I just recently graduate with a degree in Business Administration but am interested in going into the field of Optometry. I have taken courses such as Statistics and obviously business. My overall G.P.A. is a 2.6 but major G.P.A. is a 3.5. I know optometry schools have a very keen admission requirements. Will I have to return to a community college to complete biology, physics, chemistry, etc., since I majored in business and did not take these subjects in college but rather high school, or can I apply to an optometry school already? I understand my grades aren't well but I can say that I am extremely active in the community as well as proficient in many technical skills. I have been founder of two organizations on campus and have taken many leadership positions as well as a rich background working for various organizations. Thank you for your help. Greetings! =)
2006-09-21 14:45:09 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
Quick answer - If you want to be a *good* optometrist, you'll go back to school and take the science courses.
Longer answer - If you have a graduate degree in just about anything, there are some schools of Optometry in the US that will admit you for a two-year (instead of the usual four) program - NECO is the first one that comes to mind. But, my guess would be that your marks might need to have been higher, and this only works if you've got a graduate degree and not a bachelor's in Business Admin. Also, you'll be struggling through those two years of school without the science background.
There's a lot more to being an optometrist than you might think. You're going to be a doctor. You're going to be responsible for a very big aspect of your patients' health - partly because people really notice small changes with their vision, and partly because a lot of systemic conditions like MS or diabetes often get detected through routine eye exams. You'll be writing prescriptions and using drugs on a day to day basis. This is a big deal and you need to have a very good understanding of what you're doing and what can go wrong. The reason that the schools of optometry require biology, chemistry, physics, etc. is that you need to have this knowledge, as you'll be using some of the principles every single day. They also want to see that you can handle the heavy course load and lab work, and that you can think in a logical, scientific fashion. The last thing they want is to admit somebody, start teaching them, and then find out they just can't cut it - it's a waste of a spot that somebody else could have used.
Regardless of what school you go to, you'll probably have to write the OAT (like the MCAT, but not quite as bad!), fill out an application, go through interviews, etc. to get in. As well, each school has their own requirements for what courses and grades they expect you to have. The link I've cited as a source includes links to all the American schools of optometry, where you should be able to find the specifics for each.
Oh, I suppose it should be said - I'm a second-year optometry student in Canada, at the University of Waterloo. I've gone through the process of getting in, and I've seen how my classmates' backgrounds have helped them or held them back. Optometry is medicine, and it is a science - the more science you know, the easier it'll be for you, and the better it'll be for your patients.
2006-09-21 16:33:07 · answer #1 · answered by Adam 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This site may be helpful:
http://www1.va.gov/optometry/page.cfm?pg=27
2006-09-22 05:37:34 · answer #2 · answered by starrynight1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