Technical skill

[drboris]

Do you have to have really good steady hands and mechanical aptitude to do ophthalmology?

I understand it is very delicate work, but I am not sure that every person who goes into ophtho has the steadiest hands. I just want to know if I would be able to do it, and since I can't try doing the surgeries to see if I can, I hope you guys can describe in some way or give analogies about how the surgeries really are.

Also, is ophtho more surgical or more medical? How much surgery reallly is there? Are ophthomologists more surgically inclined (personality) or medically oriented?

Thanks

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[mdkurt]

Do you have to have really good steady hands and mechanical aptitude to do ophthalmology?

I understand it is very delicate work, but I am not sure that every person who goes into ophtho has the steadiest hands. I just want to know if I would be able to do it, and since I can't try doing the surgeries to see if I can, I hope you guys can describe in some way or give analogies about how the surgeries really are.

Also, is ophtho more surgical or more medical? How much surgery reallly is there? Are ophthomologists more surgically inclined (personality) or medically oriented?

Thanks

Surgery is a learned skill. Steady hands help, but a good understanding of what your hands need to do is the only essential ingredient. In order to be a good surgeon, you have to enjoy what you're doing and think about it outside the OR, not just when you sit down at the scope. I don't think there's any way you can screen yourself, but rest assured that if you're committed and like what you're doing, anyone can be an excellent surgeon with the proper training. There are a mix of surgically and medically inclined people in ophtho, but I think you should be at least excited about ophthalmic surgery before considering it as a career.