I'm sure you've heard the argument many times before... there are too many optometry schools (with even more on the horizon) and not enough qualified applicants to fill the seats.
This is leading to the decrease in pass-rates for NBEO® for optometry schools, and less students able to complete the rigorous program in order to graduate and become successful doctors.
So what can be done in order to protect academics and prevent a decline in standards?
This article written for the most recent Review of Optometry discusses ways that optometry schools (and the profession in general) can help keep optometry a booming profession full of intelligent doctors who are well prepared for caring for the community.
Source: ASCO.
By adapting to the ever-changing pool of applicants, incentivizing new doctors to provide services in areas where healthcare demand and resources are imbalanced, and by promoting the profession of optometry to raise its profile and attract more qualified candidates, we can potentially offset this change in the applicant-to-seat ratio.
What do you think about these changes in optometry schools? As a student, did you feel like it was difficult to get into optometry school?
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