Can you practice medicine if you are color blind? ( Be an MD)?

Question

Well I am in my 2nd year of college and still pursuing diligently towards all my pre-reqs for med school... but I heard a nasty rumor that you can't be a doctor if you are color blind...I'm red and green... i see them just not all shades of them.

Answer 1

My dad and I are both color blind. He is a doctor (He is an M.D.), and I most certainly could be if I wanted to. The only weird thing about practicing medicine when you are color blind, is that sometimes, depending on what kind of doctor you are, you have to give patients color blindess tests! But, never fear, there are always answer keys, and ways to make it quite possible to be a doctor, and be color blind.

Oh, and color blindness, and particularly red green, is very common for men. And it's not impossible for women, either, just rare. I am. Good luck with becoming a doctor!

Answer 2

Color Blind Doctor

Answer 3

It doesn't matter if u r color blind. U have to learn the body parts very well. Try to impress ur teacher. Be like Helen Keller, she was blind but she was famous because she impressed every one. Don't be sad. U can practice medicine.

Answer 4

Or a DO. Anyway, the pathology teacher at my med school says you can even be a pathologist if you are color blind- you just have to get better at discerning morphology.

Answer 5

Absolutely. Color blindness (especially red-green) is very common - up to 5% of males. Hell, UW graduated a blind M.D. a couple years back.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7318398

Answer 6

Don't believe everything you hear. Rumors are just that.
You might want to ask your academic advisor, just for peace of mind. Seems to me if you can fulfill all other requirements and color vision does not affect your specialty, you can practice, according to the rules of the ADA. (Assuming you're in the US)
laws in other countries may vary.