Why would anyone choose to be an OD?

This forum made possible through the generous support of
SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

less stress....more time with family......for the most part, don't deal with death...........have the ability to have immediate impact on people's quality of life; that is, a patient comes to my office unable to see but leaves with 20/20 vision......

i don't understand why people think being a physician is the "ultimate" or "supreme" profession?? please enlighten me...
 
Never said that being a physician was the ultimate or supreme...I just don't understand why anyone would want to be an OD as opposed to being an ophthalmologist.

ChiroOrtho
 
i just listed some reasons.........besides there are not guarantees that a medical student who desires to deal primarily with the eyes will have that chance.....one thing i know for sure, when i graduate in 4 years i will be dealing with the eyes....

for anyone who desires to do surgery, then by all means, go to medical school....but for those of us who don't, then optometry is a great, rewarding profession with unlimited opportunities...
 
please elaborate.....by the way chiro, what is your intended profession?
 
I'm a chiropractic physician, board certified in orthopedics.
 
a chiropractor??? why did you want to be a chiro instead of an physician?
 
wow....you perform surgery, prescribe drugs...that's amazing.....more than the chiros in my area can do

how was that entrance exam you had to take to get in to chiro school...pretty tough, i'm sure....:laugh:
 
Sounds like you wanted to go to chiro school and couldn't get in. What was your uindergrad GPA? Or do OD students need to go to college before OD school?
 
3.7 at The Univ. of Kansas....thank you very much

wouldn't want to be a chiro if it was the last "health" profession available. never answered my question...why chiro and not a physician?
 
A little sensitive, aren't we?

And you won't see any chiropractic physicians working in WalMart.
 
Originally posted by chiroortho
Unlike optometrists, I am a physician.
The hell you are. You spend your time tweaking people's vertebrae. Demonstrate that you're legitimately qualified to do anything else to a person, and maybe the rest of SDN will stop laughing at you.

I'm proud of my profession, and equally aware of its strengths and its limitations on the impact of my patients' health. We're in this to serve their best interests, and claiming self-aggrandized, delusional, and outright fraudulent professional titles serves nothing except to feed an insecure ego. Chiropractor? Sure. "Chiropractic physician?" Like hell.
 
answer my question....why chiro and not a physician......just for giggles why don't you check out default rates on student loans and tell me which health professions seem to be the most stable...you will find an alarming # of chiro students unable to pay off their student loans...why is that? but again, why chiro and not physician and for that matter why not optometrist, dentist, pharmacist, physical therapist...hell any mainstream health profession??? why not choose a career that has some respect....
 
Originally posted by aphistis
The hell you are. You spend your time tweaking people's vertebrae. Demonstrate that you're legitimately qualified to do anything else to a person, and maybe the rest of SDN will stop laughing at you.

I'm proud of my profession, and equally aware of its strengths and its limitations on the impact of my patients' health. We're in this to serve their best interests, and claiming self-aggrandized, delusional, and outright fraudulent professional titles serves nothing except to feed an insecure ego. Chiropractor? Sure. "Chiropractic physician?" Like hell.

That's nice, Bill. Now drill, fill, and bill. And how fun is it to look in patients' mouths all day?
 
Originally posted by thenderson
answer my question....why chiro and not a physician......just for giggles why don't you check out default rates on student loans and tell me which health professions seem to be the most stable...you will find an alarming # of chiro students unable to pay off their student loans...why is that? but again, why chiro and not physician and for that matter why not optometrist, dentist, pharmacist, physical therapist...hell any mainstream health profession??? why not choose a career that has some respect....

I practice 4 mornings a week, am debt free, and paid my loans off early. As to mainstream, I did what I wanted to do. I didn't worry about what optometrists might think.

Again, why choose a profession where you have to work at WalMart to make a living?
 
Originally posted by aphistis
A buddy of mine is studying to be a gastroenterologist. Compared to him, I'd say I got the pleasant end of the digestive tract.

