Job outlook in ophthalmology

[PBEA]

Yes, you are advocating a short cut in the sense that your proposal adds up to 6-7 total years of training for eye surgeons. Currently, Ophthalmology is an 8-10 year training program (4 years med school + 1 year internship + 3 years residency + ?1-2 years fellowship). If there are plenty of excellent candidates to enter this pathway, why would you establish a shorter route? Eye surgery is more involved than you think, based on your posts.

Oh my goodness are you distracted or something? Anyway, forget it, i'm tired of repeating myself. Return this thread to its originally scheduled broadcast.

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[orbitsurgMD]

All of these theories are brilliant. But keep in mind the dynamic that truly puzzles the architects of health care training and government involvment.

Its that in Opthalmology, as well as many other well paid specialties, there is an overall surpluss but a shortage in rural and less than disirable locations.

There is a log jam in beverly hills, the hamptons, and the varying degrees of these loci, but not so in rural detroit, or hicksville alabama.

So the schools can justify pumping out more students, or opening up charter schools, but the problem is hard to solve.

This dynamic of distribution is most likely the way Optometry will eventaully expand their role in healthcare, by getting privledges in rural areas where there is a shortage or complete lack of Ophthalmology.

No judgment here, just an observation of one aspect of the "market"

Unlikely. The costs of delivery are very similar, and for any non-ophthalmologist entrant into the surgical market--assuming there would be any interest-- the relative costs approach unity. Practicing just like an ophthalmologist costs . . . just like an ophthalmologist. And the barriers to practitioners going to "underserved" areas remain the same. When a location cannot attract a provider market, that is the problem, not the initials on the last name of the provider.

Optometry serves smaller markets because their market for basic examination and refraction and fitting for spectacles is more universal; the same would not apply for surgical services, from anyone.