Optometry School or Medical School???

[RiCe BoY x 4 u]

Hello Fellow Members,

I'm new here on the post. I am currently a sophomore attending University of California, Davis. Right now, I'm torn between medical school and optometry school. My grades aren't the very best, around 3.10. I've heard optometry schools have a higher acceptance rate (around 25%) compared to medical school (around 3%). Right now, medical school doesn't look so good for me. I've heard rumors that MD's work long hours and have a hard time raising a family. I want something that helps, but also allows me to have free time and raise a family. I've heard optometry is the way to go if that is what I want in life. Money also plays a role, does optometrists make good money? I think I have a better chance of getting into optometry school anyways. Please HELP!!! Any responses would be greatly appreciated =) Thank you.

~ Long

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[imtiaz]

You will get more responses in the OD forum. Moving...

 

[Rosanna]

Hi Long:

I would highly recommend you to review the profile for the 2002 entering class for optometry schools:

http://www.opted.org/pdf/2002_classprofile.pdf

You?ll notice that your GPA of 3.10 (not 3.40, right?) is in the range of GPA of accepted students in all 17 optometry schools.

A GPA of around 3.10 is also the average GPA of accepted students in several optometry schools: ICO (3.15), Newenco (3.12), SUNY (3.18), and Puerto Rico (2.90).

You should not rely on these figures 100% because profiles change every year and it is not always clear if your application cycle will have more applicants, or more academically strong applicants. However, I hope that you can regard your GPA more positively by reviewing the 2002 class profile.

I would suggest that you try to improve your GPA each quarter to show improvement on your transcript. I realize that sophomore year is tougher than freshman year, but if you can maintain the same GPA throughout the year or even improve it just a bit, it will help you tremendously when you apply for either optometry school or medical school.

I had a very tough sophomore year (I never received over a 3.0 that year), but I managed to be on the dean?s honor list most of the remaining time after that. I had a GPA of 3.2 when I was applying, and I was still accepted into most of the schools I applied to (I?m still on the wait list for UCBSO). Nevertheless, I hope you remain motivated throughout this year.

Besides academics, all health profession schools look for well-rounded students who have other interests besides studying. Your volunteer work, sports activities, or any other hobbies you have will be reviewed by any application committee.

In addition, you should aim for an above the average score in either the OAT or MCAT. For the OAT, a score of 300-310 is about the national average (scale of 200-400). You should expect to score higher than the average to compensate for your lower GPA. For example, if you can score a 330 for your academic average you will be in the 75-81 percentile band.

No matter what choice you make, you should be positive that the career you choose will be one that you will not mind doing for the next 40 years in your life. That?s a tough decision to make, and you will definitely be asked at any interview why you choose that specific career path.

You can search the rest of this board for your questions about why some people choose optometry and why some didn?t, income, etc. These issues have been hammered out by both the participants in the MD and OD boards, so it is a good review of different ideas and perspectives.

Best wishes,

Rosanna

 

[Suey]

Long, I go to UC Davis too! And I have the same exact conflicting feelings as you right now. I'm torn between pursuing opt or med, and they're because of the same reasons...life style, salary, competitiveness. I think the best thing to do is to shadow both MDs and ODs in different practices and see which one you like more and see yourself doing later in life. That's what I'm planning to do over the summer. Good luck!

 

[RiCe BoY x 4 u]

Suey -

UC Davis rocks! lol. how do you like davis so far? Pre-opt eh? Good choice!

~ Long

 

[RiCe BoY x 4 u]

Rosanna -

Thank you for the information =)

~ Long

 

[BatmanMD]

Opto school is easier to get into and has a better lifestyle than medicine. BUT, the income you make in opto is extremely limited compared to medicine. for example, you could start ~80-90K/year and go up each year, but thats about it.

In medicine, you could make anywhere between 110K-450K+, depending on specialty. The downside on this is residency. After 4 years of opto schooling, you go out and get a job. After 4 years of med school, you go out and APPLY for residency. (Almost the same as applying for admission to med/opto school). During your residency years, you will work ~60 hours for about 35-40K/year. During this time you have crappy hours and crappy pay, considering the loans you will have.

I'm shortening a lot of this up, and have skipped some little points, but overall the choice is what you want. If you want to have variety, then medicine may be the way to go. If you are content with the opto job (does the same thing, sees the same thing over and over and over....), but MUCH better hours.

good luck

 

[rpames]

BatmanMD-

I don't believe you can generalize that ODs see the same thing over and over, while MDs see new things all the time. I know for a fact from working in an OD office that they see penlty of variety (in private practice not commercial). New things come in just as often to an OD as they do to a GP. The GP see strep., ear infection...the same stuff all the time. The same goes with any specialty, for the most part, the same stuff come walking through the door every day. A general physical is no more redundant than an eye exam.

When I work for the orthopeadic surgeon, the day was full of similar stuff, torn rot. cuff, broken leg, arm, hip, knee, finger, toe. It was not very often that the dr. called for me and said, "Hey Ryan, I've never seen this." or "This is really rare." With any given specialty you will see tons of the same stuff. And when it get really neat (rare) you send them off to sub-specialist that sees the same "rare" stuff over and over again.

I've said it before, but as far as income...yes, 80-90k can be common. But, if you work in private or in small group, and work hard, 200k+ is reachable as an OD. I know more than one that has done this, and they have not managed chains.

 

[christie]

"Opto school is easier to get into and has a better lifestyle than medicine. BUT, the income you make in opto is extremely limited compared to medicine. for example, you could start ~80-90K/year and go up each year, but thats about it."

Whats wrong with 80-90K/year? Thats OK with me!!

 

[docwatson]

Originally posted by christie
Whats wrong with 80-90K/year? Thats OK with me!!

It's all about what your expectations are. Not everyone wants to go into a profession for just the money. For some people, anything over a certain amount is overkill. What's wrong with having a comfortable lifestyle?