Gotcha.
 
hey pal...you're the one who came to our forum trying to stir things up....don't get so defensive....true, many optometrists do work in a commercial setting, whatever works for them....many pharmacists also work in commercial setting, do they not serve a purpose? instead a coming to our forum to start stuff, why don't you go to the chiro forum...........oh yeah, there isn't one:laugh:
 
You really got me there...I have to admit, you're quite the clever one.
 
i can see that your profession must be going so well if you have time to come to a student web-site have the nerve to ask why we chose a certain profession..... why don't you get back to massaging your "clients", but before you leave, please list some advantages of being a chiro as opposed to a mainstream health professional (i.e physician, optometrist, dentist, pharmacist, nurse, PT, vet)
 
Originally posted by thenderson
i can see that your profession must be going so well if you have time to come to a student web-site have the nerve to ask why we chose a certain profession..... why don't you get back to massaging your "clients", but before you leave, please list some advantages of being a chiro as opposed to a mainstream health professional (i.e physician, optometrist, dentist, pharmacist, nurse, PT, vet)

I came to "your" forum to ask a simple question...curiosity. Your circumspect answers made me more suspicious, thus more questions. If you go back and read the questions you'll see that my questions were straightforward and your responses were emotional. Why is that? It makes me think that you chose optometry as a compromise, not as your first choice. If I ask a medical student why he chose MD over OD, he'll laugh. Why the strong reaction?

You seem to have a very difficult time acknowledging the obvious. Don't take things so personally.
 
my first 2 replies were straight forward....you asked a question and I answered.....not til i found out that you are chiro did i take some offense to the question......optometry was never a compromise for me....it was my first choice....never, applied to MD, DO , dental or pharmacy...would i have gotten in...probably, just based on my undergrad performance, but who knows.....i have never once regretted my decision...i have the ability to improve people's lives in a low stress environment, what more could i ask for.....just out of curiosity, why don't you ask a similar question on the dental or pharmacy forums and see if you don't strike some nerves.. as far as i'm concerned my opinions on this topic are through...although, i'm sure you'll get many more responses.
 
Originally posted by chiroortho
I just don't understand why anyone would want to be an OD as opposed to being an ophthalmologist.

ChiroOrtho

he gave you reasons, why dont you read them. 😕 :laugh:
 
ChiroOrtho,
You suffer from an inferiority complex. You call yourself a chiropractic physician? You gotta be kidding me. Your profession chiropractic is a joke! You are not even considered a healthcare practitioner let alone a so called doctor. Please the majority of applicants to your profession are almost ******ed with gpa's in the low 2's. The majority of your colleagues are in default and can't pay back there student loans. Talk about optometrists having a hard time finding jobs lately. In your profession, most of your colleagues decide to do something else after they get there DC b/c there are no jobs out there. You are the biggest quack out there. The bottom of the bottom as far as health care goes. Your IQ and that of your so called colleagues is extremely low.
How dare you come here and talk crap.
Your undergrad GPA was what? 2.0000
Dumb ass.
Chiropractor physician.........keep smoking your hallucinating drugs you BID MORAN!
 
Trust me, no one, including the federal gov't, who is not a chiropractor considers a chiropractor a physician. Anyone who works at McDonalds can pick up an app and get into Chiropatric school.
 
okay guys... lets quit the mudslinging. please.

If anyone has CONSTRUCTIVE things to say about the pros and cons of Chiro vs OD... feel free to discuss.
 
it's really mean to bad mouth any kinds of professions on these forums. everyone has their own preferences and paths in life. if you want to do chiro, set your heart for it. if you have doubts, do a little research and find out if it's right for you. if you have more doubts, consider other professions. there's no reason to come in here and bad mouthing optometry or any other professions for that matter. suggestion: next time find a better way to word your question so others won't get offended by your rudeness (??)

Likewise to the ODs out there, if the bro. wants to lift his ego up about chiro and how great it is, hey go for it buddy...hey more power to ya. It's very tempting to attack fools who knows nothing about a certain profession and simply dissing it.

You see, arguing with a fool is like popping a pimple. If you pick at it, it will become red, then imflammed, and becomes a big fat zit...not to mention a scar. But if you leave it alone, it will eventually go down and you won't even notice that there was a pimple there. Get the idea?

😎
 
Originally posted by chiroortho
A little sensitive, aren't we?

And you won't see any chiropractic physicians working in WalMart.
I've never seen a chiropractic physician, period...but we've already covered that.

As for examining the professions, this is the sort of thing that should make most anybody immediately discard chiropractic as a credible health profession:

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/vaccines/pg_one.html

Who else but a chiropractor would consider widespread vaccination one of the greatest epidemiological (that means diseases in the population, for all the chiropractors reading) disasters ever?

