How To Become An Ophthalmologist}

How To Become An Ophthalmologist

by

chris Hegi

If youre planning to become an ophthalmologist, its important to understand what will be required of you. Ophthalmologist Vancouver WA providers are medically trained professionals who are able to diagnose and treat a wide variety of eye conditions, providing treatment options which can include surgery.

High schoolers wishing to become an ophthalmologists can start by taking plenty of science courses. Math and science are important subjects to have a solid background in, as theyll be the basis of your studies later on.

Youll first be required to complete a Bachelor of Science (BS) program, typically in a pre-medical field such as biology or chemistry. Your grades will be important, as entrance into medical school can be quite competitive. Only the top students are typically admitted, so its important to work hard while youre completing your undergraduate work.

The next step is medical school. Remember, entrance is competitive, so finding your way to being accepted may take some time. It will be important to have developed good relationships with past professors, have high grade levels for your undergraduate work, and get the highest possible score on the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, which all candidates for schools are required to take. Once youre accepted, medical school takes four years, on average, to complete.

After college, youll be required to work as an intern for a year. Your internship should be with an ophthalmologist who will help train you. After your internship, you are required to pass certain tests before you are able to get a license to practice medicine. Some candidates may need to take the test several times before passing, as it is considered very difficult.

Upon passing your test, youll be eligible for residency. The next three years youll be spending in a residency program to hone your skills to become an ophthalmologist Vancouver WA doctor. During this time, youll learn valuable skills within your profession. After youve completed the residency requirement, youre eligible to become board certified. The American Board of Ophthalmology is the agency youll be applying to to obtain certification. Those in the industry say it is much easier to find a job in ophthalmology if you are board certified, so dont be tempted to skip this important step.

Becoming an ophthalmologist is a long road that takes many years to complete. Planning sometimes begins as early as high school.

Once youve completed all the required steps, however, youll be trained and ready to be an

ophthalmologist Vancouver WA

in the state of Washington.

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How To Become An Ophthalmologist }