was taught in the US. Scope of practice is also different in Canada so Waterloo concentrates on different components of optometry than do US schools. That said it really isn't that difficult to pass the CSAO as an American grad.

 

[stonegoat]

To practice in Canada, as already stated, you will need to pass the Canadian Boards as well as whatever provincial exam is required. The training of Waterloo students gears them towards the Canadian Boards, thus they do well. The Canadian Boards exams are VERY poor quality with dated concepts and pharmacology. Waterloo is always so proud of the pass rates of its students, but if you receive you education in most US schools you will get much more excellent clinical experience. As an example, a Canadian educated OD doing her residency at my school in the US only saw ONE case of diabetic retinopathy before she graduated from OD school. Third year students at my school (including myself) were always teaching her pathology.
My point is, if you are educated in the US don't be intimidated by the Canadian Boards...you will pass if you study and you will find yourself very well prepared for delivering eye health care to your patients.

JP