A Career in Optometry

1511 Words4 Pages

A Bachelor’s Degree in Vision Science from The University of the Incarnate Word is the first step in obtaining a Doctorate of optometry. What does an optometrist do? On a typical day an optometrist examines people’s eyes to diagnose eye diseases and vision problems, test patients’ visual acuity, perception, and ability to focus or coordinate eyes, prescribes prescriptions, contact lenses, and eyeglasses, and provides vision therapy or preoperative and postoperative care to patients in need of it. Many factors affect interest in the field such as future expectations, occupational job outlook, and schooling involved to complete Doctorate.

The prerequisite coursework, physics, biology, and chemistry, are not only strong academic points, but they are engaging. Prerequisites differ among schools, but the average GPA for Fall 2010 students into Optometry Schools across America ranged from 3.19 to 3.56. Therefore, one factor is that there is a natural passion for the subject, opposed to the fact that it is a practical career choice.

The Optometry Admission Test (OAT) is required upon admission into all optometry schools. It is a standardized exam consisting of four tests: Survey of the Natural Sciences (Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry), Reading Comprehension, Physics, and Quantitative Reasoning. Testing is administered online and given continuously to the test taker based on personal schedules. So, the test can be taken unlimitedly, but fees equal to about $245 per test. Fall 2010, the average score for the incoming class was 324/400.

Secondly, optometrists are in high demand in the health profession. The field is expected to grow much faster than the average for all other occupations in response to a growing and a...

... middle of paper ...

...e three undergraduate years to enter Phase II. Phase I requires a 1200 SAT score and a 26 ACT score, a 3.5 high school cumulative GPA, and student must be prepared to begin in Pre-Calculus the 1st semester of freshmen year. It is an accelerated program for advanced undergraduates. Phase II requirements include a 3.3 Undergraduate cumulative GPA, an OAT score of 320, successful completion of 90 semester credit hours with a ‘C’ or better in prerequisite requirements, completion of application process, letters of recommendation, two shadowing experiences, and active involvement in community service. Upon acceptance into the professional program and successful completion of the first professional year, a B.S. in Vision Science is retroactively granted. At the conclusion of the 4-year block step profession program, a profession degree of Doctor of Optometry is awarded.

More about A Career in Optometry

Open Document