the school you go to matters?

[irisiris]

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Anyone have some insight on this?

So this past weekend I met a student who is about to be a third year optom student (I won't reveal what school he goes to), and naturally we are talking about optometry school, the scope of the career etc, and he makes a statement that basically reads: "Where you go to school matters. If two O.D.'s are competing for the same job, person from school A will always win over school B."

I'm not completely shocked by that statement. I think many of us felt growing up it was important to go to a "good" high school and then on to a "good" college, but I thought at the professional level it came down to more what you are looking for in a school and what your stats are. Yes, sure some schools stats are higher or lower than others, but we all have to be board certified and therefore we all meet a certain quality level of knowledge and practice, so wouldn't the rest of the resume count more than just the school title?

I'm really curious about this. I want to know every little detail about this industry I want to be a part of. And I don't want to be focusing on schools or agreeing to backup schools that would be a waste of my money: That I end up coming out with an O.D. degree and not finding the jobs I want b/c reality is I'll never get them for having gone to school XX.

 

[tbair200]

I think the person is referring to the newer schools. Obv if you go to a school like Suny it is more impressive than a newer one like Rosenberg. He is probably right about the jobs but maybe some optometry students can comment on that better 🙂

 

[optsuker]

Anyone have some insight on this?

I've brought in 2 associates in the last 10 years & hope to add another in the next few years. Here are some of my thought processes on hiring:

• I want someone in the top 1/2 off their class GPA-wise & I'm going to talk to the clinic staff & I want someone they view as top 20% in regard to clinical skills.
  Bonus if you offer a skill that we don't currently have.
• If your degree is from Puerto Rico or one of the 3 new schools, I'm going to assume you couldn't get in anywhere else. It may not be true, but its what I assume & you would have to prove otherwise.
• I want someone originally from this area. You know the community, I won't worry that you don't like it here & want to move back to NYC, LA, etc
  
• Most importantly, I want to LIKE you! We're going to have to work side by side & I want someone that's pleasant to be around. A partnership is harder to dissolve than a marriage.

Bottom line: I get so many good candidates with several years experience that only an exceptional new grad will get my attention. There is already a surplus of good OD's to choose from & I'm not going to bother taking a chance on someone from a new school that, IMO, probably should have never gotten into optometry school in the 1st place.

So, yes, the school you go to matters.
It doesn't mean you won't find a good job, but it will make it more difficult.