Thanks to the Allo forum for the link.
 
Originally posted by aphistis
I've never seen a chiropractic physician, period...but we've already covered that.

That's fine Bill. No problem there.

As for examining the professions, this is the sort of thing that should make most anybody immediately discard chiropractic as a credible health profession:

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/vaccines/pg_one.html
Who else but a chiropractor would consider widespread vaccination one of the greatest epidemiological (that means diseases in the population, for all the chiropractors reading) disasters ever?Thanks to the Allo forum for the link.

Bill, you're intelligent enough to realize that every profession, including yours, has its share of lunatics. Good grief, look at the dentists that advocate removing all mercury amalgam fillings...do all dentists agree with that? For the record, all of my kids are vaccinated, and 99% of DCs recommend vaccination. It's the vocal few that get the press. If you don't know that now, you will. Go to www.dentalwatch.com. Then ask yourself if because some wackos in dentistry are ripping people off, should all of dentists be considered buffoons? Just because some dentists make money gluing white chicklets to old ladies' teeth, does that make all dentists bad? Of course not.

ChiroOrtho
 
JSNYMD

"Trust me, no one, including the federal gov't, who is not a chiropractor considers a chiropractor a physician. Anyone who works at McDonalds can pick up an app and get into Chiropatric school."



From the social security act:

Physician
(r) The term "physician", when used in connection with the performance of any function or action, means (1) a doctor of medicine or osteopathy legally authorized to practice medicine and surgery by the State in which he performs such function or action (including a physician within the meaning of section 1101(a)(7)), (2) a doctor of dental surgery or of dental medicine who is legally authorized to practice dentistry by the State in which he performs such function and who is acting within the scope of his license when he performs such functions, (3) a doctor of podiatric medicine for the purposes of subsections (k), (m), (p)(1), and (s) of this section and sections 1814(a), 1832(a)(2)(F)(ii), and 1835 but only with respect to functions which he is legally authorized to perform as such by the State in which he performs them, (4) a doctor of optometry, but only for purposes of subsection (p)(1) with respect to the provision of items or services described in subsection (s) which he is legally authorized to perform as a doctor of optometry by the State in which he performs them, or (5) a chiropractor who is licensed as such by the State (or in a State which does not license chiropractors as such, is legally authorized to perform the services of a chiropractor in the jurisdiction in which he performs such services), and who meets uniform minimum standards promulgated by the Secretary, but only for the purpose of sections 1861(s)(1) and 1861(s)(2)(A) and only with respect to treatment by means of manual manipulation of the spine (to correct a subluxation) which he is legally authorized to perform by the State or jurisdiction in which such treatment is provided. For the purposes of section 1862(a)(4) and subject to the limitations and conditions provided in the previous sentence, such term includes a doctor of one of the arts, specified in such previous sentence, legally authorized to practice such art in the country in which the inpatient hospital services (referred to in such section 1862(a)(4)) are furnished.

Really, according to the govement, DC's, OD's and DDS/DMD are ALL considered physicians.
 
drama.gif
 
to answer your question really quickly:

Why choose Optometry over Ophthalmology.
1. no overhead when it comes to surgeries etc.
2. Less time in school = more time with family and friends
3. Optomety's scope is growing and advancing.....its exciting to be a part of something thats "evolving".....
example: in Oklahoma, Optometrists can perform LASIK. This was unheard of a few years back....

I've been accepted to the New England College of Optometry (turned down FL,PCO and ICO for personal reasons) and I cant wait to begin school this Fall !!:clap:
 
Originally posted by anothertony
to answer your question really quickly:

Why choose Optometry over Ophthalmology.
1. no overhead when it comes to surgeries etc.
2. Less time in school = more time with family and friends
3. Optomety's scope is growing and advancing.....its exciting to be a part of something thats "evolving".....
example: in Oklahoma, Optometrists can perform LASIK. This was unheard of a few years back....

I've been accepted to the New England College of Optometry (turned down FL,PCO and ICO for personal reasons) and I cant wait to begin school this Fall !!:clap:


anothertony,

No Optometrist can do LASIK. Some OD's in Oklahoma have undergone additional training and are certified to use lasers for glaucoma treatment, YAG capsulotomies and PRK........but not Lasik.

