According to admissions officials at several of the schools and colleges of optometry, parents of prospective students often have similar questions about the admissions process and optometry school in general. Their questions tend to center around the costs of tuition and housing, availability of financial aid and the safety of the area where their sons or daughters may be living for four years of their lives. When Hannah E. Barker expressed an interest in becoming a Doctor of Optometry, she and her dad, David J. Barker, an attorney in Carmel, Ind., wanted to explore additional matters such as the schools’ job placement rates and the median salary for a first-year optometry school graduate. Hannah narrowed the list of schools she wanted to apply to, and, her father says, “Two optometry schools immediately came to the forefront with answers and information that convinced not only my daughter but our family that the optometry profession is a leading career that allows a practicing optometrist to not only enjoy a rewarding occupation but provides a foundation for the ability to raise a family, be involved in a community, and give back to our society in general.” Hannah was accepted by the University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Optometry and Indiana University School of Optometry (IUSO). She’ll start classes at IUSO in fall 2016. 

If you’re thinking about becoming an optometrist, chances are you also lean toward the entrepreneurial side of life. Lots of optometrists do. According to a survey by the American Optometric Association, 53% of ODs are practice owners.¹ Eye on Optometry caught up with three recent optometry school graduates who started their own practices, and are very glad they did.

Eye on Optometry recently asked students and graduates to tell us what they consider to be the Best Things about Optometry School. And while the answers convey a lot about optometry school, they say just as much about the students and graduates themselves. For starters, their enthusiasm for all things optometry school — and optometry in general — is obvious. 

One of the many appealing elements of a career in optometry is the variety of settings in which doctors of optometry can work. We asked ODs from several different practice types to answer some questions, including what they find most challenging and most rewarding about their job, to give you a glimpse into the possibilities. Part II of this blog will cover the following settings:  large group private optometry practice, private practice (two owners), corporate optical adjacent and the opththalmic industry.

One of the many appealing elements of a career in optometry is the variety of settings in which doctors of optometry can work. We asked ODs from several different practice types to answer some questions to give you a glimpse into the possibilities. Part I of this blog will cover the following settings: academic practice, solo private practice, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and corporate. Other practice settings will be covered in Part II.   

Technology is an integral part of practicing medicine today, and optometry is no exception. Diagnostic technologies in particular have advanced rapidly. As the latest instruments make their way into clinical practice, they also become part of optometric education. The schools and colleges of optometry are committed to ensuring their students graduate with a full understanding of state-of-the-art technology. Many of the diagnostic technologies that optometry students are using today are game-changers for patient care.

We are well in the New Year and I wish you a wonderful 2016. 

As I reflect back on 2015, there is much I would like to share. 

The curriculum for any student entering optometry school today will in some way include interprofessional education (IPE). IPE is a hot topic throughout medicine and an area of much activity in optometry. The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) is a leader in working to ensure optometry students are prepared to participate in interprofessional care (IPC) when they graduate. The Association’s “Attributes of Students Graduating from Schools and Colleges of Optometry” calls for recipients of the Doctor of Optometry degree to have the ability to appropriately use all resources, including ancillary personnel, intra- and interprofessional collaboration, co-management and referral, in ensuring the best quality of patient care and to be committed to working as an integral member of the larger interprofessional healthcare team to improve patient care outcomes.

When it comes to being a great career choice, optometry always makes the list. Literally. A variety of outlets, including the Washington Post, Kiplinger and CNNMoney, routinely rank optometry with other vocations they deem, for example, “top industries for women entrepreneurs” or “best careers.” A big reason optometry gets noticed in this way is the satisfying work/life balance it can provide relative to other professions.

In this month’s Eye on Optometry blog post, we address campus visits. If you’re considering applying to optometry school, visiting the campuses of the schools and colleges of optometry you think you’d like to attend is a crucial part of the process. There are plenty of opportunities to do so!