Optometry Career

[LoadingMe]

Hello everyone,

Hopefully, my path does not sound weird or too off. Currently, I am a 25-year-old male who is in paramedic school with an expected graduation date of February 2020. After achieving my paramedic I was going to do a one year bridge program to get my nursing degree and then take online classes to finish off the classes left to achieve my bachelor's degree. Hopefully, have my BSN before I turn 30.

My dad recently had a mini-stroke that has affected his eye and due to this stroke, he has lost part of his vision slightly. After this had happened it honestly made me want to look into eye careers. I came across Optometrist and was looking for some more information on this field. I understand that it is more likely that the route I am taken is how the majority of students do not take and it may be dumb of me but I do not know.

How does one become an optometrist? Does this field require internships and residency? What degree is required to become on and how many years would it take after attaining a bachelors degree? Etc. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and respond. I would appreciate it if anyone can reframe from negative comments. Only looking for advice and information regarding the field. Thank you!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[deleted960078]

Heyy! I’m sorry to hear that but there are different ways to get into optometry school !but however you are gona be required to take the pre reqs which is like all the science classes and the OAT. it will be better if you have your bachelors in one of the sciences. Or a bachelors in something else but you still do the pre reqs. And optometry school is 4 years and after that you have the option to do residency but it’s optional.

 

[AcademicEyes]

Hello everyone,

Hopefully, my path does not sound weird or too off. Currently, I am a 25-year-old male who is in paramedic school with an expected graduation date of February 2020. After achieving my paramedic I was going to do a one year bridge program to get my nursing degree and then take online classes to finish off the classes left to achieve my bachelor's degree. Hopefully, have my BSN before I turn 30.

My dad recently had a mini-stroke that has affected his eye and due to this stroke, he has lost part of his vision slightly. After this had happened it honestly made me want to look into eye careers. I came across Optometrist and was looking for some more information on this field. I understand that it is more likely that the route I am taken is how the majority of students do not take and it may be dumb of me but I do not know.

How does one become an optometrist? Does this field require internships and residency? What degree is required to become on and how many years would it take after attaining a bachelors degree? Etc. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and respond. I would appreciate it if anyone can reframe from negative comments. Only looking for advice and information regarding the field. Thank you!

You can apply with a bachelor’s in any subject as long as you take the prerequisites for the schools to which you’d like to apply. Each school will have its own list. You take the OAT and obtain letters of ref before applying, and send your applications through the centralized application service OptomCAS. The application opens July 1. Most seats fill by mid-February. A good time to apply is before November-ish.
A good OAT score is 340+.
School is 4 years, with the last two years being mostly clinical depending on where you go. There are 21 (22?) accredited schools throughout the nation.
During school you take 3 national board examinations, 1 during your third year and 2 during your fourth year. These pass rates are important to consider when looking at schools, especially part I, which is the hardest.

One year optional residency after those four years.

Pros to optometry: it can be pretty interesting and generally less stressful than being a surgeon
Cons: there can be a very limited scope of practice depending on where you live. In general, ODs do not perform surgery (exception for glaucoma laser depending on where you are). Lots of people assume optometry = glasses and apps can replace this.

 

[UnicornOpt]

ASCO: Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry | Advancing and Promoting Optometric Education