Your interest in optometry

[lakewood]

How many of you chose optometry because of a natural passion for the subject, as opposed to a practical career decision making process?

I have read many posts about people who "narrowed down" their career choices (primarily in the health professions) to optometry, rather than having always aspired to be an eye doctor. Did you find your prerequisite coursework to be intrinsically interesting, or just a step along the path to your career? Did you find that your interest in your undergraduate coursework was higher or lower than your interest in your graduate OD coursework?

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[KHE]

How many of you chose optometry because of a natural passion for the subject, as opposed to a practical career decision making process?

I have read many posts about people who "narrowed down" their career choices (primarily in the health professions) to optometry, rather than having always aspired to be an eye doctor. Did you find your prerequisite coursework to be intrinsically interesting, or just a step along the path to your career? Did you find that your interest in your undergraduate coursework was higher or lower than your interest in your graduate OD coursework?

I have been out of optometry school for over 7 years now and sometimes people ask me how I came to be an optometrist because it's not really the kind of career that young children dream about being when they are thinking about what they want to be when I grow up.

I remember way back when, in the 7th grade they started prodding us a little bit to start thinking in very broad terms about areas we would maybe like to work in. My guidance counsellor said the first thing to decide was whether you wanted to work indoors or outdoors. I knew I wanted to work INDOORS.

Then, when I was about 14, I had an appointment with my own OD for an exam and while sitting in his chair, I looked around the room at all of his fancy gadgetry (which I like....) and when he came in, I asked what he did all day. He was young and enthusiastic and showed me around his office. It was very impressive, and it seemed like a fun job to help people see better. I commented that he must get paid well (14 isn't exactly the age where you have the most tact.) He just got this sly grin on his face and said that he made gooooood money. And that's how I decided that it was what I was going to do. Indoors, fancy gadgetry, and gooooood money.

It was a bit more convulted than that but that's pretty much how it happened for me. I was 14 when I decided.

 

[spanisheyes]

aw, thats a cute story

I cant say that I've wanted to be an optometrist since I was young, but when I started working in a practice a little over a year ago I developed a passion for it. When I started working there, everything made sense, I was good at what I did and I enjoyed doing it, which was very different from when I thought I wanted to do pharmacy and worked at a pharmacy part time. When you like something, you're good at what you do

 

[Oogilily]

Wow, never thought I would here the words "cute story" and "KHE" in the same sentance. Way to go on the light-hearted post this time .

 

[KHE]

Wow, never thought I would here the words "cute story" and "KHE" in the same sentance. Way to go on the light-hearted post this time .

Yeah? Well, just don't get too used to it there, pal!

 

[lakewood]

I guess one thing I'm wondering is, if I'm not in love with undergrad general bio class, would I REALLY dislike taking optometry courses? Or is it really completely different?

Even the few responses on this thread have kind of confirmed what I had already suspected: the career itself offered more appeal than the subject itself (not to overgeneralize, but you get the idea). So what I'm really asking, I suppose, is how has the coursework experience been? Especially for those of you without necessarily having entered into the subject with an intense passion for vision science? The good, the bad, the indifferent... opinions welcomed.

 

[muleque]

While I haven't taken any optometry courses, I can say that I have not enjoyed most of my undergrad pre-reqs. Chemistry and Physics just aren't my bag. However, I am fascinated by human anatomy and physiology. I think that's what will carry me through and motivate me to do well in the other courses. If I really was all excited about chemistry, I'd see that as a sign that perhaps pharmacy might be a better route for me. But I love working with people, so optometry is a better choice. By the way, I didn't necessarily grow up wanting to be an optometrist. When I was ten I wanted to be in the NBA for crying out loud. But as I got older, I decided I wanted to work in the medical field. And after research and constant shadowing of ODs, I've taken great interest in optometry.
I'm going to just throw out a random number and say that less than 25% of people are working in a field that can be considered their PASSION. Most find a career that fits them and provides a good lifestyle. I don't think there's any crime in that.

 

[cunikki]

in terms of the general business of science do you love taking science classes??? while there is a lot more to optometry than 'science' classes a lot of the classes especially in the first two years are very science based..
what classes did you really enjoy in undergrad?? its not like you are taking the same classes over again but its kinda along the same idea
however... i would say that if you really really liked classes that were problem solving and trying to come up with different solutions to a problem or else classes where you had to start wiht some kind of general idea and then work your way through it and come up with lots of hypotheses and ways to figure our what you are really dealing with you might like it??'
honestly before i started opt school i knew i really really loved being in school (as opposed to working.. i did research for 2 years) and i really thought eyes were the coolest thing ever. i was not necessarily one of those people that has been thinking about opt since elementary school. but after being here and especially being in clinic i know that i really just like the profession in general.. like being with patients and solving their problems.
overall if you like science and like figuring things out you will be fine