What do I have to do to practice...

[mystro]

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Just wondering before applying to US schools (I'm from Canada). When I graduate from a US optometry school, what stuff do I have to go through to come back and practice in Ontario for example. A license exam? IS that the same as a board exam? Also, how hard is it to come back? I'm scared it'll be crazy hard to come back and i'll be stuck in the US by myself forever.

 

[xmattODx]

Just wondering before applying to US schools (I'm from Canada). When I graduate from a US optometry school, what stuff do I have to go through to come back and practice in Ontario for example. A license exam? IS that the same as a board exam? Also, how hard is it to come back? I'm scared it'll be crazy hard to come back and i'll be stuck in the US by myself forever.

It isn't too tough to go back to Canada. What you will do is take the Canadian equivalent of boards. This is a written (multiple choice) exam and a practical exam. It is very difficult but is passable. A few years ago the pass rate on FIRST TRY for Canadian students who studied in the US was 50%, however you can repeat parts of the exam that you fail (a number of months later) and with second try marks pass rate is much greater. I've not heard of anyone who was never able to pass. There are no longer provincial exams other than law exams which are the same week as the rest of the exams. You need not worry about any of this until you are in your fourth year of OD school. You will do fine and be able to practice in Canada with only the slightest of hoops to jump through and they are the same hoops that the Waterloo students have to jump through.

Your biggest concern will be re-paying your loans.