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- Apr 29, 2004
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I'm relatively new to this board, but as a future ophtho applicant this fall, the cavalier attitude of optometry worries me. Nowhere else in medicine have I seen more non-physicians practicing medicine. And nowhere else does one find non-physicians attempting to practice surgery!! Especially from folks who have gone to a three-year "trade school" after getting an AA from the local community college.
Many optometrists are now saying, "show us the research showing optometrists have worse surgical outcomes." We cannot take this bait! By allowing them to use this argument, we are allowing optometrists to get their foot in the door. In order to have a study showing worse surgical outcomes, one would need to have optometrists performing surgery. THIS IS NOT ETHICAL! Optometrists are hoping that by baiting the ophthalmologists in this manner, they will gain surgical privileges, if only to take part in a study. Once precedent has been set, there's no going back.
Just as a study comparing chiropracters performing spine surgery to orthopods is UNETHICAL, so is a study comparing optometrists to ophthalmologists performing surgery.
noish
Many optometrists are now saying, "show us the research showing optometrists have worse surgical outcomes." We cannot take this bait! By allowing them to use this argument, we are allowing optometrists to get their foot in the door. In order to have a study showing worse surgical outcomes, one would need to have optometrists performing surgery. THIS IS NOT ETHICAL! Optometrists are hoping that by baiting the ophthalmologists in this manner, they will gain surgical privileges, if only to take part in a study. Once precedent has been set, there's no going back.
Just as a study comparing chiropracters performing spine surgery to orthopods is UNETHICAL, so is a study comparing optometrists to ophthalmologists performing surgery.
noish