Sara (Davies) Falter '04
Optometrist
Position Description:
Doctors of Optometry are "independent primary health care providers who examine, diagnose, treat and manage diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eye and associated structures, as well as diagnose related systemic conditions". American Optometric Association (AOA), 1997.Optometrists don't just prescribe glasses and contacts, they also check the health of the eye and manage many eye conditions, such as glaucoma or eye infections. The optometrist is an important member of a patient's healthcare team. Optometrists can diagnose, manage, and refer systemic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or others that are often first detected in the eye.
Necessary education or experience:
Most optometry schools require prospective students to have a Bachelor's degree and to take at least one course (with corresponding labs) of each of the following: calculus, anatomy, physiology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, statistics, and psychology. Each optometry school's prerequisites are slightly different, so other courses may also be necessary. Students must also take and pass the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), an entrance exam that covers a survey of the natural sciences (biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry), reading comprehension, physics, and quantitative reasoning. Optometry school is a four year commitment. I attended the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO). Here, the first year consisted of the core courses such as anatomy (general and ocular), neuroanatomy, optics, vision science, physiology, pathology, and an introduction to the clinic. The second year built upon these core classes. In the second semester of our second year, we started working in the clinic and examining real patients. The third year focused on advanced topics such as pediatric and geriatric optometry and how to manage an office. The fourth year consisted of three externships, one of which was at the school. During these externships I had the opportunity to observe and work in more specialized clinics in Houston and Oklahoma. Most of the externship sites offered through UHCO are located throughout Houston and Texas, however there are a few scattered throughout the United States, as well as Sweden and Germany.
Do you think a degree in BE
is a good choice?
Yes, but a biology degree would also have been sufficient. For me, I think the biomedical engineering degree was a great choice. It allowed me to be more prepared for the rigors of optometry school. It helped me learn better problem solving, time management, and researching skills (among other skills). All of which are very important in optometry as well. To be a good optometrist you have to be able to listen to your patient's complaints, investigate, and make a diagnosis based on what you find. My training in biomedical engineering gave me a good solid background and made the transition to optometry school a little easier.
Do you think MSOE is a good
choice of college?
Yes, for me it was. I liked the small class size and personal attention from the professors. Most professors were willing to help and made sure that you understood the material. Also, MSOE has a lot of different sports, intramurals, clubs, organizations, etc. So, if you like to get involved, there's something for you here.
Why did you choose MSOE's BE program?
I chose the MSOE BE program over another equally qualified school mostly because I liked the city of Milwaukee better. I had actually applied to MSOE as an architectural engineering student. However, after I looked at the majors more closely, biomedical engineering sounded like something I would enjoy more (and at that time I didn't intend to continue school to become an optometrist). I liked the fact that I would be able to have a job in a health field, which would have allowed me to help others. Ultimately, the reason I chose to attend optometry school after MSOE was that I wanted to be more directly involved in patient care. MSOE's BE program seemed to have a good mix of courses; we took computer programming courses, mechanical engineering courses, electrical engineering courses, etc.
What did you like about MSOE?
I was able to participate on the cross country and track teams. If I had gone to a larger school this probably wouldn't have been possible. It gave me an opportunity to meet more people and see what other majors were like at MSOE. Being involved in anything helps keep you centered and can reduce your stress level (which will be very high at times).
What did you like about the BE program?
I actually liked starting the design projects our freshman year. I probably wouldn't have given that for an answer my freshman or sophomore years, but in hindsight, I think it was a good idea. It more closely simulates the actual design process in the "real world" - losing and gaining team members every quarter, shifting responsibilities, even having to completely scrap a project and start over with one year left before the deadline.
Now that you have graduated and are in the workforce,
are you happy with the education that you received in the BE program at MSOE?
Yes. MSOE was a tough school, which has prepared me for many challenges that I
encounter everyday at optometry school and now as an optometrist.
Key skills that are necessary to be successful in your position:
I would think that being observant and meticulous are two necessary skills to
be a good optometrist. There are many disease processes of the eye that
seem similar at first glance. It would be very easy to misdiagnose the disease.
So you have to ask the right questions, listen to what the patient is telling
you, and carefully examine the patient’s eyes.
A description of your path to your current position:
Once I decided that I wanted to go to Opometry school, I did some research to determine where the schools were located and what prerequisites were necessary. Microbiology and an anatomy lab were the only prerequisites that the BE curriculum at MSOE didn't include (for UHCO). I was able to take microbiology at a nearby school over the summer and take the anatomy lab as an independent study during my last quarter at MSOE. Some of the other schools that I had applied to had asked me to retake some of the chemistry and biology courses since they didn't feel that 1 quarter was equivalent to 1 semester. To get into optometry school I had to fill out applications, write short essays, get recommendation letters, take the OAT, and interview at each of the schools.
Good (and bad) aspects of your current position:
Optometry is a great profession. I meet a lot of interesting people everyday, I get to choose my own hours (for the most part), I get to attend conferences in great locations (like Hawaii, Mexico, Las Vegas, etc), and best of all, I get to help people.
| For information about MSOE's B.S. in Biomedical Engineering program, contact interim program director Dr. Charles Tritt at (414) 277-7421. |