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Optometry

Optometry. Get Your Glasses On!. What IS an Optometrist?. An optometrist has an O.D. (Oculus Doctor). O.D .’s can: Examine/diagnose patients Prescribe meds, eye glasses or contacts, vision therapy perform certain eye surgeries (depending on state regulations). How do you get there?.

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Optometry

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  1. Optometry Get Your Glasses On!

  2. What IS an Optometrist? • An optometrist has an O.D. (Oculus Doctor). • O.D.’s can: • Examine/diagnose patients • Prescribe meds, eye glasses or contacts, vision therapy • perform certain eye surgeries (depending on state regulations)

  3. How do you get there? • The requirements are similar to those for medical school. • 3-4 years (usually) of undergraduate education with a strong science background • An undergraduate degree is required, so this really depends on how long it takes to get your degree. • 4 years of graduate education at a school of optometry • Pass board exams (administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry) • Specialization! Further education in particular areas (e.g. ocular pathology)

  4. How do you get there? part 2 • There are 19 schools of Optometry (currently) in the U.S. • Admission to these schools is competitive with about 1 out of 3 applicants being accepted. • Applicants take the OAT (Optometry Admissions Test), a standardized test covering natural sciences, reading comprehension, physics, and qualitative reasoning.

  5. Cost and Salary • Optometry schools can cost $9,312 to $22,470 for residents and up to $51,420 for non-residents • Some schools have programs allowing non-residents to pay the resident tuition. • There are many loan options and grants to help students pay for their education. • 2009 average net income for primary care optometrists was $130,856

  6. The Job • Most optometrists work in private practices (and therefore need to be business savvy). • Many patients come in to be fitted for glasses/contacts, but other problems (think glaucoma and cataracts) are treated as well. • Optometrists may also do research (some go on to get Ph.D.’s for this).

  7. Professionalism • Candidates for optometry schools should have volunteering and shadowing experience. • “The purpose in shadowing an optometrist is to ensure that optometry is the profession for you.” – Berkeley School of Optometry • Other extra-curricular activities are considered on applications. • Optometry school students receive ethics education alongside their other classes.

  8. Resources • Bureau of Labor Statistics: • http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos073.htm • Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry: • http://www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3347 • Berkeley Optometry (be sure to check out the “etiquette” section under admissions for great advice): • http://optometry.berkeley.edu/index.html • USA News Best Careers of 2009: • http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2008/12/11/best-careers-2009-optometrist

  9. Questions? • What do you think would be most interesting about this type of work? • What would be the most difficult part of this job for you? Why? • How would you go about preparing yourself for this profession? • What’s your favorite part of the eye?

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