Pathway to Ophthalmology« back

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Join the Team!


     


General education requirements:

  • 4 years of college
  • 4 years medical school
  • 1 year of internship (in general surgery, internal medicine, or a "transitional" year of elective rotations in multiple medical specialties)
  • 3 years of ophthalmology residency
  • Optional 1-2 years of "fellowship" training in ophthalmology subspecialty


To be an ophthalmologist, need to have the following academic and personal qualities:

  • Good student, with a track record of A's and B's. 
    • Many ophthalmologists were typically competitive and known as "overachievers" throughout high school and college
  • Participate in extracurricular activities (be well-rounded)
    • Can include sports, music, arts, etc.
  • Good best corrected vision (with glasses or contact lenses is fine)
  • Good depth perception
    • good binocular vision, both eyes seeing well and working together to discriminate fine details in 3-dimensions 
  • Good hand-eye coordination and good fine motor skills
    • these skills can be learned through practice

 

 

"The Message"

Everton L. Arrindell, MD
Retina Specialist, Private Practice, Nashville, TN

Past chair of the Ophthalmology section of the NMA


Source:
Johnson, LN and Daniels OCB. Breaking the Color Line in Medicine:
African-Americans in Ophthalmology. Thorofare, NJ: Slack Incorporated; 2002.


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