Just to set the record straight.

Tom
 
Originally posted by anothertony
to answer your question really quickly:

Why choose Optometry over Ophthalmology.
1. no overhead when it comes to surgeries etc.
2. Less time in school = more time with family and friends
3. Optomety's scope is growing and advancing.....its exciting to be a part of something thats "evolving".....
example: in Oklahoma, Optometrists can perform LASIK. This was unheard of a few years back....

I've been accepted to the New England College of Optometry (turned down FL,PCO and ICO for personal reasons) and I cant wait to begin school this Fall !!:clap:

Way to go Tony! Best wishes to you. I truly hope that your career is everything that you dreamed it would be. God bless.

👍

ChiroOrtho
 
My sincere apologies to OD students for my childish remarks in earlier posts. When I started the thread I was sincerely interested in your thoughts, but certainly worded the question in such a way as to bait you, and should have asked instead something like "What motivated you to choose optometry?"

Upon reflection, I think I would have been indignant as well, had you posted similar comments to a chiro forum. See www.chiroweb.com if you're interested.

Email and forums allow for a certain anonymity that sometimes results in rudeness that I would never express in personal communications. My fault. Hopefully we'll all consider this before we post inappropriately.

Don't let my responses color your attitude toward all DCs. Everybody has a bad day from time to time.

My best wishes to all,

ChiroOrtho
 
chiroortho,
I meant BIG not BID in my post. That was a typo error.
I have no regret for what I said to you. You are an IDIOT.
Know your profession is a total WASTE!
Go make some money being a comic because you are really good at making people laugh AT YOU! 😛
 
it's aite bro. there's always a misunderstanding in here.

i have to admit that i like reading the "mudsliding" posts. it's interesting to know how much you learn when 2 or 3 people argue...cuz when you argue, out of anger, you speak the truth.

:horns: world peace:horns:
long live and prosper😎
 
Originally posted by Reality check
chiroortho,
I meant BIG not BID in my post. That was a typo error.
I have no regret for what I said to you. You are an IDIOT.
Know your profession is a total WASTE!
Go make some money being a comic because you are really good at making people laugh AT YOU! 😛

I'm not going to take the bait RC...I wish you the best.

ChiroOrtho
 
For the record: baiting RC is like beating a dead horse. :laugh:
 
Originally posted by eyedream82
For the record: baiting RC is like beating a dead horse. :laugh:

I think you're right, eyedream.

RC's intensity seems to border on the pathologic. Good grief.

Let it go, RC.

ChiroOrtho
 
Ok fair enough. I will let it go. Perhaps I went overboard.
However, I took offense by your foolish and immature comments bashing optometry and trying to insult us by contrasting us with ophthalmology. Those statements should never have been made especially from someone like you. A Chiropractor.
Granted you apologized earlier in your post no excuse.
Talking about pathologic? look at yourself in the mirror and you'll see PATHOLOGIC.


Peace out.
 
I think health care practitioners such as physicians (DO/MD), dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, nurses, etc. all have integral roles in serving the community. So I don't look down on anyone. I believe we all should work together as a team.
 
Originally posted by Reality check
Ok fair enough. I will let it go. Perhaps I went overboard.
However, I took offense by your foolish and immature comments bashing optometry and trying to insult us by contrasting us with ophthalmology. Those statements should never have been made especially from someone like you. A Chiropractor.

Granted you apologized earlier in your post no excuse.
Talking about pathologic? look at yourself in the mirror and you'll see PATHOLOGIC.

Peace out.

RC,

Yes, my comments were immature, foolish and entirely inappropriate. I know better than to do that. Again, my apologies.

I'll disregard your insults, and wish you well.

ChiroOrtho
 
Originally posted by ordinaryguy
I think health care practitioners such as physicians (DO/MD), dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, nurses, etc. all have integral roles in serving the community. So I don't look down on anyone. I believe we all should work together as a team.

RC did have a valid reason to take offense at my past comments, so we should cut him some slack. His responses may not have been appropriate either, but who knows, RC may otherwise be a good guy. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

You are right about every profession having a role. Professional pecking orders are silly, and serve no useful purpose.

My best,

ChiroOrtho
 
Top